Globe 21/02: Natural – artificial
"Nature + design" Blurring the boundaries between the natural and the artificial
Our ability to intervene in nature is growing all the time. Researchers also look to nature as a source of inspiration. This issue of Globe explores the relationship between the natural and the artificial – and asks whether we need to abandon the dichotomy altogether.
Robots for comfort and counsel
Focus
From robots that offer solace to algorithms that help judges make fact-based decisions, robotics and machine learning are entering new domains that were once the preserve of humans.
Optimising nature
Focus
Today, molecular genetic methods can be used to breed sustainable crops - such as multinutrient rice. Researchers are calling for the risk of new plant varieties to be assessed not on the basis of the breeding method, but on the basis of their characteristics.
Silent witnesses
Report
Once of interest only to enthusiasts, ETH Zurich’s Entomological Collection now offers researchers a treasure trove of hidden knowledge.
Juggling with constant change
Focus
A cultural landscape reflects the combined activity of nature and humans. Where has the equilibrium of this union been lost? And how can we restore the balance?
“You can't cut corners”
Profile
Elena Roos had a tough start in the world of professional sport, but her perseverance took her to the top of the international orienteering rankings. Even a global pandemic can’t stop this ETH alumna.
Much more than just recycling
Community
Athina Anastasaki joined ETH Zurich in 2019. Her research focuses on the next generation of polymers and recycling processes for these. She wants to recover all the starting materials and use them to produce new materials for other applications.
“The term ‘artificial’ is often associated with risk”
Focus
Is natural always good and artificial always bad? We talked to psychologist Angela Bearth and biotechnologist Sven Panke about science, scepticism, misunderstandings and how language influences the way we think.
About Globe
Globe, the magazine of ETH Zurich and ETH Zurich Alumni, is issued jointly by ETH Zurich and the ETH Alumni Association.