Research

EPFL and University of Manchester researchers unlock secrets of nanofluidics using a 2D material and light.

An EPFL study carried out in Vaud Canton has shed light on the factors that can prompt people to buy solar panels. It found that having neighbors with solar panels plays a significant role, alongside more well-known influences, such as our social circle.

Platforms like ChatGPT are already changing the world. From healthcare to the arts and the way we work, how we can ensure AI and Machine Learning benefit all of society? World renowned experts have gathered at EPFL today to explore this topic.

Strategy games developed by ETH Zurich ecologists bring different stakeholders to the table. By shifting people’s perspectives, they create a win-win situation for environmental protection.

Scientists at EPFL and Charles University have developed a new method to analyze the dynamical, out-of-equilibrium properties of complex disordered systems, such as gold with magnetic impurities or opinions spreading on social media.

Gravity keeps our feet firmly on the ground and Earth in its orbit around the Sun. Meanwhile, satellites in space measure the acceleration caused by the Earth’s gravitational pull.

Quantum mechanics describes the forces that hold the world together on the smallest scale. The theory of relativity explains the world at the cosmic level. The two seem incompatible – and a unifying theory is nowhere in sight.

The risk of fatal heatwaves has risen sharply over the past 20 years. In the future, such extreme weather will become more frequent and heat-related excess mortality will increase. Europe will be particularly affected, as ETH Zurich researchers show.

With its ability to write text and generate images, artificial intelligence is making inroads into many areas of life. Perceived as threatening, enriching or just plain gimmicky, AI also raises a fundamental question: what is it that makes us human?

Work psychologist Petra Schmid studies the effects of social power. She favours an interdisciplinary approach that includes both lab experiments and surveys.

EPFL researchers make theoretical breakthrough in thermoelectric material to better harness waste heat for sustainable energy.

The safety of insecticides is predominantly evaluated based on lethal effects on other animals. However, new findings from Eawag support the notion that also lower concentrations can be problematic, because they affect the nervous systems of fish and cause changes in their behaviour. This can indirectly affect the survival of fish populations and may be one of the reasons for the fish decline that we are observing in Switzerland.

"We will rock you": ETH Zurich researchers are developing a gene switch that triggers insulin release in designer cells by playing certain rock and pop songs.

For the first time, researchers combined human and ecological factors to analyse the global scale of non-native tree species invasions. Human activity in hotspots of global trade, such as maritime ports, is linked to an increased likelihood of non-native tree species invasions. However, a high diversity of native tree species can help to curb the intensity of such invasions.

Green spaces or trees can mitigate urban heat, but it takes time for the cooling effects to develop. Modelling using satellite data can show how much time is needed.