2014

In experiments using ultracold atoms and laser light, ETH researchers have measured a stepwise change in conductivity as the atoms pass through tiny structures. This is the first time that this quantum effect has been observed for electrically neutral particles.

The Zukunftsblog editors wish all our readers happy holidays and all the best for 2015. If you are looking for some good reading material for the holidays or inspiration what to chat about at a Christmas dinner with relatives, here you can find a small selection from the Zukunftsblog archive. We’ll be back with fresh food for thought on 6 January. Enjoy!

Programmable cells that can detect cancer, canyons on Mars that may have been formed by lava, and black holes catapulted out of the centre of a galaxy: ETH researchers made a name for themselves in 2014 with some outstanding scientific achievements and exciting hypotheses. It was also a politically charged year for all Swiss research institutions. As the year draws to a close, the ETH News editorial team looks back on some of the most memorable moments.

Libraries do not infringe copyright by delivering copies and scans of scientific publications, the Swiss Federal Supreme Court has concluded. This reverses the judgment of Zurich Commercial Court.

Die Klimakonferenz in Lima hat die Diskussion, wie die Staaten die Klimaerwärmung stoppen wollen, nur wenig weitergebracht. Gibt es eine realistische Chance für ein Klimaabkommen in Paris 2015, wenn die Vorbereitung in Lima so schlecht lief?

The ETH Institute for Theoretical Studies (ETH-ITS) has really picked up speed since this summer, with six fellows devoting themselves to researching fundamental theories as guests of ETH Zurich. We paid them a visit.

Around 800 employees accepted their invitations to this year’s Christmas drinks reception organised by the Executive Board. It was Ralph Eichler’s last appearance at an event as President of ETH Zurich.

ETH Zurich is taking part in EIT Health, a new major EU research programme. As part of the project, more than 140 European companies and research institutes are developing solutions for problems in the field of health and old age.

The Mensa Polyterrasse will be closed after lunch on 19 December for renovation work. It is due to reopen on 19 January with brand new menus and more checkouts on offer. The Mensa Polyterrasse team will be running a reduced catering service in the dining area from 5 to 16 January.

An ASL production: in honour of Christmas, the lab's robots will do a choreographed dance that has taken a long time to rehearse – sorry – program.

Die Parteien haben bei den Klimaverhandlungen in Peru wichtige Weichen für den Weg zu einem Pariser Abkommen gestellt. Eine Annäherung der armen und reichen Länder könnte ermöglichen, alle Parteien in das neue Regime einzubinden. Der Green Climate Fund wird den Prozess unterstützen und das nötige Vertrauen schaffen.

The energy supply in Switzerland in the year 2050 was the focus of a conference organised by ETH Zurich's Energy Science Centre (ESC). One thing was very clear: as far as electricity is concerned, no man is an island any longer.

For five years, robotics expert and Executive Board member Roland Siegwart has held the post of Vice President Research and Corporate Relations. He is now in the process of handing over this vice presidency to his successor, Detlef Günther, but he will always remain a firm fan of ETH Zurich.

Ralph Eichler’s election as ETH president caused something of a stir, following a period of political turbulence. Political events have also marked his last year as president. His time in office has been characterised by growth, globalisation and sustainability.

ETH Zurich staff has been receiving the December issue of life in these days. The ETH community magazine focuses on Ralph Eichler’s time as president of ETH Zurich.

Upon application of the President of ETH Zurich, Ralph Eichler, at its meeting of 10/11 December 2014 the ETH Board appointed eight individuals as professors, took note of the departure of one professor and thanked him for his services, and awarded the title of professor to one individual. The ETH Board also bade farewell to the President of ETH Zurich.  

ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich are founding a new translational research centre at the interface of medicine, science and engineering: the Wyss Translational Center Zurich. A USD 120 million donation from Dr. h.c. mult. Hansjörg Wyss to the two Zurich universities is making this possible. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the new centre aims to accelerate the development and application of innovative medical therapies and groundbreaking robotic systems.

Thomas Wälchli’s goal is to curb the growth of brain tumours. In his doctoral thesis at ETH Zurich, the physician examined how blood vessels develop in the brain, as this process also promotes tumour growth. The scientist developed a technique that allows new insights into the specific developmental stages of blood vessels in the brain.

In May the Executive Board gave approval for the expansion of supercomputing at CSCS. The University of Zurich will contribute to the cost of one new computer. ETH Zurich is willing to allow all Swiss universities of applied science and other universities to hold considerable computing resources at CSCS.

Die diesjährigen UN-Klimaverhandlungen stehen unter besseren Vorzeichen als auch schon, gestalten sich aber dennoch zäh. Am Rande der Hauptverhandlungen diskutieren Expertinnen und Experten über wichtige Fragen, wie sich Klimaschutzmassnahmen besser umsetzen lassen.

In cases of clear cell renal cell carcinoma – the most common type of renal cell carcinoma – the cancer cells become fatty. The reasons for this were long unclear, but ETH researchers have now found the cause: important cell structures in lipometabolism degrade more rapidly.

A torn anterior cruciate ligament is the most common clinically relevant knee injury. Every year, more than 6,000 people are affected in Switzerland alone. Current treatment methods, although numerous, often produce inadequate results. A new implant could provide the answer.

The ETH Zurich Personnel Committee (PeKo) is committed to safeguarding the interests of ETH employees. In December and January, the application period is reserved for the elections to appoint members to serve on the committee from 2015 to 2018. Jakob Hauri, the Vice President of PeKo tells us what motivates people to join the committee.

ETH Zurich and the Wilhelm Schulthess Foundation are set to expand their research and teaching collaboration. ETH Zurich will establish a new chair to study how physical activity affects human physiology and long-term well-being. The Wilhelm Schulthess Foundation is supporting the creation of the Chair of Physical Activity and Health with 10 million Swiss francs over a 10-year period.

Professor Eric Mazur uses modern teaching methods in his work at the elite American university of Harvard. The winner of the Minerva Prize for Advancements in Higher Education sets great store by teamwork and an interactive approach in his classes. This is of particular benefit to female students.

These days, technology companies are tapping into the expertise of online open source communities to develop new software. A research group under the Chair of Strategic Management and Innovation is examining how companies can boost the motivation of these unpaid developers.

