The Start of Nature

The hour of birth: to observe the creation of an ecosystem from the start, geologists and ecologists in Cottbus want to start from time zero. Because young ecosystems are rare, the scientists are constructing the "Hühnerwasser" artificial water catchment area in a former brown-coal mine. It is hoped that the open-air laboratory will answer important questions: How does new life form in the soil? What influence do microorganisms and water have during this process? And how does the soil structure change?