Scientists rewrite the rules of swarming locusts

Classical models of collective behaviour fail to explain the mechanisms driving desert locust swarms – an ecological phenomenon that affects millions of lives worldwide. This research offers a new perspective on the cognitive and sensory mechanisms that underpin collective motion, challenging long-held beliefs in the field of animal behaviour.

Capuchin monkeys develop bizarre “fad” of abducting baby howlers

How cameras on a remote island captured the origin and spread of a novel social tradition.

Mobility Maps factor in the walking distance to the next stop as well as the connection quality, i.e. travel times, service frequency and the key destinations these connections serve. Copyright Fischer et al. Mobility Maps, University of Konstanz / Steinbeis CIDAV, 2024

Mapping the quality of public transportation in Germany

Interactive maps show the accessibility and quality of public transportation for each house in Germany. Computer scientists at the University of Konstanz developed the maps to enable data-driven simulations for discussing political issues – or just checking the situation in one's own neighbourhood.

Microrobots and the “lazy agent problem”

How can a team optimally mobilize its forces? Physicists from the University of Konstanz led by Clemens Bechinger demonstrate a solution using a swarm of microrobots.

Our community

Our community is made up of researchers from several disciplines, such as biology, computer science, economics, psychology, maths, physics, and sociology, and from two institutions – the University of Konstanz and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior.

Image film

Collective behaviour is all around: At the Cluster of Excellence Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour at the University of Konstanz we create a global hotspot for the integrated study of collective behaviour across a wide range of species and across scales of organization. With our CASCB movies we invite you to take a look at our research and dive into the swarm to learn more about us.

Current news

A pigeon sitting on a fence

Following the pigeon's gaze

As humans, we tend to intuitively follow the gazes of others. But do pigeons do this, too? What role does group behaviour play in the process – and what does this tell us about the animals? A behavioural experiment by the Cluster of Excellence Collective Behaviour at the University of Konstanz in collaboration with Kyoto University.

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CASCB Project Boost-athon

The CASCB Project Boost-athon, a two-day hackathon organized by the PhD Network held on 26–27 May, successfully brought together members of the cluster community to collaborate on innovative research challenges.

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