Nachhaltige Ernährung gehört zu den Forschungsschwerpunkten der ETH Zürich. Aber wir wollen das Thema nicht nur beforschen, sondern auch praktische Schlüsse daraus ziehen. Um Nachhaltigkeit in der Ernährung auch «zu Hause» auf dem Campus zu leben, haben wir im Sommer 2013 das Pilotprojekt «Nachhaltige Gastronomie an der ETH Zürich» ins Leben gerufen.

Science short and sweet: During a Polybahn journey from Zurich Central to ETH Zurich, ETH-scientists have about 100 seconds to inspire the audience with their research. Today: Annette Oxenius, Professor for Immunology at ETH Zurich.

For the last two years, ETH Zurich has been working closely with the University and the University Hospital in the field of medicine under the umbrella of Hochschulmedizin Zürich. The idea: to exploit the enormous potential that the three institutions have at their fingertips and catapult Zurich onto the world stage as a hotbed of medicine. The latest issue of Globe, the magazine of ETH Zurich and ETH Alumni, reveals exactly what this means.

A heart transplant is the only treatment for end-stage heart failure, but donor hearts are in short supply. Artificial hearts suitable for long-term use could present an alternative – and this is precisely what heart specialist Volkmar Falk is working on in the Zurich Heart project, together with Edoardo Mazza and Dimos Poulikakos from ETH Zurich.

A doctoral student from ETH Zurich is researching how clouds form on the Jungfraujoch – for clouds are one of the main sources of uncertainty in climate models. Globe paid the researcher a visit at dizzying heights.

Avaloq CEO Francisco Fernandez is bursting with ambition. Despite quadrupling his company’s turnover and staff since the beginning of the financial crisis, he  refuses to rest on his laurels. His mission: a total rethink of banking, and developing the best solutions for the industry.

On Friday, Federal Councillor Johann N. Schneider-Ammann was in Brussels where he signed an agreement on Switzerland’s participation in the European framework programmes with European Commissioner Carlos Moedas and Stefania Giannini, the representative of the Italian EU Council presidency. The agreement sets out the conditions for Switzerland’s partial association to Horizon 2020 until the end of 2016.

ETH alumnus Jack Heuer is one of the greats in the history of the Swiss watch industry. On Tuesday he visited ETH Zurich and shared his experience with ETH students.

Der Wald geniesst in der Schweiz seit über hundert Jahren einen absoluten Schutz. Die Waldfläche wächst. Der Ruf wird lauter, dass wir statt wertvolles Ackerland zu überbauen doch Wald roden sollen, um mehr Siedlungsfläche zu schaffen. Damit wäre das Platzproblem endlich zu lösen – klingt logisch, oder? «Endlich» ist leider auch das Stichwort, warum dies keine Lösung ist.

Polylactic acid is a degradable plastic used mostly for packaging. To meet the rising demand, ETH researchers have developed an eco-friendly process to make large amounts of lactic acid from glycerol, a waste by-product in the production of biodiesel.

Ecopop thematisierte die grösste Herausforderung unserer Zeit – die Grenzen des Bevölkerungswachstums und der Ressourcen – auf der Basis eines ungeeigneten Lösungsansatzes. Nun ist die Initiative an der Urne gescheitert. Die eigentliche Problematik bleibt jedoch bestehen. Wir müssen uns dieser Herausforderung stellen – und jetzt damit beginnen.

Senior representatives of Swiss universities are initially relieved about the clear rejection of the Ecopop initiative on the weekend. At the same time, they are aware that the implementation of the mass immigration initiative comes with a great deal of imponderabilities for Swiss universities.

Traumatic and stressful events during childhood increase the risk to develop psychiatric disorders, but to a certain extent, they can also help better deal with difficult situations later in life. Researchers have studied this phenomenon in mice to learn how these effects could be transmitted to the next generation.

The 2014 edition of the Polyball, the annual student ball, proved a great success. Guests partied into the early hours of the morning, but there was no rest for the organisers afterwards – for them it was time for the big clean-up.

Man-made activities are having a direct impact on the biogeochemistry of the world’s oceans – not only in terms of carbon. Researchers have now shown that also nitrogen compounds released into the atmosphere from combustion processes and agriculture end up in the open ocean.

The Swiss Federal Administration, the ETH Domain and the parastate enterprises SBB, Swiss Post, Swisscom and Skyguide are aiming to further improve their energy efficiency in future. To this end, a package of measures is being planned as part of the Energy Strategy 2050.

Hundreds of young researchers from the Zurich area attended Research Day at ETH Zurich on Wednesday and obtained information on the possibilities available at the Swiss National Science Foundation for promoting research.

The pharmacist, Cristina Müller, has been awarded the Ruzicka Prize - one of Switzerland’s most important awards for young researchers in the field of chemistry. She is working on a method for irradiating cancer directly within the body.

Massnahmen zum Klimaschutz sind dringend notwendig, werden aber zögerlich umgesetzt. Zu gross ist die Angst vor Wettbewerbsnachteilen und hohen Kosten. Eine Gruppe von Wirtschaftsexperten hat Massnahmen erarbeitet, die sich sofort umsetzen lassen und Emissionssenkungen wie auch eine bessere Wirtschaftsentwicklung ermöglichen.

The ETH Hönggerberg campus has a new attraction: a dome built with prefabricated rammed earth elements that provides a sanctuary for relaxing in summer and offers new insights into the stability of earth structures. It was designed and built by students from the Department of Architecture.

In der Arktis und der Wüste zeigt sich die Natur von ihrer hartnäckigsten Seite, in  Regenwäldern von ihrer üppigsten. Auf Inseln findet man beides: vielfältige Ökosysteme auf von Vulkanausbrüchen geprägten, kargen Felsen mitten im Meer. Aber gerade auf Inseln ist die Biodiversität besonders gefährdet.

Associate professor Thomas Haslwanter motivates his students to contribute to Wikibooks to create a written record of his course. Over the past six years, a 200-page compendium on the subject of sensory systems has emerged and is freely available on the internet.

ETH Zurich President Ralph Eichler will officially hand over the presidential baton to Lino Guzzella on 15 December. On Thursday, the University Assembly thanked him for his dedicated service.

ETH Zurich celebrated this year’s traditional ETH Day with numerous guests. The retiring ETH President Ralph Eichler received special recognition. The speeches revolved around concerns that Switzerland is becoming increasingly isolated.

