ETH News

How productive are we when we work from home? It’s an increasingly common question. But Gudela Grote believes it’s the wrong question, because it says more about our conceptions of human nature than about effective ways of working.

ETH Zurich researchers show in a new study that a short reflection exercise to boost self confidence increases job search success. This holds true even for the long-term unemployed and people over 50.

Psychologist Verena Zimmermann joins computer scientists Joachim Buhmann and Elgar Fleisch to discuss whether our feelings can be measured, what role they play in human-machine interactions, and the use of smart technologies.

Stephen Herzog is researching how nuclear weapons could be better controlled and eventually eliminated. For him, Putin's threats are a reason to fundamentally question the nuclear “balance of terror."

The path to peace usually leads through a ceasefire. In an international project, ETH Zurich researchers have shown the conditions under which parties to civil wars are willing to stop fighting – and why they decide to do so.

In cities, those who earn more are better able to protect themselves against noise and its associated health risks. This is shown by two new ETH studies conducted in Bern, Zurich, Hannover and Mainz.

Linda Maduz has great faith in people’s – and society’s – resilience and in their capacity for positive development, even in politically turbulent times.

How much do children and adolescents really understand about what constitutes scientific knowledge? According to a new study by researchers from ETH Zurich and the University of Tübingen, this has less to do with intelligence – and more to do with the academic background of their parents.

José Antonio Pérez Escobar studied who was best able to cope with the pandemic. People who are able to deal with negative emotions were particularly successful. This skill can be learned, he says.  

More than a hundred unpublished drawings by the German writer Franz Kafka are now presented for the first time in a volume edited by Andreas Kilcher, professor at ETH Zurich.

Online hate speech can be curbed by inducing empathy for those affected. In contrast, the use of humour or warnings of possible consequences have little effects. A team of social scientists and 13 ETH Zurich students has demonstrated this in a new scientific publication.

The European Research Council has decided on the recipients of its lucrative Advanced Grants. Researchers at ETH Zurich were awarded two grants – one in political science and the other in climate research. ETH is set to receive around CHF 6.6 million.

ETH alumna Therese Adam spent 28 years in the diplomatic service working for peace and development. Now she shares her knowledge as a lecturer.

The participation of ethnic minorities in the government can decide between war and peace. ETH postdoc Andreas Juon researches how different forms of power-sharing affect the stability and quality of political systems.

Most people underestimate exponential growth, including when it comes to the spread of the coronavirus. The ability to grasp the magnitude of exponential growth depends on the way in which it is communicated. Using the right framing helps to understand the benefit of mitigation measures.

The automation of work is increasing at a tremendous pace. But how well do technology and humans really work together in a digitised world?

Germaine J. F. Seewer is the first woman to hold the rank of Major General in the Swiss Armed Forces. Her new role as Commander of the Armed Forces College has forged even closer ties to her alma mater.

New research from ETH Zurich shows that holding events for new students before they enter university is an investment that pays off. Incoming students benefit from the chance to meet, mingle and form friendships at orientation events, which contributes to their long-term academic success.

Social scientists at ETH Zurich studied how students’ social networks and mental health changed as a result of coronavirus lockdown measures. They found that although anxiety decreased, feelings of stress and loneliness rose. A strong social network was able to buffer this effect, however.

Experimental epidemiology; bio-​inspired micro- and nanorobotics; ultrafast processes in materials; forest resources Management; construction heritage and preservation; social networks: the incoming professors work in a wide range of cutting-​edge research fields.

Today’s new buildings could easily last until 2050 and beyond. That's why we now need binding climate targets in the construction sector, argues Guillaume Habert. 

The Citizen Science Center of UZH and ETH is ready to hit the ground running. With the new Participatory Science Academy, it aims to bring citizen science to a new level. In this interview, co-director Mike Martin, professor of gerontopsychology at UZH, co-founder Effy Vayena, professor of bioethics at ETH, and managing director Rosy Mondardini explain the concept and future plans for the center.

Researchers at ETH Zurich's Criminological Research Unit have examined the evolution of violence among youths in the canton of Zurich. Their study shows that the propensity towards violence is clearly decreasing within this age group.

Adolf Muschg, emeritus professor of ETH Zurich, received the Swiss Grand Prix Literatur award for his complete literary works on Thursday. Federal Councillor Alain Berset honoured the writer at the ceremony of the Swiss literary awards.