ETH News

2024 saw ETH Zurich once again confirm its position as a global leader in research and teaching ¨C be it in the field of biology, energy sciences or space research.

Deep geothermal energy is climate-friendly and base-load capable - but how can this heat be tapped safely? ETH researchers are working on minimizing the earthquake risk and developing completely new systems, for example with closed CO₂ cycles.

The Teaching Diploma in Sport at ETH Zurich pushes the students to their limits. Blending outdoor education with the romance of camp life, the course sees students brave cold water and river rapids. A glance into a programme one of its kind in Switzerland.

Thomas Zurbuchen, Director of ETH Zurich Space, explains how Switzerland can do a better job of exploring and exploiting space ¨C and how there¡¯s still enormous potential to be tapped.

ETH Zurich is involved in a number of space missions ¨C from satellite-based searches for signs of life on exoplanets to the hunt for gravitational waves with the LISA space antenna. These projects rely on strong partnerships with the aerospace industry.

Space start-ups in Switzerland enjoy the support of ESA BIC Switzerland, a business incubation centre set up by ESA and run by ETH Zurich. The programme helps researchers take their first steps towards commercial success.

The SmartStamp app is used to verify the authenticity of artworks.

Bettina Heim won the Swiss figure-skating championships before developing an interest in quantum computing. She studied physics at ETH and now develops software for the computers of the future.

Neuroscientist Johannes Bohacek investigates the molecular basis of stress in the brain. He originally wanted to become a psychotherapist.

Few courses of study at ETH Zurich have attracted quite as much attention as the new Master in Space Systems. Teachers and students strapped in for the programme¡¯s launch this autumn.

Earth-observation satellites deliver data for a wealth of applications ¨C from monitoring climate change and documenting war crimes to planning disaster relief and assessing snow depth. ETH researchers are also big beneficiaries.

Professor Ciira wa Maina is the Chair of Data Science Africa, a founding member of the International Computation and AI Network (ICAIN), an initiative to democratise artificial intelligence (AI). In an interview with ETH News, he explains how AI can help African farmers and why Europe benefits from cooperation.

Brienz has just been evacuated for the second time. The decision is based, among other things, on thousands of simulations that ETH professor Jordan Aaron has produced using a computer model he developed. In an interview with ETH News, he explains why this model was used.

This year¡¯s Innovation Project required ETH students to develop kit-based robots capable of delivering gifts down the chimneys of model-sized houses. The ten best teams will compete against each other in the final on 17 December.

These small particles are reminiscent of paper flowers or desert roses. Physicians can use them to guide medicines to a precise destination within the body. Better yet, the particles can easily be tracked using ultrasound as they scatter sound waves.

ETH spin-off Aeroskin Tech is developing innovative thermal insulation that uses aerogel technology to insulate buildings more efficiently and more sustainably. This new insulation has an energy-saving effect and is significantly thinner than conventional materials.

Two flagship projects from Innosuisse have been launched at ETH Zurich with the aim of transforming the Swiss construction industry in a sustainable way: While "Swircular" lays the foundation for a circular construction industry, "Think Earth" enables regenerative construction with timber and earth.

At its meeting on December 5, 2024, the ETH Board appointed nine professors at the request of ETH President Jo?l Mesot. In addition, the title "Professor" was awarded twice.

A new generation of wearable sensors will fundamentally change medicine. Researchers at ETH Zurich and international experts have now published an overview showing what is possible with such sensors and what questions their developers should consider to ensure their successful future use.

ETH Zurich researchers have uncovered a serious side effect of using the CRISPR-Cas gene scissors. A molecule designed to make the process more efficient destroys parts of the genome.

Verena Zimmermann is convinced that it is too simplistic to view people solely as a risk factor in cyber security. Rather, the special abilities of users should be utilised in a targeted way in order to increase cyber security.

People are already being forced to flee the consequences of climate change to an alarming extent in the Global South, says Jan Freihardt. He believes, however, that Europe's fear of mass climate migration is exaggerated, since international migration has other root causes.

On 2 December, Andreas Fischlin will give his farewell lecture. Time for a profile of the systems ecologist who fought against climate change at the highest political level.

Sleep problems have become a widespread issue. In a new popular science book and in an interview with ETH News, ETH sleep researcher Caroline Lustenberger describes the do¡¯s (and don¡¯ts) for when you can¡¯t get to sleep.

The prize for the most promising invention of the past year goes to Marie Am¨¦lie Perrin and Victor Mougel. They have developed a method that enables rare earth elements to be efficiently recovered from electrical waste.

Since the 1980s, it¡¯s been known that a mysterious contaminant forms in chloraminated drinking water, but only now has a Swiss-American research team been able to identify the unknown product in US drinking water systems.

