ETH News

At its meeting of 9 and 10 July 2025 and upon application of Jo?l Mesot, President of ETH Zurich, the ETH Board appointed eight professors. The Board also awarded the title of "Professor of Practice" once.

The Vice President Knowledge Transfer and Corporate Relations, Vanessa Wood, will step down from the ETH Executive Board effective December 2025. She looks back at her leadership roles within ETH and on the successful establishment of the new Vice Presidency.

For the first time, researchers at ETH Zurich have successfully produced hundreds of different types of nerve cell from human stem cells in Petri dishes. In the future, it will thus be possible to investigate neurological disorders using cell cultures instead of animal testing.

ETH Zurich and EPFL will release a large language model (LLM) developed on public infrastructure. Trained on the ¡°Alps¡± supercomputer at the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS), the new LLM marks a milestone in open-source AI and multilingual excellence.

ETH Zurich will receive 10 million Swiss francs a year from the J?rg G. Bucherer-Foundation for the next ten years. The university will use the funds to establish a competence centre for Earth observation with global appeal and a physical presence in the Canton of Lucerne. The Canton of Lucerne is to support the project as infrastructure partner.

A new 3D simulation tool developed by ETH and SLF researchers now allows for significantly more accurate predictions of complex alpine mass movements, supporting alpine risk management.

Chronic wounds are a major medical challenge, burdening healthcare systems with billions of dollars in costs every year. Pioneer Fellow B?rte Emiroglu is developing a new product: a selective, sponge-like hydrogel that reduces inflammatory signals and actively promotes healing.

High temperatures and more frequent heatwaves are causing many people to doubt whether high-density urban planning is still sustainable. However, building physicist Jan Carmeliet argues that even dense cities can be cool if they are planned correctly.?

Giuseppe Antoniazzi is developing a diagnostic toolkit that gives early warning of fibrotic diseases. In doing so, this Pioneer Fellow wishes to contribute to the early detection of tissue scarring, which is usually noticed too late and can barely be halted, and enable countermeasures to be implemented.

Using nuclear magnetic resonance, researchers at ETH Zurich have studied the atomic environments of single platinum atoms in solid supports as well as their spatial orientation. In the future, this method can be used to optimize the production of single-atom catalysts.

Scientists are using trapped ions in experiments to search for signs of a new particle that could help explain the mysterious dark matter. Researchers at ETH Zurich are combining their results with findings from teams in Germany and Australia.

The ETH professor has received one of the most prestigious awards in space research. According to the laudation, Thomas Zurbuchen has distinguished himself by his contributions to the aerospace community.

Following the resignation of the ETH Alumni Association Board of Directors, outgoing President Jeannine Pilloud looks back on the last two years and explains where the Association stands today.

Urea is considered a possible key molecule in the origin of life. ETH researchers have discovered a previously unknown way in which this building block can form spontaneously on aqueous surfaces without the need for any additional energy.

Florian D?rfler develops algorithms that keep our power grids stable using mathematics and, as he says, a strong willingness to take risks. He has now been awarded the R?ssler Prize, the most prestigious honour for young professors at ETH Zurich.

Researchers at ETH Zurich are developing a model in the lab made from human breast milk cells. They hope it will help them understand how breast milk is made ¨C a little-researched area of female biology.

Six spin-offs of ETH Zurich were among the 18 finalists in this year¡¯s Venture Awards. Three of them won in their respective categories, and three came in second. The Grand Prize went to spin-off MyNerva.

Why are more new housing units being constructed in Geneva each year, while Zurich is seeing a decline? Why are older residential buildings in Basel, Geneva and Lausanne being vertically extended, while they are being demolished and replaced in Zurich? ETH researchers provide new answers to the role of housing construction and its social impact.

Researchers are developing a living material that actively extracts carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Photosynthetic cyanobacteria grow inside it, forming biomass and solid minerals and thus binding CO₂ in two different manners.?

According to the recently published QS World University Rankings 2026, ETH Zurich ranks among the world¡¯s ten best universities once again this year. It took the top spot in continental Europe, with only universities in the US and the United Kingdom ranking higher.?

