Survival, satiety, and satisfaction—these were once the sole purposes of human food. With increasing industrialization, however, our diet took on additional political, healing, and self-optimizing functions, and food became a lifestyle product. However, highly processed and mass-produced foods are at odds with environmentally friendly diets. Health aspects are also coming into focus, currently causing contradictory discussions.

Against this backdrop, it is necessary to reflect on the molecular structures of our food and its properties. The lecture will present examples ranging from natural nutrition to plant-based substitute products and cultured meat from a scientific perspective. It is precisely the combination of physics and biochemistry that provides insights into the preparation, enjoyment, and breakdown processes of food in the human body.

Dialog in the Museum
November 27, 2025
7 p.m.

Speaker:
Prof. Dr. Thomas A. Vilgis
Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz

You can follow the presentation via the link https://www.youtube.com/live/rlxDgZktK_A and also ask the speaker questions. Due to limited space, participation in the in-person event is by personal invitation only.