Research

A WSL researcher was awarded CHF 1.5 million from the SNSF to study how digitalisation is changing spatial planning.

Flight ticket prices could rise by 50 percent if aviation is made climate-neutral. This is an estimate from a new study by researchers at ETH Zurich. It is based in particular on the use of synthetic fuels.

A joint EPFL and University of Lausanne research team reports on a novel observation of a plant protection mechanism in response to salt stress. The study opens new avenues of research to strengthen food security.

The use of generative artificial intelligence in protein design stands to revolutionize new drug development. EPFL ambitions putting together a consortium to further explore this avenue.

An architecture PhD student at ETH Zurich has developed a simple solution for building concrete floors in a more climate-friendly way. Significant amounts of concrete and steel can be saved thanks to a lightweight, robust and reusable formwork design.

How can decarbonisation be implemented cost-effectively in the Rhine Valley? The canton of Graubünden, the energy suppliers and leading industrial companies in the Graubünden Rhine Valley have investigated this question together with Empa using innovative modelling techniques. The results confirm the assessments of the Economic Forum: Decarbonisation is technically feasible and economically interesting. The Empa study provides concrete technical implementation steps and serves as a model example that can also be transferred to other regions.

DNA sequencing was revolutionized after scientists discovered a new bacterium in the hot springs of Yellowstone National Park, and today it’s a common research technique.

Researchers from ETH Zurich and ZHAW Winterthur are simulating in a new study how the future Swiss power system could be structured to withstand a drastic fall in gas and electricity imports. By doing so, they aim to contribute to the discussion surrounding Switzerland’s supply security.

Scientists led by EPFL, the University of Copenhagen, and Shanghai University have developed a copper catalyst that can efficiently convert carbon dioxide into acetaldehyde, a key chemical used in manufacturing. The breakthrough offers a green alternative to fossil-fuel-based processes.

An international team of researchers has examined the environmental, social, economic and legal aspects of wind energy. In this interview, Russell McKenna, an expert in energy system analysis, explains where he sees the greatest need for action to further develop wind energy.

A researcher at EPFL working at the crossroads of neuroscience and computational science has developed an algorithm that can predict how surprise and novelty affect behavior.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a climate-friendly covering for walls and ceilings that temporarily stores moisture, creating a comfortable environment in heavily used indoor spaces. The covering components are made of mineral waste materials and are produced by means of 3D printing.

Thanks to new high-frequency electrical stimulation that blocks spasticity, two paralyzed patients suffering from muscle stiffness after spinal cord injury benefit from rehabilitation protocols for walking again.

A battery that needs feeding instead of charging? This is exactly what Empa researchers have achieved with their 3D-printed, biodegradable fungal battery. The living battery could supply power to sensors for agriculture or research in remote regions. Once the work is done, it digests itself from the inside.

On the Pic du Midi in the Pyrenees, ETH Zurich researchers have analysed particulate matter, clouds and rainwater for traces of arsenic. Using newly developed measurement methods, they have elucidated the transport pathways of the environmental toxin in the atmosphere.