ETH Zurich has set up a master's programme in mechatronics in collaboration with Ashesi University in Ghana. The first cohort of students is now graduating. The project aims to contribute to sustainable industrialisation in sub-Saharan Africa.

Two biologists, an engineer, a physicist and a health scientist from ETH Zurich have been awarded ERC Advanced Grants worth around 12 million euros. The researchers are among the first in Switzerland to receive this prestigious EU research funding after a hiatus of several years.

An ETH spin-off, Swiss Vascular, has developed anatomically exact silicone models of cerebral vessels. Through this development, researchers will not only reduce the amount of animal experimentation required but also improve the standard of medical training for complex medical procedures.

What¡¯s it like to study at ETH Zurich? Once a year, secondary school students spend a week getting a first taste of university life. In this video, Juliana Pfammatter from Valais and Gianin Prevost from Graub¨¹nden share their experiences in lecture halls, laboratories and on construction sites.

Many types of bacteria produce a protein complex that injects toxins into neighbouring cells to eliminate?competitors. For the first time, researchers at ETH Zurich and Eawag discovered?that these killer bacteria also use this weapon to feed on their neighbours.

Trace metals such as iron or zinc that are stored in deep-sea sediments are lost forever to phytoplankton on the ocean surface. This is what geochemists believed for a long time about the cycle of micronutrients in seawater. Now, researchers at ETH Zurich have discovered that this is not the case.

A spectacular breakthrough in geoscience?shows that our planet is in motion even at a depth of 3000 kilometres.

On Wednesday, May 28th, the Birch Glacier collapsed under the weight of rock and debris from rockfalls on the Kleine Nesthorn. Following an on-site inspection, ETH Zurich researchers explain the background to the collapse that buried the village?Blatten in an updated fact sheet.

Physicists at ETH Zurich have developed a lens with magic properties. Ultra-thin, it can transform infrared light into visible light by halving the wavelength of incident light.

A new study with ETH Zurich, finds that if global warming exceeds the Paris Climate Agreement targets, the non-polar glacier mass will diminish significantly. However, if warming is limited to 1.5¡ãC, at least 54 per cent could be preserved¡ªmore than twice as much ice as in a 2.7¡ãC scenario.

Every tumour is unique. This makes it difficult to find the most effective therapy for treatment. Researchers in Zurich and Basel are now showing how state-of-the-art molecular biological technologies can be used to create a detailed tumour profile within four weeks, enabling tailored treatment. The study is the first of its kind in the world.

The European Space Agency (ESA) is celebrating its 50th anniversary. ESA has helped make Europe more technologically independent and has played a key role in space exploration in recent decades. And ETH Zurich has always been one of its partners on its journey.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed the first technology that is able to recognise biomarkers in menstrual blood ¨C directly in sanitary towels. MenstruAI promises a simple, non-invasive method for recording health data in everyday life.

Five years ago, an experiment began at ETH H?nggerberg: researchers set up an outdoor laboratory in the forest near the campus. They used sensors positioned in trees, the soil and in a stream to study water dynamics and the ¡°old water paradox¡±. ETH News accompanied the head of the experiment, Marius Floriancic.

At the meeting on?21st and 22nd May 2025, the ETH Board appointed two female and four male professors at the request of ETH President Jo?l Mesot. The Board also awarded the title of "Professor" three times and the title of "Professor of Practice" twice.

By 2050, the aim is for Switzerland¡¯s energy system to be decarbonised and no longer reliant on nuclear power. How this can be achieved and the costs of doing so are set out in a new report by a Swiss research consortium involving researchers from ETH Zurich, the universities of Geneva and Bern, EPFL, WSL, and ZHAW.

Around 100 Bachelor¡¯s students from the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering have spent two semesters working on their Focus projects in 11 teams. They will present the results of their projects on 28 May.

Tor Alva was officially inaugurated in Mulegns today in the presence of Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin and President of ETH Zurich Jo?l Mesot. The almost 30-metre-high, gleaming white tower is the world¡¯s tallest 3D-printed building.