The ETH spin-off Aeon Scientific has won the 2014 Swiss Technology Award in the Start-up category. The biomedical engineering company impressed the judges with its robot-controlled surgical system, which can be used to treat cardiac arrhythmia quickly and safely.

Jennifer Rupp, Karsten Borgwardt and Joao Matos have received a SNSF Starting Grant. The funding level, duration and funding conditions are in line with those of the European Research Council (ERC).

Der meiste Regen der Erde fällt im tropischen Regengürtel. Milliarden von Menschen hängen von ihm ab. Doch die regenreiche Zone reagiert sehr sensibel auf Klimaschwankungen. So scheint eine Verschiebung nach Süden für die Dürre in der afrikanischen Sahelzone in den letzten Jahrzehnten des 20. Jahrhunderts verantwortlich gewesen zu sein.

The 33-year-old Assistant Professor Philipp Grohs is to be awarded the ETH Zurich Latsis Prize. He is being honoured for his achievements in applied mathematics. The award ceremony will take place on ETH Day.

Astronomers have discovered an object in space that might be a black hole catapulted out of a galaxy. Or it might be a giant star that is exploding over an exceptionally long period of several decades. In any case, one thing is certain: this mysterious object is something quite unique, a source of fascination for physicists the world over because of its potential to provide experimental confirmation of the much-discussed gravitational waves predicted by Albert Einstein.

What could a section of Calle 30 in the Colombian coastal city of Barranquilla look like in the year 2035? A group of 24 students from four departments at ETH Zurich and Universidad del Norte turned their attention to this question during an exceptional intercultural and transdisciplinary learning event supported by Innovedum.

Wie kann die Wissenschaft über Problemanalyse und eine Beratungsfunktion für die Politik hinausgehen und enger mit der Gesellschaft zusammenarbeiten? Das Konzept der Reallabore ermöglicht in konkreten gesellschaftlichen Kontexten zu Problemlösungen beizutragen.

Researchers have developed improved forms of tiny magnetic actuators thanks to new materials and a microscopic 3D printing technology.

“Hochschulmedizin Zürich”, a partner association of ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich and the university hospitals, was founded three years ago. At its annual conference, the partners presented the achievements of their strengthened collaboration, along with some promising new projects for the future.

A chance to get out of school for a day and find out about careers that many children don't even know exist: that was what the participants in last Thursday's Future Day enjoyed.

The “Lange Nacht der Karriere” (“Long night of the career”) event attracted numerous students, doctoral students, postdocs and alumni to ETH Zurich’s Main Building, where they picked up useful tips from experts on professional life, jobs and careers.

If you are paying a visit to ETH Zurich sometime over the next four weeks, why not have a go at ice skating while you’re there? A public ice rink set up on the Polyterrasse is open until mid-December.

Critical infrastructure systems are the backbone of society and ever growing in complexity and interconnectedness. A new research programme kicked off at the Singapore-ETH Centre strives to increase their robustness and resilience.

Zeitungen und «gewichtige» Stimmen aus Politik und Wirtschaft beklagen den ökonomischen Kriechgang in fast allen Ländern der westlichen Welt. Höheres wirtschaftliches Wachstum wird allenthalben gefordert. Doch die hohen Zuwachsraten von einst sind heute illusorisch – gefordertes und reales Wachstum klaffen zunehmend auseinander.

Tamaki Ohmura is a doctoral student working for the Assistant Professor for Global Governance. Thanks to a mobility grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), she has worked in the US. The SNSF will be presenting its funding programmes at the Research Day at ETH Zurich on 26 November 2014.

Take ultracold potassium atoms, place a honeycomb lattice of laser beams on top of them and shake everything in a circular motion: this recipe enabled ETH researchers to implement an idea for a new class of materials first proposed in 1988 in their laboratory.

ETH Zurich joins a network of top education institutions to bridge the gap between engineering sciences and medicine through its collaboration with the Amgen Foundation Scholars Program.

Hans Jakob Wörner is the recipient of the Klung Wilhelmy Science Award for his research on super-fast electron movements during chemical processes.

Antibiotic-resistant germs, dangerous viruses, cancer: unsolved medical problems require new and better drugs. Nature can provide the inspiration for new active agents. A computer-based method developed by a team of researchers from ETH Zurich is helping to do just that.

ETH researchers led by Professor Martin Fussenegger have developed the first gene network to be operated via brainwaves. Depending on the user’s thoughts, it can produce various amounts of a desired molecule. The inspiration behind the project was a game that picks up brainwaves in order to guide a ball through an obstacle course.

Do we need to invest in energy storage research and development to meet our renewable energy targets? Recent media reports suggest such investments are not necessary. However, ETH research tells a different story.

The success of ETH Zurich depends on its efforts both to network with leading researchers around the world and to train the top talent – regardless of where they come from. Restrictive immigration policies put that success in jeopardy.

After finishing their degrees, graduates from ETH Zurich who want to keep in touch with the university can join the ETH Alumni Association. As of Friday, 7 November a dedicated alumni network has been set up for vocational education and training graduates too.

Global warming stops at nothing – not even the groundwater, as a new study by researchers from ETH Zurich and KIT reveals: the groundwater’s temperature profiles echo those of the atmosphere, albeit damped and delayed.

Mattias Ivarsson is committed to fighting a nasty bacterium at the root of many hospital-acquired infections. He just completed his PhD on the topic and presented his ideas, as well as his plan to develop his own biotech company, as a finalist in the Falling Walls Lab in Berlin - part of the 25th anniversary events surrounding the fall of the Berlin wall. ETH News met up with the cosmopolitan engineer before his trip to Berlin.

Researchers from the Institute of Microbiology at ETH Zurich have discovered a new protein with antibiotic properties in a mushroom that grows on horse dung. Researchers are now exploring the various potential applications.

The energy revolution can be achieved: this was the general tenor of the ETH Zurich Climate Roundtable held on Wednesday. However, this will require new technologies and innovation must be promoted accordingly. But the form that state regulatory intervention should take was the subject of controversial debate.

Fast die Hälfte aller verschwendeten Lebensmittel stammt aus den Haushalten. So lange jede und jeder von uns glaubt, Food Waste sei ein Problem der anderen, wird sich daran schwerlich was ändern. Wie aber können wir den Leuten die Augen öffnen für ihr eigenes Verhalten, damit sie sich in Zukunft ihrer Verantwortung bewusst werden?