Four women and four men successfully applied for Starting Grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation via ETH Zurich.

The coloured Cube has been around for 50 years. Its inventor, Ern? Rubik, celebrated his 80th birthday this year. At the invitation of the ETH Department of Mathematics, he spent some time in Zurich to discuss the fascination of the Rubik¡¯s Cube with researchers, students and children.

Rector G¨¹nther Dissertori explained on the 169th anniversary of ETH Zurich the fundamental objective he was pursuing with a reform package in teaching. President of ETH Zurich Jo?l Mesot and Federal Councillor Albert R?sti also spoke to the many guests from politics, business and science. The Head of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications and former ETH graduate gave this year¡¯s ceremonial address.

Marco Mazzotti will be conferred emeritus status at the end of January 2025. A good reason for a portrait of this dedicated process engineer, who came to his field of research quite unexpectedly.

Researchers at ETH Zurich are utilising artificial intelligence to analyse the behaviour of laboratory mice more efficiently and reduce the number of animals in experiments.

Smart homes are intended to make life easier, but logging into individual devices is often still an onerous task. Researchers from ETH Zurich have investigated how everyday routines could be used for secure and user-friendly authentication ¨C with no need for cumbersome passwords.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have combined two gene editing methods. This enables them to quickly investigate the significance of many genetic mutations involved in the development and treatment of cancer.

ETH Professor Yiwen Chu is investigating how to apply quantum states to ever larger objects. This should help to gain new insights into physics and develop more efficient technologies. She has now been awarded the ETH Zurich Latsis Prize for her outstanding research.

Hydrogen-powered planes are set to take wing around the world in the future. To make this possible, engineers have to develop the jet engines that will power them. Experiments by researchers at ETH Zurich are now providing the necessary basis for making these engines powerful and durable.

As part of a two-day state visit, President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel and President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd visited ETH Zurich. The two leaders attended the Swiss-Czech Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Forum.

A team of three European researchers will develop an imaging method to non-invasively measure the stiffness of moving organs such as the heart. The researchers will be supported by the European Research Council.

An ETH Zurich team of engineers has developed RoBoa ¨C a snake-like robot with the ability to grow in length and slither into the most inaccessible places.

For many people, architectural norms create barriers to accessibility. How might we re-imagine our built environment to make it more inclusive?

A secure supply of electricity from renewable energies can only succeed if we also modernise the grid infrastructure. At the Energy Science Centre (ESC), ETH researchers are looking for smart ways to make the electricity grid fit for the energy transition without expensive expansion.

Pioneer Fellow Hao Liu uses lasers to produce microfilament structures to grow biological tissue in the lab for research and medicine ¨C from muscle tissue to cartilage. Now he¡¯s working to ready this technology for the market.

From 25 to 27 October, 67 teams from 24 countries competed in ETH Zurich¡¯s Cybathlon ¨C fighting not only for victory, but also for the advancement of assistance technologies that are more suitable for everyday use. The third edition of the competition for people with disabilities and experimental assistive technologies was a complete success.

A team led by ETH climate researcher Sandro Vattioni has shown that diamond dust released in the atmosphere could be a good way to cool the climate. However, it is still not a sustainable solution to climate change, says Vattioni in an interview with ETH News.

A sustainable transition to a climate-friendly and biodiversity-rich Switzerland is only possible if we tackle the energy transition, climate change mitigation and biodiversity loss together. This will not be easy, but it is worthwhile and ultimately indispensable, says Reto Knutti.

Steering and navigating manual wheelchairs on pavements costs wheelchair users a lot of energy and places a strain on their joints. Two ETH employees have discovered a brilliant and simple solution that they are now developing further to bring to market.

The prize for the best invention at ETH Zurich 2024 will be awarded on 21 November. An overview, complete with videos, of the five technologies that made it to the final.

The EU AI Act is designed to ensure that AI is transparent and trustworthy. For the first time, ETH computer scientists have translated the Act into measurable technical requirements for AI. In doing so, they have shown how well today's AI models already comply with the legal requirements.

Taking place for the first time at Cybathlon 2024 is the Assistance Robot Race, with ETH? represented by Team RSL. When paraplegic pilot Sammy Kunz navigates the course, a four-legged robot will be at his side.?

Researchers at ETH Zurich have analysed down to the smallest detail the unusual arsenal of weapons that a predatory marine bacterium has at its disposal. Perhaps one day these weapons could also be put to use in medicine.

While living matter can advance technology and render human activities more efficient and eco-friendly, the way in which we currently fabricate materials containing living cells is far from sustainable. Miriam Filippi calls us to rethink our biofabrication practices.