Cities can expand their bike lane networks significantly without causing additional congestion on the roads. That is the conclusion reached by the ETH research project E-Bike City. Project lead and transport researcher Kay Axhausen explains the implications for traffic, the environment and costs.?

New smart textiles developed by researchers at ETH Zurich use acoustic waves and glass fibres to help make precise measurements. They are light, breathable and inexpensive, and offer great potential for medicine, sports and everyday life.

Aldo Steinfeld, a pioneer in synthetic fuels, retires at the end of July 2025. This provides a compelling reason to present a portrait of the engineer and to find out how you can fill up your fuel tank with sun.?

Chemist and microbiologist J?rn Piel combs through the vast world of bacteria for new natural substances to combat the antibiotic crisis. The ETH professor has now been honoured for his research with one of Europe¡¯s most highly endowed medical prizes.

Computer scientists at ETH Zurich discover new class of vulnerabilities in Intel processors, allowing them to break down barriers between different users of a processor using carefully crafted instruction sequences. Entire processor memory can be read by employing quick, repeated attacks.

Hidden beneath the Antarctic ice lies a system of lakes and watercourses. An research team, including ETH researchers, has for the first time directly observed the subglacial streams of West Antarctica. Their study shows how individual flood events influence the melting of the ice.

Teamwork is crucial for proteins. Little is known, however, about which protein teams are actually active in which tissues. A new large-scale study by systems biologists at ETH Zurich is now redrawing the map.

ETH Zurich is establishing a new research hub for augmented reality that involves close collaboration with Google. One of the ETH-Co-heads, Christian Holz, explains the importance of networking in this field.?

Researchers from ETH Zurich have carried out the largest field study to date, to find out whether heat pumps are running efficiently. When looked at in operation, it turns out that these units are often not optimally configured. Monitoring systems and legal standards could provide a remedy.

An interdisciplinary research team from Bern and Zurich has developed a method to clean urinary stents and catheters non-invasively ¨C through the skin and without surgery ¨C using ultrasound-activated microstructures.

Graub¨¹nden architect and ETH Professor Andrea Deplazes has embraced the linkage between design and construction both in teaching and practice. In the noughties, he became a pioneer of sustainable construction, epitomised by the Monte Rosa hut near Zermatt. Deplazes is set to retire in July.

ETH Zurich researchers have developed a method that makes AI responses increasingly reliable. Their algorithm specifically selects data relevant to the question. In addition, even AI models up to 40 times smaller achieve the same output performance as the best large AI models.

Over 2,700 donors and partners supported ETH Zurich philanthropically in 2024. The ETH Foundation annual report provides insights into the wide-ranging support for projects and individuals over the last year.

Traditional large-scale power generators ensure a stable frequency of alternating current in the European power grid. Now, researchers from ETH Zurich have found a solution so that wind and solar power plants can take over ¨C paving the way for the energy transition.

The planned space missions to search for remote life will provide valuable insights even if they do not find any evidence of life, says astrophysicist Daniel Angerhausen.

From bridges and tunnels to railways, Switzerland has always invested heavily in the upkeep of its infrastructure. But how does it keep everything operating safely and smoothly while also instilling confidence that nothing will go wrong?

Researchers at ETH Zurich have unravelled the complex network that cells use to repair their genetic material. By examining thousands upon thousands of genetic interactions, the team has discovered new vulnerabilities in cancer cells that could be exploited therapeutically in the future.

ETH Zurich and Z¨¹hlke have conducted a study on how companies use AI technologies. A total of 633 companies from the fields of production, technology, healthcare and finance from the DACH region, the UK and the US were surveyed. Stefano Brusoni, Professor of Technology and Innovation Management, explains in an interview where the greatest potential lies and where Europe needs to catch up.

At a ceremony in Los Angeles on 5 April, the four major experimental collaborations at CERN¡¯s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) ¨C ALICE, ATLAS, CMS and LHCb ¨C were awarded the prestigious Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.