The gta exhibition ‘Architecture for Children: Zurich’s Playgrounds’ presents the history of the playground in Zurich since 1950. A treasure trove of photos, films, slideshows and plans are on display, along with examples of how children would design a playground today if they had the opportunity.

International cooperation is often part of modern research. This implies that the research partners may come from different cultural environments and have different value systems, that even significant human rights may be affected. For successful collaboration a common basic ethical standard is necessary. The adopted code is intended to support researchers in addressing this topic.

A group of demonstrators stormed the ETH main building Tuesday evening, to protest against a speech by FIFA President, Joseph S. Blatter. They lit a smoke bomb and set off the fire alarm. The city police, as well as firefighters, were on the spot.

On Tuesday started the exhibition «A Feast for the Eyes - Eating, Drinking and Table-Talk».

Seit rund 15 Jahren wird es auf der Erde kaum wärmer – trotz steigender CO₂-Emissionen. Dieser so genannte Temperatur-Hiatus kommt für uns Klimaforschende wenig überraschend, und er lässt sich wissenschaftlich auch gut erklären. Für die breite Klimakommunikation ist die «Klimapause» jedoch eine echte Herausforderung.

A debate has broken out between politicians and scientists as to whether atmospheric warming can be delayed by reducing short-lived climate forcing agents. An international research team has now confirmed that a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions is the only long-term remedy for global warming.

Four out of five employees in Switzerland actively shape their own jobs. Through what is known as job crafting, employees seek to positively influence their work situation. This was one of the results of the Swiss HR Barometer 2014, which was carried out by the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich. The study recommends that employers promote job crafting by granting employees greater involvement and influence over their jobs.

The ‘grimsel’ electric racing car today broke the previous world record for acceleration in electric cars. The vehicle accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 1.785 seconds in under 30 metres. The new record was set by students from ETH Zurich and Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, who also designed and built the vehicle.

Only in the ladies’ category was ETH Zurich able to hold its own against the University of Zurich. In all categories, there was already a clear winner after the first two heats.

Mit der Energiestrategie 2050 will der Bund das Schweizer Energiesystem für eine klimaverträgliche Zukunft rüsten. Das Vorhaben stellt – ähnlich wie die Energiewende in Deutschland – die betroffenen Akteure vor zahlreiche Herausforderungen und Risiken. Es ergeben sich aber auch etliche Chancen, die es zu ergreifen gilt.

It is often stressed that developing countries need large financial support in order to cut greenhouse-gas emissions and to reduce climate-change related risks. But will people in rich countries be willing to provide the necessary amounts of money in times when budgets are tight? And are there characteristics that influence public support?

Good results at school – what do they take? Pressure to perform and special tutoring? Collaborative learning in a group? Elsbeth Stern, an ETH researcher on learning, is discussing the first of these questions today in a Treffpunkt platform debate, while the second is being studied by her team.

Viruses cannot multiply without cellular machinery. Although extensive research into how pathogens invade cells has been conducted for a number of viruses, we do not fully understand how the shell of a virus is cracked open during the onset of infection thus releasing the viral genome. An ETH Zurich led research team discovered how this mechanism works for the influenza virus – with surprising results.

Wie kann eine Hochschule ihr vielseitiges Campusleben nachhaltiger gestalten? Und was kann sie dabei von anderen Unis lernen? Das sind Fragen, die nicht nur die ETH Zürich beschäftigen. Zusammen mit neun führenden technischen Universitäten haben wir Antworten gesucht – und gefunden: Gestern haben wir den «Green Guide for Universities» publiziert.

Scientists took a closer look at a much-discussed agricultural method, conservation agriculture, and examined its productivity. In a large-scale overview study, they paint a different picture of this less tillage intense farming method: high yields can only be achieved with the method in dry regions.

In its meeting today, the Federal Council approved the agreement on Switzerland’s participation in the Horizon 2020 research programme. The agreement covers Switzerland’s partial association to the programme between 15 September 2014 and 31 December 2016.

A team led by ETH Professor Yaakov Benenson has developed several new components for biological circuits. These components are key building blocks for constructing precisely functioning and programmable bio-computers.

Phosphor ist als Nährstoff unabdingbar. Die Schweiz muss jedoch den grössten Teil ihres Bedarfs importieren. Vor allem die Landwirtschaft benötigt Phosphor als Dünger. Könnten wir das Element aus unseren Abfällen wiedergewinnen, liessen sich die Importabhängigkeit senken und der Phosphorkreislauf zumindest teilweise schliessen.

With Open Access Week 2014 beginning today, we take a look at the ETH-Bibliothek’s work on e-publishing and digital data preservation.

The popular Treffpunkt Science City is ushering in the new season. From 26 October to 30 November 2014, various events will be held which focus on the theme of ‘high performance’. This is the first summit series under the directorship of Inge Keller-Hoehl, who has taken over from Mercedes Leupp and Rolf Probala.

For the first time, researchers have succeeded to detect a single hydrogen atom using magnetic resonance imaging, which signifies a huge increase in the technology's spatial resolution. In the future, single-atom MRI could be used to shed new light on protein structures.

Der massive Abbau natürlicher Sandvorkommen in Küstengebieten, Flüssen und Seen hat gravierende Folgen für unsere Umwelt. Um die Abhängigkeit von der endlichen Ressource Sand zu verringern, braucht es insbesondere im Bausektor neue Alternativen. Hier können wir die Nachfrage grundsätzlich durch Recycling, Substitution oder Synthese entlasten.

Every minute counts in the event of an overdose. ETH professor Jean-Christophe Leroux and his team have developed an agent to filter out toxins from the body more quickly and efficiently. It can also be used for dialysis in patients suffering from hepatic failure.

In 1964, Max Frisch published a new novel, “Gantenbein”. To mark the novel’s 50th anniversary, the Max Frisch Archive at the ETH-Bibliothek is holding an exhibition in its honour.

The official opening ceremony for ETH’s new Oberer Leonhard building (LEE) took place on Monday. So how are its occupants – employees from the KOF Swiss Economic Institute and the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering (D-MAVT) – finding everyday life in Switzerland’s most sustainable university building?