Using a new method, researchers at ETH Zurich can measure alterations in the social network of proteins in cells. This work lays the foundation for the development of new drugs to treat diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer¡¯s.

He studies cancer cells and their cellular environment in order to new therapies. Now, ETH Zurich Professor Andrea Alimonti is being awarded the Clo?tta Prize.

EPFL and ETH Zurich Presidents Martin Vetterli and Jo?l Mesot consider high tuition fees as in the English-speaking world to be the wrong approach to improving the financial situation of the two universities. Students should be seen as success factors for our country and not as cash cows.

Where is generative AI already proving its worth in teaching and what are its limits? Will avatars soon replace lecturers? In this interview, Jan Vermant, Vice Rector for Curriculum Development, talks about trends at ETH and his own experiences.

For those with a conventional leg prosthesis, climbing stairs and negotiating uneven terrain are almost insurmountable obstacles. But drawing on ETH expertise, Team Ottobock.X3 has now designed an intelligent prosthesis that helps its wearer move about more freely.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a laser that produces the strongest ultra-short laser pulses to date. In the future, such high power pulses could be used for precision measurements or materials processing.

Materials researchers have created a new composite material that combines two incompatible properties: stiff yet with a high damping capacity.

ETH Zurich has once again been recognised as one of the world¡¯s top universities in the latest Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings. The rankings also identify areas where the university has potential for further development.

The first edition of the CAS ETH Machine Learning in Finance and Insurance course is coming to an end. Participants particularly value the programme¡¯s combination of technology, ethics and practice with a view to making responsible use of artificial intelligence at their companies.

In the international Cybathlon competition, people with physical disabilities undertake routine tasks with the aid of assistive technology that can be seamlessly integrated into everyday life. Below, we present three ETH teams that will be putting their innovative solutions to the test at this October¡¯s event.

ETH Zurich and EPF Lausanne (EPFL) are intensifying their collaboration in artificial intelligence (AI). They have founded the Swiss National AI Institute (SNAI) with the aim of addressing challenges in AI by leveraging their broad scientific expertise. Funding for the related research programs has been secured.

An organism as a tenant in another - in biology, this often works quite well. ETH researchers have now shed light on how such a partnership of a cell in a cell can establish.

When Kiril Vasilev started his Master's in Data Science at ETH Zurich, he was taken aback by the intensity of the workload. In the latest episode of the "Student Stories" series, he shares how he adapted to this demanding new routine.

This year¡¯s Cybathlon introduces a new discipline, the Vision Assistance Race. Lining up to go is Team SightGuide ¨C a joint venture between UZH, ZHAW and ETH.

ETH spin-off Terensis is able to forecast the harvest yield and climate risks such as droughts and frost with the help of satellites. This not only helps farmers to plan. Authorities and insurance companies can also predict damage more efficiently.

The thirteenth edition of the Swiss HR Barometer focusses on the topic of ¡®Sense and nonsense at work¡¯. The majority of the 2032 respondents in Switzerland feel that their work is important and meaningful, with this becoming increasingly important from the age of 55. However, almost half feel alienated to some extent, and the perceived boredom has increased slightly compared to 10 years ago.

Research areas at ETH Zurich span barriers in a wide variety of fields, including cell biology, drug delivery and spatial planning. Below, we look at examples from six different disciplines.

ETH doctoral student Rolf Imseng comes from a working class family. Together with ETH Vice-President Julia Dannath and ETH Professor Ursula Renold, he talks about the hurdles that his background brings with it. A conversation about social mobility in Switzerland.

Nina Cabezas Wallscheid, Professor of Stem Cell Biology and Ageing, is researching the impact of nutrition on the human blood system. Her research team aims to identify the ideal diet for a long and healthy life.

ETH agronomist Fridolin Stocker worked on Swiss farms before discovering his fascination for Africa. Today he manages a coffee farm in Zambia.

ETH student and top sprinter G¨¦raldine Frey is preparing for her races with an innovative piece of equipment. Developed at ETH Zurich, the Airshield reduces aerodynamic drag, enabling athletes to train at speeds above their normal pace.

Michelle Halbheer started her studies at ETH feeling uncertain. In a video from the "Student Stories" series, she shares how she overcame her initial doubts and reflects on what she would change if she could start over.

Challenges and setbacks can strengthen students¡¯ resilience and are an important aspect of learning. This is why the Student Project House adopts the ¡°fail-forward¡± approach. An essay by Moritz Mussgnug about mistakes and failure.