When it comes to getting along together, trust plays an indispensable role. While we all have an intuitive grasp of what this interpersonal investment involves, even science struggles to express exactly how it works.

For the first time, ETH Zurich Materials Scientists are measuring the rolling friction of tiny, micrometre-sized particles. These measurements permit them to better understand everyday products such as concrete.

Monuments tell stories, but not always the whole story. Professor of architecture Silke Langenberg on why we need to take a broader approach to heritage conservation and which sites also deserve protection, in this interview to mark the 50th anniversary of the European Architectural Heritage Year.?

ETH Zurich has provided its final report to the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) on the ¡°Leading House Asia¡± mandate. After more than 20 years and around 1,000 funded projects, the University has declined to apply for a new mandate period. The University of Zurich will take on the future role of Leading House for research cooperation with Asia.

ETH Zurich has fabricated the world¡¯s tallest 3D-printed structure. With the construction of the White Tower in Mulegns, researchers hope to bring innovative technologies to commercial maturity.

Trust takes years to build and seconds to break ¨C not least when it comes to international relations. ETH researchers investigate what it takes to build confidence on the global stage.

Trust in AI models is about more than just technical performance ¨C ethical principles and human values are equally important.

New miniature laboratories are ensuring that artificial intelligence (AI) doesn¡¯t make mistakes. They provide a controlled test environment where algorithms and AI models can be checked before being put to work under real-life conditions. The aim is for AI to work reliably.

The ETH spin-off Flink Robotics wants to revolutionize the handling of packages. Its founders Moritz Geilinger and Simon Huber have developed software that allows robots to work together and quickly take on new tasks.

Torsten Hoefler wins the prestigious ACM Prize in Computing for his pioneering work in high-performance computing. The fact that supercomputers have become so powerful that AI models can be trained very quickly with very large volumes of data is partly down to his research.

Life needs sufficient phosphorus. However, the element is scarce, not only today but also at the time of the origin of life. So where was there sufficient phosphorus four billion years ago for life to emerge? A team of origin-of-life researchers has an answer.

Elsbeth Stern will give her farewell lecture on 27?March. Stern, who conducts research on the topics of learning and teaching, has helped shape the discussion around the transition to the baccalaureate school in Switzerland. We talked to her one more time about her insights.

Who were our earliest ancestors? The answer could lie in a special group of single-celled organisms with a cytoskeleton similar to that of complex organisms, such as animals and plants. ETH researchers made these findings in a new study.

Switzerland¡¯s glaciers are in increasingly poor shape. If greenhouse gas emissions are not cut drastically soon, they could cease to exist by 2100 ¨C so says ETH Professor Daniel Farinotti in this ETH News interview to mark the first World Day for Glaciers.

A long-term Switzerland-wide study has found that neighbourhoods with numerous, well-arranged trees exhibit lower mortality risks than other areas. The reasons behind this, and the factors that play a role, will require further research.

How does disinformation impact public trust in science? And can healthy scepticism be a good thing? A debate between climate researcher Sonia Seneviratne, communication scientist Mike S. Sch?fer and former Swiss Federal Chancellor Walter Thurnherr.

Lenny Winkel researches the environmental behaviour of trace elements such as selenium. A native of the Netherlands, she adores the Swiss mountains.

Two Master¡¯s students in Computer Science at ETH founded a start-up to offer high-quality, one-on-one online tutoring at affordable rates.

Philippe Kahn studied maths at ETH Zurich before upping sticks to Silicon Valley. His inventions changed the world ¨C and continue to shape our lives to this day.

Technology is improving football ¨C from helping referees make more accurate decisions to developing better on-field tactics. ETH Zurich and FIFA are exploring how AI can make these advancements more accessible to competitions worldwide.

Lorenz Hurni considers what constitutes maps and why they are also instruments of power ¨C and reveals how the Swiss World Atlas deals with disputed names and unilateral name changes.

What is it like to study at ETH Zurich? Sally Liu shares an insight into her daily life as a student ¨C and explains why she finds it so important to speak openly about challenges.

