Everything about Society

Floods, wildfires, and heatwaves show how fragile our systems become in a crisis. Before official help arrives, people often rely on each other. In these crucial first hours, spontaneous volunteers – everyday citizens without formal training – step in. They act outside of official plans, yet they are often the decisive factor when disaster brings entire regions to a standstill. For scientists, one thing is clear: without the human factor, disaster preparedness remains incomplete.

When a region undergoes structural change, it often leads to job losses, vacant buildings, and declining tax revenues. Over time, the remaining residents may begin to feel cut off from the rest of the world. Researchers are now exploring what shrinking cities can learn from one another – and how they might be revitalized.