Thomas Michaels, ETH Zurich Professor of Soft and Living Matter Physics, launches the ETH show series "Cook the Science". Together with well-known chefs and food producers, he will present the fascinating science behind cooking, from the basic physical and chemical properties of food to how these change during cooking.

At its meeting of 18 and 19 September 2024 and upon application of Jo?l Mesot, President of ETH Zurich, the ETH Board appointed fifteen professors. The Board also awarded the title of "Professor of Practice" once.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have been working with researchers from Ukraine and Germany to investigate how to rebuild Ukraine¡¯s destroyed energy infrastructure based on renewable energy. They have determined that solar and wind energy would quickly deliver a distributed power supply system and prevent corruption.

Fatima Ali Ebrahim struggled during her first year at ETH Zurich, finding lectures difficult and knowing hardly anyone. She even considered dropping out. In the video series "Student Stories," she shares what helped her turn things around and why she now loves studying at ETH.

To make informed decisions, governments and international organisations need data. The United Nations has been analysing the global availability of such data together with ETH Zurich. This has brought to light some surprising insights.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new way to break down a dangerous subgroup of PFAS known as PFOS. With the help of nanoparticles and ultrasound, piezocatalysis could offer an effective alternative to existing processes in the future.

For the first time in its 12-year history, ETH Industry Day, which aims to bring together Swiss business with the university¡¯s researchers and start-ups, is taking place in the heart of the City of Zurich. It is becoming part of Open-i, the event succeeding the Swiss Innovation Forum.

ETH Zurich researchers have developed a fast, robot-assisted printing process for earth materials that does not require cement.

Researchers at ETH Zurich and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems have developed a robotic leg with artificial muscles. Inspired by living creatures, it jumps across different terrains in an agile and energy-efficient manner.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have managed to make sound waves travel only in one direction. In the future, this method could also be used in technical applications with electromagnetic waves.

Just last year, the Academic Motorsports Club Zurich AMZ reclaimed a world record title. Now, the student team has wrapped up their Formula Student racing season this year with an unmatched performance that exceeds that of all other student race teams in the circuit.

Pharmaceutical researchers often find new pharmaceutically active substances only by sifting through large collections of chemical compounds. Chemists at ETH Zurich have now made critical progress on a specific process for generating and searching these collections.

Ahead of the vote on the biodiversity initiative, basic insights on the state of biodiversity and habitats in Switzerland are being discussed controversially. Lo?c Pellissier counters by holding up the scientific consensus.

The exhibition ¡°Colonial Traces ¨C Collections in Context¡± opens today in the extract exhibition space. It explores the past of objects from the ETH Zurich collections and sheds light on the connection between the natural sciences and colonialism.

Researchers at ETH Zurich are using iron to store hydrogen safely and for long periods. In the future, this technology could be used for seasonal energy storage.

Scientists around the world can now go full throttle in their research into chemical plastics recycling. Researchers at ETH Zurich have laid important foundations for this by showing that it¡¯s all about the stirring.

Four researchers from ETH Zurich have successfully applied for Consolidator Grants funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Not all pain is the same. Depending on the cause, it requires different therapies. A team led by ETH Zurich has now developed a method that enables physicians to better distinguish between physical and psychosocial pain.

Most of a planet¡¯s water is generally not on its surface but hidden deep in its interior. This affects the potential habitability of distant worlds, as shown by model calculations of researchers at ETH Zurich and Princeton University.

Machine learning, AI and new technologies are rapidly changing industry. The CAS ETH in AI and Software Development is aimed at managers who want to make better informed decisions for their companies. It is part of the new MAS in AI and Digital Technology.

A new class of fat cells makes people healthier. The cells consume energy and produce heat through seemingly pointless biochemical reactions.

Catastrophic volcanic eruptions that warmed the planet millions of years ago shed new light on how plants evolve and regulate climate. Researchers reveal the long-term climate effects of disturbed natural ecosystems - its implications both in geological history and for today.

The brain chemical orexin is crucial when we choose between sport and the tasty temptations that beckon everywhere we turn. This research finding could also help people who find it difficult to motivate themselves to exercise.

The Department of Earth Sciences at ETH Zurich has been renamed the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, abbreviated to D-EAPS, effective 1 August. Head of Department Johan Robertsson explains why the renaming was both logical and necessary.

ETH researchers have modified certain bacteria with UV light so that they produce more cellulose. The basis for this is a new approach with which the researchers generate thousands of bacterial variants and select those that have developed into the most productive.

Southern Europe is currently battling a heat wave. Jan Carmeliet explains how cities can tackle the summer heat. It is a balancing act that calls for finely tuned measures.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have uncovered how colorectal cancer cells colonise the liver. Their findings could open up new ways to suppress this process in the future.