A modulator developed by researchers from ETH Zurich has broken the terahertz mark. The ultrafast component efficiently transmits large volumes of data into the fibre-optic network in a short space of time.

In a total of 16 disciplines, the university ranks among the 10 best in the world. These are the latest results of the QS World University Rankings according to subject.

ETH researchers have developed a low-cost sensor made of carbon nanotubes that can selectively, efficiently and reliably measure minute quantities of oxygen in gas mixtures under light. The detector could be widely used in industry, medicine and environmental monitoring.

Of all places, Switzerland ¨C the most innovative country in the world ¨C suffers from a shortage of new digital technologies reaching the market in the healthcare sector. Researchers from ETH Zurich have been investigating how innovations can be developed responsibly and implemented faster.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a method that makes it easier to study interactions between electrons in a material. Using a moir¨¦ material consisting of twisted atomic layers they created an artificial crystal lattice in a neighbouring material. ?

Annette Oxenius has been appointed ETH Vice President for Research. From 1 August 2025, she will assume responsibility for research development and promotion at ETH Zurich. The 56-year-old Swiss national is an esteemed immunologist and professor at the ETH Department of Biology.

At the meeting on 5 and 6 March 2025, the ETH Board appointed five female and seven male professors at the request of ETH President Jo?l Mesot. The Board also awarded the title of "Professor" four times and the title of "Professor of Practice" once.

Working in the digital age is increasingly stressful for many people. For Erika Meins, digital technologies and artificial intelligence are both the cause and part of the solution, as they can effectively help reduce stress.

For the first time, researchers have been able to observe how the pupils react during sleep over a period of several hours. A look under the eyelids showed them that more happens in the brain during sleep than was previously assumed.

A new study by ETH researchers shows that the success of anti-immigration parties in Switzerland¡¯s border regions is not due to the effects of migration itself, but rather to their rhetoric.

Polymer chemists at ETH Zurich have discovered a surprising way to virtually fully break down PMMA plastic ¨C commonly known as acrylic glass ¨C into its monomer building blocks. The process remains unaffected by the presence of additives.

Nine hundred participants, including two Federal Councillors, attended ETH Zurich to take part in the International Cooperation (IC) Forum, a joint event organised by SDC and SECO. Over the course of two days, they engaged in discussions on issues related to economic development.

What¡¯s life like as a student at ETH Zurich? In the latest episode of the ¡°Student Stories¡± video series, Marcel Walter provides us with a glimpse into his life as a civil engineering student.

To extend the lifespan of existing railway bridges and conserve resources, ETH researchers are working with Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) to develop new prediction models using machine learning algorithms. An AI assistant also helps civil engineers with the design of new bridges.

ETH Zurich researchers have investigated how tiny gas bubbles can deliver drugs into cells in a targeted manner using ultrasound. For the first time, they have visualised how tiny liquid jets generated by microbubbles penetrate the cell membrane enabling the drug uptake.

The three events of the first series were fully booked. Now ETH professor Thomas Michaels is returning with a second series of his cooking show in March, with prestigious guests and scientific explanations for the preparation of food and drinks.?

For Switzerland to achieve its net zero climate target, not only must it reduce its CO₂ emissions, it must also find a way to store the greenhouse gas permanently. Researchers at ETH Zurich have investigated whether, and under what conditions, CO₂ could be stored underground in Switzerland.

Founded with a view to boosting the lifespan and reliability of wind turbines, the ETH spin-off RTDT is now improving the devices¡¯ electricity production and performance ¨C all with the help of an intelligent plaster for rotor blades.

What is it like to study at ETH Zurich? Mohammed Said shares an insight into his daily life as a medical student and explains how a new world unfolds for him every day.

ETH researchers have developed a new gene switch that can be activated using a commercially available nitroglycerine patch applied to the skin. One day, researchers want to use switches of this kind to trigger cell therapies for various metabolic diseases.

ETH students have simulated an exploration mission to Venus by launching self-built test satellites from a plane over D¨¹bendorf military airfield. These satellites glided to the ground with parachutes, recording acoustic signals during their descent.