March

ETH Pioneer Fellow Martin Hofmann has developed a method to produce high-quality plant-based meat alternatives. His research on the flow properties of soft materials enables him to imitate the marbling of real steaks.  

The past year has brought challenges on three fronts: coronavirus, climate change and links with Europe. While new variants of Sars-CoV-2 were the main concern during the second year of the pandemic, governments meeting at COP21 sought commitments for more coordinated efforts in combatting climate change. For Swiss universities, 2021 also marked a turning point, as they were shut out of the EU research programme Horizon Europe.

In a technological breakthrough, researchers at ETH Zurich have announced the development of a new technique that can transplant mitochondria – the tiny powerhouses of the cell – from one living cell to another with unparalleled efficiency.

The slab avalanche modelling that Alexander Puzrin and Johan Gaume, two researchers from ETH and EPFL, used to explain the so-called Dyatlov Pass mystery has triggered a variety of responses around the world. In a follow-up article, the two researchers reflect on the impact of their research findings in science and the media and describe the follow up expeditions to the Dyatlov Pass that supported the slab avalanche theory.

A team of ETH researchers led by Athina Anastasaki have succeeded in breaking down plastic into its molecular building blocks and in recovering over 90 percent of them. A first step towards genuine plastic recycling.  

In an interview with ETH News, ETH Professor Emeritus and former State secretary Michael Ambühl outlines possible cornerstones of a diplomatic solution for the war in Ukraine.

Geophysicist Mauro Häusler is a Pioneer Fellow at ETH Zurich. He uses a seismic method to investigate rock instabilities and wants to establish himself as a service provider in the geoengineering industry.

Four researchers from ETH Zurich have been awarded a Consolidator Grant from the European Research Council (ERC). Since Switzerland is no longer fully associated, they will receive the approximately eight million francs in research funding from the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).

Cookie consent banners only appear to give users control over their data. So researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a browser extension that uses machine learning to recognise and block unnecessary cookies.

To benefit from stability and security in Asia, Europe must rethink its relations and engagement with this region. But, as Linda Maduz points out, it is worth taking a nuanced look at the various Asian countries.