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The closer two people grow, the more alike their brains work – or so the assumption goes. Two ETH Zurich studies challenge this idea by examining the brain activity of younger and older adults who drew together over several weeks. Despite growing closer, the similarity of their brain activity did not simply increase. 

Extreme summer temperatures have sent demand for air conditioning soaring, yet building-systems expert Arno Schlüter regards it as a solution only in special cases. For the majority of people, other measures are already effective and more sustainable. 

Gravis Robotics secured 200 million US dollars reaching a one billion dollar valuation, according to the US business magazine Inc. The ETH spin-off develops AI systems that enable excavators and other construction machinery to carry out certain tasks autonomously.

Researchers from ETH Zurich are laying a fibre-optic cable on the Gorner Glacier in Valais to investigate its internal structure. Their findings have uncovered more damage within the ice than initially anticipated. 

An unassuming prototype of a solar thermal collector is installed on the roof of an ETH building. For Pioneer Fellow Luca Thommen, it marks an important step towards the energy transition, as the mechanical engineer aims to address a frequently neglected issue – supplying heat to industry.

The sustainability of tropical products can only be verified using reliable data on production practices. A new study, using cocoa as an example, shows that such data is frequently falsified by the auditing agents. However, a simple change to the way data is collected could significantly reduce manipulation. 

It all kicks off on 22 August when over 1,000 researchers from ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich present their work at exhibition booths and in labs, lecture halls and shows. Start-ups will present their future projects, and the City of Zurich’s municipal enterprises will open their doors for an exclusive look behind the scenes.

The production of cement ranks as one of the world’s largest industrial sources of CO₂. A new study now shows how cement production could in future be used to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere – based on a technology utilising lime. 

More trees, cooler streets and energy-efficient buildings make cities more liveable but also more expensive, especially squeezing people on low incomes. That’s why climate action and socially just urban development need to go hand in hand, argues urban researcher David Kaufmann. 

Severe wildfires are raging across Europe. ETH researcher Christine Eriksen argues that destructiveness of wildfires is often determined by social and cultural processes. 

Simulations conducted by researchers at ETH Zurich suggest a strong likelihood that Venus’s rift valleys are still geologically active rather than being mere relics of a bygone era, as had been previously believed. This finding reshapes our understanding of Earth’s sister planet and will influence future missions to Venus.