Sand ist der meist gebrauchte feste Rohstoff unserer Welt. Er findet sich in Beton, Glas, Computer-Chips, Putzmitteln, ja sogar in Zahnpasta. Doch die Sandvorkommen sind endlich: Was durch Verwitterung und Sedimentation während Jahrmillionen entsteht, baut der Mensch heute an Flussläufen und Küsten in einer noch nie dagewesenen Geschwindigkeit ab.

After four years of construction, the time has finally come: the first ETH building from the 2003 master plan will officially open today. The Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering (D-MAVT) and the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at ETH Zurich will now share one of Switzerland’s most sustainable university buildings.

Developing a computer app in just 40 hours – that was the challenge facing the 350 attendees of the HackZurich programming marathon last weekend. The winner produced an app which enables users to explore remote places using their smartphone.

With a combination of solid-state physics and quantum optics, ETH researchers observe new multiparticle states that so far defied a complete theoretical description. The experiments might be the first step towards developing quantum computers based on photons.

ETH Zurich has established a new Chair of Rehabilitation Engineering with the appointment of Professor Roger Gassert to the position. The chair is affiliated to the Department of Health Sciences and Technology and will be financially supported over the coming decade with a donation of CHF 1 million from the Zurich-based company Hocoma.

After becoming Southeast Asia’s second-largest crop, oil palm is heading to Africa on an industrial scale, and a wave of high-profile investments have raised concerns on the environmental impacts of this expansion. Understanding the opportunities for oil palm in the African context is key to ensuring that oil-palm expansion develops more sustainably.

This year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for advances in a high-resolution microscopy. One of the laureates, William Moerner, has a connection to ETH Zurich.

ETH Zurich has set up a data interface to the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) as part of a nationwide pilot project. In doing so, it has become the first university in Switzerland to receive information on new project funding in digital form as soon as it is approved.

Researchers in the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering at ETH Zurich have calculated new benchmark figures to precisely describe the Ebola epidemic in West Africa from a mathematical perspective. Their results may help health authorities to contain the epidemic.

Professor Otmar Hilliges and his staff at ETH Zurich have developed a new app enabling users to operate their smartphone with gestures. This development expands the range of potential interactions with such devices.

gta exhibitions is opening the new season with various projects. One of them is “Atlas”, a project by Tom Emerson, professor of architecture and construction.

ETH's Hönggerberg campus is getting a new restaurant with a view. Meanwhile, renovation work is now underway in the cafeteria in the HPR building, but the temporary Hexagon canteen will remain in service until the cafeteria reopens.

At the ETH Health Talk, researchers met with representatives from business, administration and various associations to discuss the Herculean task of making the Swiss healthcare system ready for the future. Participants called for more transparency, more interdisciplinary research and better underlying data.

“Greasing the wheels of change“ nannte Anthony Patt seinen Beitrag [1] über die Minderung des Klimawandels im April. Anlass war der dritte Teil des fünften IPCC–Klimaberichts, dessen Studium sich sehr lohnt: Der Report liefert einen ausführlichen Leitfaden, wie man das «Rad des Wandels schmieren» kann, um die Wirtschaft rascher von Kohlenstoff zu entkoppeln.

Researchers at ETH Zurich are decoding the structure of the large ribosomal subunit of the mitochondria at an atomic level, thereby providing insight into the molecular architecture of this ribosome with implications for a better understanding of the mode of action of antibiotics.

A boost for non-professorial scientific staff at ETH Zurich: as of this September, all 16 ETH departments have their own associations for scientific staff. In addition, doctoral students at ETH are now to be employed on a strictly full-time basis.

Phosphor ist essentiell für jegliches Leben. Als Rohstoff ist er kritisch, denn die Reserven sind global ungleich verteilt. Ähnliches gilt für die Nutzung: Während in Industrienationen zu viel Phosphor bereits manche Ökosysteme bedroht, könnten ärmere Regionen mehr Nahrungsmittel produzieren, wäre Phosphatdünger dort günstig verfügbar.

Provided the weather cooperates, ETH’s new outdoor furniture offers the perfect place to lounge in the sun. A total of 16 “Enzos” have now been installed on ETH’s Zentrum and Hönggerberg campuses.

The last of the big three university rankings has now been published, with the ranking putting ETH Zurich in 13th place. The strong overall showing by Swiss universities has won plaudits from the ranking organisations, but they caution against Swiss isolation and its potential consequences for Swiss universities.

A special type of phagocyte cells in the lungs plays an important role during infection with flu viruses by preserving the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide despite massive virus-induced lung tissue damage, as researchers from ETH have demonstrated.

The “Schwinget @ Polyterrasse” was a great success. To mark the 75th anniversary of the ASVZ, students clad in traditional breeches put their “Schwingen” skills to the test in an event which was topped off with a visit from some of the sport’s elite.

“Techkriti” and “Techfest” in India are two of Asia’s largest technology trade fairs. Each year, ETH Zurich sends a student delegation to these events, with the team from “e-Velolink” taking part in this year’s Techkriti fair in Kanpur.

In a paper just published in Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) a new imaging technology that uses so called Hyperpolarizing Solids (HYPSOs) was just described.

ETH Zurich’s Future Cities Laboratory (FCL) in Singapore is undertaking several research projects into sustainable urban development and architectural design. A selection of these research projects is now being presented for the first time as part of an exhibition at ETH Zurich.

Im politischen Diskurs um den Klimaschutz hört man oft, dass die Treibhausgasemissionen eines so kleinen Landes wie der Schweiz global kaum ins Gewicht fallen und unsere Reduktionsbemühungen daher sinnlos seien. Doch diese Argumentation greift zu kurz: Es gibt erhebliche Anreize, etwas für den Klimaschutz zu tun – wir sollten sie nutzen.

As she comes to the end of her year as President of VSETH, Julia Wysling (from the Department of Mathematics, D-MATH) has outlined in her essay what she imagines ETH Zurich and its campus will be like in ten years’ time.

Whether we are studying, at work or playing sport, performance is an integral part of our everyday lives. Find out how to deliver a good performance in the latest issue of “life – ETH community magazine”.

On Friday seismologist Donat Fäh from ETH Zurich was awarded the 2014 cogito Prize. He and his interdisciplinary team had been conducting fresh research into the disastrous earthquake that struck Basel in 1356.

