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SFB 1280 meets Haus des Wissens

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When: 20. August, 11am – 5pm 
Where: Rathaus Vorplatz, Willy-Brandt-Platz, 44777 Bochum
Entrance: free

With the Haus des Wissens, a great new place will be created in downtown Bochum in the next few years that couldn’t be more exciting. 11,000 square meters full of possibilities around the topic of knowledge, education, meeting and enjoyment. Knowledge is the central theme in this building – and this is where all those involved should and want to contribute with ideas, concepts and offers. And not side by side, but with a joint program and an idea that goes beyond the power of what individual areas can achieve.

On Saturday, August 20 from 11 am – 5 pm, the later actors will give first glimpses of what we can already look forward to! The SFB 1280 will also be on site with a mini brain lab and a podcast lounge to get Bochum’s citizens excited about neuroscience. 

In addition to the SFB 1280 booth and an exciting stage program, you can look forward to the following activities and offers:

Repair Café / Bicycle Workshop
Energy quiz
Programming robots
Upcycling activity for children
Vegan food truck

If you want to know more, have a look at the poster, the event flyer or directly at the city of Bochum via the link.

Poster

Flyer

Impressions from the day

Photos by Michael Schwettmann and Lisa Bischoff

New Year, New Me: The Facts

As the calendar turns to a new year, millions of people around the world commit to New Year’s resolutions, making promises to use the new year as a fresh beginning and an opportunity for transformation. In 2024, almost three-quarters of the British population set themselves New Year’s resolutions — that’s around 40 million people (or the entire population of Canada). This tradition was particularly strong among younger generations, with 96% of Generation Z (aged 18-27) planning resolutions, compared to just 35% of the Silent Generation (aged 79+).

Most common new years resolutions:

  1. Saving more money (52%)
  2. Eat healthier (50%)
  3. Exercise more (48%)
  4. Lose weight (37%)
  5. Spend more time with family/friends (35%)

How long do most resolutions normally last before being broken?

  • Data from America (2016) shows that 75% of individuals maintain their resolutions through the first week. 
  • 64% of individuals maintain their resolutions through the first month. 
  • 46% of individuals in America keep their resolutions past the 6-month mark.

What makes resolutions stick?

Oscarsson et al. (2020) conducted research into what makes New Year’s resolutions stick. Biggest success rates depended on how people phrased their goals. Participants who set approach-oriented goals (trying to move toward or maintain a desirable outcome or state) than those with avoidance-oriented goals (trying to move toward or maintain a desirable outcome or state) were significantly more successful (58.9% vs. 47.1%) at sticking to their goals.

The study also investigates the effects of outside support. These participants received monthly follow-ups and emails with information and exercises for coping with hurdles when striving toward personal goals, and were also encouraged to set goals using the SMART technique and to set interim goals. The group that received some support was exclusively and significantly more successful compared to the groups who received a lot of support or no support at all. 

Additionally, you might feel more successful if you set goals that are measurable in numbers. While success for a person striving to quit smoking or lose weight could easily be measured in the number of cigarettes smoked or body mass index, the success for a person striving to “take better care of themselves” could be highly subjective and possibly impossible to measure.

So as we enter 2026, let’s remember to work with our brain’s natural learning system: Frame your goals positively, break them into manageable steps, and celebrate small wins along the way.