ETH Board

The benefits of mistakes in science

Failing to perform an experiment, considering the wrong hypothesis, having a paper rejected: failure is not only normal in science, it is also essential for cutting-edge research. What is the experience of researchers in the ETH Domain with this sensitive topic?

Gene Technology Act: exception for new technologies

The Federal Council is to submit a proposal to Parliament by mid-2024, on how new breeding technologies can be authorised on the basis of their risk. The National Council and the Council of States took this decision in the spring parliamentary session as part of the so-called "elimination of differences" process.

Agreement on the differences in the Gene Technology Act

The extension of the moratorium on the cultivation of genetically modified organisms in agriculture by another four years until the end of 2025 is a done deal. However, there could be an exception for new technologies. The National Council and the Council of States are looking for compromises in the spring session.

“Scientific cooperation is of indisputable benefit to all parties”

A pan-European initiative launched at the behest of the Swiss and British research communities calls for the two countries to be rapidly reintegrated into European science.

Next Target: Net Zero Emissions

What are the institutions of the ETH Domain doing to reduce the CO₂ emissions of their buildings? An overview shows: quite a lot, from anergy and waste heat to district heating and photovoltaics.

Surprise on the genetic engineering moratorium

What no one expected – genetically modified organisms in which no foreign DNA has been inserted are to be exempted from the moratorium on genetic engineering. This was decided by the Council of States during the winter session of parliament. On the other hand, the lower house's rejection of the proposal to double the EU cohesion billion was predictable.

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