From 2017 onwards, Switzerland is to control its immigration policy independently. This policy jeopardises ETH Zurich's position as a top university in the world in the long term, as ETH Rector Lino Guzzella explained to members of parliament last week.

Wolfram Neubauer, Director of the ETH-Bibliothek, is retiring next year. He will be succeeded in his post by Rafael Ball, who is currently Director of the University Library of Regensburg

The traditional lecture may still be an integral part of everyday student life, but ETH Zurich’s flexible auditorium is paving the way for new forms of teaching.

ETH Zurich and ETH spin-off company Verity Studios AG have teamed up with Cirque du Soleil to demonstrate the value of technology to entertain and delight us.

In parts 1 and 2 we concluded that the future oil consumption in Western Europe will be determined by the declining export capacity of Russia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan and will likely decline by 5% per year until 2018. Here, we extrapolate the maximum possible oil imports and consumption trends of Western Europe up to the year 2030.

On Tuesday evening, 13 upcoming young scientists presented their projects at the Falling Walls Lab in Zurich. ETH doctoral student Mattias Ivarsson was declared the winner and has been awarded the chance to present his winning molecule at the Falling Walls Lab Finale in Berlin on 8 November.

A physics student is the new VSETH president: Since Monday evening, Thomas Gumbsch is at the helm of the ETH students’ association. He is the successor of mathematics student Julia Wysling.

ETH President Ralph Eichler's final Lokaltermin event focused on a topic close to his heart: together with five other experts from ETH Zurich, he gave representatives from the worlds of business, politics and science an insight into the unusual world of quantum physics and explained how it may be used commercially in the future.

Strong solar flares can bring down communications and power grids on Earth. By demonstrating how these gigantic eruptions are caused, ETH physicists are laying the foundations for future predictions.

This week an exhibition in the ETH Main Building presents the work of the Singapore-based Future Cities Laboratory (FCL), showing projects ranging from technologies for sustainable construction, to improved concepts of urban design. A good time, therefore, to reflect upon the achievements of FCL, and ask whether it has all been worthwhile.

Morgen treffen sich Staatsoberhäupter und Wirtschaftsvertreter zum UN-Klimagipfel in New York, der den blockierten klimapolitischen Einigungsprozess wieder in Gang bringen soll. Derweil zeigen die neusten Daten zum CO₂-Kreislauf, dass uns die Zeit für ein griffiges Klimaabkommen immer mehr davonläuft.

In experiments using the wonder material graphene, ETH researchers have been able to demonstrate a phenomenon predicted by a Russian physicist more than 50 years ago. They analysed a layer structure that experts believe may hold unimagined promise.

As Switzerland grows, the demand for housing and work space is also on the increase. But what actually makes an urban area worth living in, and how can we meet these needs without destroying precious countryside? In the latest issue of Globe, the magazine of ETH Zurich and ETH Alumni, researchers from ETH Zurich discuss their approaches to solving the problem.

Traditional Swiss delicacies and decorated tables: the SV Group is celebrating its 100th anniversary this week – and ETH Zurich is not missing out.

Chemist Detlef Günther is set to join the Executive Board. The ETH Board has elected the 50-year-old professor of analytical chemistry as the new Vice President Research and Corporate Relations. Günther is taking over from Roland Siegwart, who will return to his professorship at the beginning of 2015.

At its meeting of 17/18 September 2014, the ETH Board appointed 15 professors at ETH Zurich in accordance with the applications submitted by the ETH President Ralph Eichler, and awarded the title of professor to one individual.

Growth and landscape conservation, urban habitats and rural nostalgia – spatial and urban planners have their hands full. Wilhelm Natrup, Director of the Zurich Cantonal Office of Spatial Planning, and Professors Kees Christiaanse and Christian Schmid from the ETH Department of Architecture talk about how to handle these contradictions.

At first glance, the internet seems to work reliably. A closer inspection, however, reveals some serious flaws, including large-scale breakdowns and un­welcome data redirections. Computer science professor Adrian Perrig now proposes a new internal architecture to remedy these discrepancies.

Following his degree at ETH Zurich, Patrick Anquetil set off for Cambridge, Massachusetts to do a PhD. Having settled on the US East Coast, he is currently launching his second start-up business. And he has big plans for it.

The top 100 Swiss startups of 2014 were announced yesterday evening, and 18 ETH spin-offs were included in the list. What’s more, the startup with the best prospects of success started life at ETH Zurich.

ETH Zurich is creating more transparency with a scholarship calculator: the new web application calculates the amount of a potential scholarship for ETH students.

Water is a precious resource and scarce in many countries. Countries can compensate for this scarcity by importing products which contain “virtual water”, for example, water-intensive goods like food. How will future water scarcity affect global consumption and the international water trade?

The ASVZ is marking its 75th anniversary by bringing a traditional Swiss sport to ETH Zurich, giving people the chance to enter the sawdust arena and try to wrestle their opponents to the ground.

In some HIV sufferers, the immune system does not fight off the immune deficiency virus. Instead, the body tolerates the pathogen. A research team headed by ETH Zurich has now determined how strongly patients differ in their tolerance and upon which factors it depends.

Natürliches Ozon in der Stratosphäre schützt uns vor schädlicher UV-Strahlung. In Bodennähe wirkt dasselbe Molekül als lungenschädigendes Reizgas. Der Luftschadstoff Ozon wird aus Abgasen gebildet und verursacht Sommersmog. In einigen Riesenstädten von Schwellenländern könnten die Ozonwerte besorgniserregend ansteigen.

ETH-Zurich researchers have developed a new approach to measure proteins with structures that change. This could enable new diagnostic tools for the early recognition of neurodegenerative diseases to be developed.

This year’s QS rankings confirm ETH Zurich’s reputation as an excellent academic institution: it has once again been ranked 12th in the world. But it cannot afford to rest on its laurels – other universities are rapidly gaining ground.

Simulated negotiations with the EU on the free movement of persons: in a special seminar, two professors from ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich sought to discover whether the simulation method could be applied beyond the realm of the technical sciences and used as a prediction tool in a political context. In addition to students, the seminar participants included experienced representatives from the world of diplomacy and politics.

The university district in Zurich’s city centre is to be developed further as a location for medical education, research and healthcare. At the beginning of September, the canton, the city and the universities presented the plan to local residents.

With a new analysis of land regions, ETH climate researcher are challenging the general climate change precept that dry regions are getting drier and wet regions are getting wetter. In some regions they are encountering divergent trends.

Switzerland will be partially associated with the European research programme Horizon 2020 from mid-September. This partial association, limited until the end of 2016, will enable researchers in Switzerland to apply for funding from the European Research Council (ERC) again.

Villa Garbald celebrates its 150th anniversary. The Semper Conference held in Castasegna, Graubünden, was dedicated to the architect Gottfried Semper, who also designed ETH’s Main Building.

Salt crystals are often responsible when buildings start to show signs of ageing. Researchers from the Institute for Building Materials have studied salt damage in greater depth and can now predict weathering processes more accurately.

A projected 2,805 students will begin their Bachelor’s degrees at ETH Zurich on Monday – the highest number of first-semester students in the institution’s history. More and more new students are choosing degree programmes in computer science, electrical engineering and health sciences. Master’s programmes have also seen record numbers of applicants and admissions.

Alle vier Jahre untersuchen hunderte Wissenschaftler unter der Ägide der UNO den Zustand der Ozonschicht. Gestern haben sie ihren jüngsten Bericht publiziert: Das Montrealer Protokoll über Ozon-abbauende Stoffe wirkt – das Ozonloch könnte sich in der zweiten Hälfte dieses Jahrhunderts schliessen. Doch es drohen neue Gefahren durch bestimmte FCKW-Ersatzstoffe.

Researchers have discovered that a known quality control mechanism in human, animal and plant cells is active against viruses. They think it might represent one of the oldest defence mechanisms against viruses in evolutionary history.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is mostly known for its social, economic, and political instability. Does it make sense then for me to focus my research on sustainable agriculture and the role of the Congo River Basin in the global carbon cycle?

The intergenerational Berthold project aims to strengthen university medicine at the Zurich centre: new buildings, parks and a campus boulevard are to be built across the premises of the university, university hospital and ETH Zurich. ETH will be given more space.

What do robots do when the master of their house – ETH Vice President and robot expert Roland Siegwart – is away from home? The youth TV channel “joiz” has shed some light on this.

ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich are pooling their expertise in biomedical imaging technologies. Their new competence centre EXCITE Zurich aims to efficiently translate new ideas from basic research into clinical practice. The centre will be inaugurated on Saturday.

The Federal Council took a decision in principle in favour of the innovation park on Wednesday. To this end, it plans to reserve 70 hectares in Dübendorf. Today's military airdrome is also to be used for civil aviation in the future.

The company Veinpress GmbH won the CTI Swiss Medtech Award in Bern on Tuesday. The company was awarded the prize for a joint venture with ETH Zurich.

Seit der Veröffentlichung der Energiestrategie 2050 wird intensiv und mitunter sehr emotional diskutiert, ob die gesetzten Ziele überhaupt realisierbar sind. Das ETH Power Systems Laboratory hat nun untersucht, ob die Energiestrategie mit der geplanten Schweizer Strominfrastruktur technisch machbar ist.

Using a simulation with an unprecedentedly high resolution, Earth scientists from University of Paris VI and ETH Zurich have shown that magma columns in the Earth's interior can cause continental breakup – but only if the Earth's skin is already taut.

On Saturday 6 September, it will once again be time for 46 museums – including ETH’s Collection of Prints and Drawings and focusTerra – to stay open into the night for the “Long Night of the Museums”.

The Federal Council is requesting that Parliament approve Switzerland’s accession to the world’s most powerful neutron source, the European Spallation Source (ESS), as well as Switzerland’s necessary contributions to the facility’s construction and operation until 2026.

Milk is expensive. Not so much in terms of the cost at the supermarket, but in terms of the environmental cost. The white stuff is, therefore, hardly green. Synthetic milk could help avoid this downside. The environmental benefits would be substantial indeed – but the social and political consequences could be far-reaching.

Proofs are the key method of mathematics. Until now, it has mainly been humans who have verified whether proofs are correct. This could change, says Russian mathematician Vladimir Voevodsky, who will present his ideas at the Paul Bernays Lectures at ETH in September.

Yesterday the canton of Zurich presented its development study for the planned innovation park in the grounds of Dübendorf Air Base. Now the revised master plan must be approved by the cantonal parliament and federal government, and the federal government must decide on the future use of the air base.

Scientific evidence shows that our society is on a perilous trajectory. Fundamental lifestyle changes are urgently needed, but we consume more, we travel more, we talk more about unavoidable collapse, while we think less about alternatives.

ETH Zurich formalizes collaboration with Stellenbosch University in South Africa to advance science and technology for the benefit of society in the areas of sustainable production systems, human nutrition, and conservation ecology among other areas of mutual interest.

Industry Day 2014: with passion and technical expertise, ETH professors presented their research topics to representatives from industry and SMEs – from big data and additive technologies to computer graphics. The interest of the companies was greater than ever.

Gesamtwirtschaftliche ökonomische Modelle, mit denen man die Wirkung von energiepolitischen Instrumenten abschätzen kann, basieren auf vielfältigen Annahmen. Ein wichtiger Baustein dafür ist das Verhalten von Konsumenten bei Energiepreisänderungen. Doch aktuelle Schweizer Literaturwerte dazu sind rar.

ETH researchers have realised a long-held dream: inspired by an industrial assembly line, they have developed a nanoscale production line for the assembly of biological molecules.

In a new illustrated book, ETH-Bibliothek is presenting fascinating images from the Swissair Aerial Photography Archive. The view from above reveals the changes to Switzerland’s landscape and culture over the years.

Bridges become an infrastructure problem as they get older, as de-icing salt and carbon dioxide gradually destroy the reinforced concrete. A new robot can now check the condition of these structures, even in places that people cannot reach.

Fruchtbarer Boden ist ein wertvolles Gut, dessen Verlust sowohl für uns als auch für zukünftige Generationen weitreichende Folgen hat. Doch das Wissen um die Empfindlichkeit dieser Ressource allein reicht nicht aus, um Boden zu schützen. Warum fällt es so schwer, den umfassenden Bodenschutz auf die (inter)nationale Agenda zu setzen?

Writing text messages or emails in Swiss German on mobile phones or tablets will soon be simpler, thanks to an app developed by ETH.

Scientists have been measuring the accumulation and melting of ice on the Claridenfirn in the Canton of Glarus constantly for a century. Glacier researcher Andreas Bauder explains what makes these measurements so special and what can be concluded from them.

The question whether countries can be held liable for climate change damages is becoming a major issue in the UN climate negotiations. The discussion currently revolves around fairness and historical responsibility. We argue that a liability mechanism could also help countries to agree on an international climate treaty with more ambitious emission reductions.

This year’s Shanghai Ranking has just been published, with ETH taking 19th place – it therefore remains the best university in continental Europe.

The average temperature on Earth has barely risen over the past 16 years. ETH researchers have now found out why. And they believe that global warming is likely to continue again soon.

Swiss artist Annelies Štrba’s exhibition opens tonight at ETH Zurich’s Collection of Prints and Drawings. Her contemporary take on images of the Madonna are presented in contrast with prints from Old Masters.

The ultrathin material graphene is the current favourite of many materials scientists. ETH researchers have now managed to create a synthetic polymer that is almost as thin. This is the first time that a flat synthetic polymer has been produced and its structure analysed using X-ray crystallography.

ETH Zurich researchers from the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE) in Basel have developed an implantable device that precisely monitors acid build-up in the body for people with diabetes and produces insulin if acidosis becomes a risk.

ETH researchers have analysed global air connections and found a dense network that starts to fray at the edges. This makes the regions on the periphery vulnerable to disruption, which in turn makes the entire network vulnerable as many regions are at risk of getting completely cut off from the rest of the world.

With a new therapeutic product, researchers have managed to cure arthritis in mice for the first time. The scientists are now planning to test the efficacy of the drug in humans.

The massive spread of the cryptocurrency or digital currency, Bitcoin, opens up new pathways for researchers to study social action on markets. This reveals interesting feedback between the exchange rates and mentions in social media.

The world's largest association for statisticians, the ASA, has appointed ETH Professor and RiskLab Director Paul Embrechts as a Fellow.

An interdisciplinary research team has managed to uncover clear migration and interaction patterns, applying statistical analysis to information on where notable cultural figures were born and died. Just published in the journal Science, the study shows that natural science and the humanities can enrich each other and that the humanities can profit from complex network research.

Das Fällen einzelner Bäume in tropischen Wäldern wurde bisher als relativ naturverträglich angesehen. Das ist es bei weitem nicht immer, so das Fazit einer neuen Studie. Es kommt darauf an, wie stark die Wälder genutzt werden.

And the cup goes to Poland: Mariusz Frukacz, a Post Doc in D-BAUG, won ETH Zurich’s World Cup predictor game.

In the Falling Walls Lab, participants have just three minutes to present their project. To enter the preliminary round in Zurich, you have to sign up by 12 September.

To some people, a field trip may sound an outdated concept, but at ETH Zurich this teaching method is used on many courses. Students and lecturers both agree that content learnt on field trips sticks in the mind particularly well.

They are called CoRoT-4 b or OGLE-2005-BLG-390L b – exoplanets often have scientific designations that are impossible to pronounce. Now the International Astronomical Union (IAU), working in collaboration with the citizen science project Zooniverse, has announced a public competition in which the 30 most popular exoplanets from a list of 305 will be given new names.

Google is working with various universities and other institutions on Project Tango, an initiative to develop mobile devices that can detect surroundings in three dimensions and enable navigation indoors. The first devices are expected to hit the market next year. ETH Zurich has a significant role in the project.

In May, ETH Zurich made an appearance in the USA at the “Zürich meets New York” festival. A retrospective of this event is now going on show in ETH’s Main Building from 22 July to 12 August.

An innovative filter makes it possible to purify water more quickly, simply and economically than ever before. The developers hope the device will soon play a big role development aid, and they are looking for investors to help them achieve this goal.

No fossil fuels used for heating or hot water in an entire village – that is the ambitious goal of the Zernez Energia 2020 research project. ETH scientists have studied the feasibility of the project and are presenting the initial findings in an exhibition.

CRUS und SNSF are collecting data with regard to the non-association in Horizon 2020. The science community can participate.

Our writers are off on a well-deserved summer break until 19 August. We wish all of you a pleasant summer, whether you take a staycation or venture further afield…

This year, the "Golden Tricycle", ETH Zurich’s award for family-friendly managers, will be presented at the “togETHer 2014” staff party. Entries should be submitted by 27 July.

Unlängst unternahm die ETH-Professur für Landschaftsarchitektur von Prof. Christophe Girot mit Studierenden den Entwurfskurs «Beach Bank Basel» mit dem Ziel, das Potenzial der Klybeckinsel am rechten Ufer des Rheins in Basel Nord aufzuzeigen. Die neue Ufergestaltung soll die Insel in einen einladenden Erholungsraum für die Bewohner von Basel verwandeln.

For the last four years, the Japanese government has resolutely resisted China’s increasingly aggressive foreign policy. At the same time, Prime Minister Abe’s cabinet has pushed for a change to Japan’s constitution to remove military constraints. ETH News spoke to political scientist Michael Haas about Japan’s departure from a pacifist security policy.

The ETH spin-off Selfnation, which offers women’s made-to-measure jeans over the internet, impressed the jury of venture kick’s young entrepreneur competition and won one of two sponsorship awards worth CHF 130,000.

In order to better meet the challenges of climate change, we propose an approach that builds on the lessons of Swiss housing insurance: a new type of liability insurance that could compensate for losses among public infrastructure due to extreme weather and provide investments for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The ETH Board confirmed today that Sarah Springman, Professor of Geotechnical Engineering, is to become the new Rector of ETH Zurich. Alongside Lino Guzzella, who will move from the office of Rector to the Presidency, Springman will help shape the future of ETH Zurich as part of the Executive Board from January 2015.

ETH Rector Lino Guzzella took the opportunity to cultivate the university’s good relationship with MIT during a recent trip to the US. He’s coming back with a student exchange agreement and some fresh ideas for energy research projects.

ETH Zurich trains around 170 apprentices as part of its vocational education and training programme. A total of 56 apprentices and trainees specialising in commercial and technical occupations have passed their final apprenticeship examination – the “Lehrabschlussprüfung” (LAP) – at ETH Zurich this year.