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ETH Zurich


Longest observation of an active solar region

A team of researchers successfully observed the birth and decay of a highly active solar region, known as NOAA 13664, over three solar rotations. The study provides new insights into the formation and effects of superactive regions on the sun, shedding light on their potential impact on Earth's technology and environment.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalAstronomy and Astrophysics·DateJan 5, 2026

A Trojan horse for artificial amino acids

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a solution to introduce artificial amino acids into bacteria efficiently. By hijacking a natural transport system, they can produce designer proteins with unnatural amino acids just as efficiently as their natural counterparts. This breakthrough enables the expansion of the 'amino acid toolbox' ...

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·DateDec 10, 2025

How influenza viruses enter our cells

Researchers have developed a new microscopy technique that reveals influenza viruses actively recruit clathrin proteins to facilitate their entry into living cells. The study provides key insights into the development of antiviral drugs and the behavior of other viruses.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 4, 2025

Why some volcanoes don’t explode

Shear forces in volcanic conduits can create gas bubbles, leading to a decrease in pressure and preventing explosive eruptions. This process can occur even in magma with high gas content, explaining why some volcanoes flow gently despite being potentially explosive.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalScience·DateNov 21, 2025

People who rate uncertainty positively are less likely to vote for right-wing populists

Researchers from ETH Zurich found that individuals with a positive uncertainty mindset are more supportive of social diversity and less likely to vote for right-wing populist parties. The study suggests that by influencing how people think about uncertainty, it is possible to shape attitudes towards diversity and societal change.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalPersonality and Social Psychology Bulletin·DateNov 19, 2025

AI and extended reality help to preserve built cultural heritage

Researchers at ETH Zurich developed an immersive digital co-pilot to support conservators in restoring historic buildings. The tool uses spatial computing technologies and augmented reality to provide structural analysis insights, enhancing decision-making and disseminating heritage knowledge.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARCHITECTURE·DateNov 18, 2025

Microrobots finding their way

Researchers at ETH Zurich developed microrobots that can navigate blood vessels with precision, delivering drugs directly to the target location. The robots use magnetic nanoparticles and advanced navigation systems to avoid obstacles and reach their destination.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalScience·DateNov 13, 2025

New treatment for combating iron deficiency more effectively

A new dietary supplement made from oat protein nanofibrils coated with iron nanoparticles has been developed to efficiently treat iron deficiency and anaemia. The supplement is not only effective but also easy to produce and suitable for vegans and vegetarians, offering a stable and high-absorption iron delivery platform.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Food·DateNov 10, 2025

Muscle tissue from a 3D printer – produced in zero gravity

Researchers at ETH Zurich have successfully produced muscle tissue using a new biofabrication system called G-FLight in microgravity. The process enables rapid production of viable muscle constructs with similar cell viability and muscle fibers as those printed under gravity.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalAdvanced Science·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 31, 2025

Novel artificial muscles move with sound

Researchers have developed a new class of artificial muscles that respond to ultrasound, enabling precise movements and wireless control. The technology has vast potential for future medical and technical applications, including drug delivery, cardiac patches, and minimally invasive procedures.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·DateOct 30, 2025

Madagascar: The island split in two by time

A new study reveals that Madagascar's striking landscape was shaped by two great rifting events, separated by nearly 80 million years. These tectonic shifts created fragmented environments where species evolved independently, contributing to the island's extraordinary biodiversity.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalScience Advances·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateOct 23, 2025

Why deep sighs are actually good for us

Research reveals that deep sighs can reduce surface stress in lungs, making breathing easier. By analyzing the structure of pulmonary surfactant, scientists have discovered a physical explanation for the relief felt after a deep breath.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalScience Advances·DateOct 16, 2025

Protein condensates determine a cell’s fate

Researchers at ETH Zurich discovered how protein condensates contribute to cellular information exchange. The study found that P-body and Whi3 condensates work together to stop cell division when a cell becomes old, as well as control the cell's decision to abandon mating attempts in old age.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalMolecular Cell·DateOct 10, 2025

"A DNA search engine"

The MetaGraph digital tool enables fast and accurate searching of vast DNA sequence datasets, streamlining genetic research. By indexing raw data with metadata, researchers can identify specific mutations and rare hereditary diseases in patients, accelerating discoveries in fields like antibiotic resistance.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·DateOct 9, 2025

Researchers use ultrasound holograms to influence brain networks

Scientists have developed a device that allows them to stimulate three or five precisely defined points in the brain simultaneously, improving the technique of ultrasonic stimulation. This non-invasive method has the potential to treat various brain diseases, including Alzheimer's, epilepsy, and depression.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Biomedical Engineering·DateOct 3, 2025

And Swiss glaciers continue to melt

The Swiss Alps have experienced its fourth greatest shrinkage of glacier ice since 2003, with over 1,000 small glaciers disappearing since 2015. The rapid melting was driven by low snowfall and record-breaking heatwaves in June 2025.

SourceETH Zurich·TypeObservational study·DateOct 1, 2025

Minute witnesses from the primordial sea

Researchers at ETH Zurich discover unique natural witnesses to the primordial ocean's carbon reserves, challenging previous explanations of ice ages and complex life. The study reveals a massive decline in dissolved organic carbon between 1,000 and 541 million years ago.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·DateSep 25, 2025

Exoplanets are not water worlds

Researchers found that sub-Neptunes, such as K2-18b, have limited water content due to chemical interactions between magma oceans and atmospheres. The study's results suggest that water-rich exoplanets may be less common than previously thought.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateSep 18, 2025

Rising heat waves tied to fossil fuel and cement production

Research by ETH Zurich reveals human-induced climate change has increased extreme heat wave frequency and severity, with fossil fuel and cement production contributing significantly. The study highlights the responsibility of large carbon emitters, such as oil and gas companies, in exacerbating heat waves.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·TypeSystematic review·DateSep 10, 2025

Training to improve memory

Researchers at ETH Zurich found that exergame training improved cognitive performance, memory, and structural brain changes in individuals with mild cognitive impairment. The study suggests a potential causal effect of the training on disease-modifying effects and plans for longer-term studies are underway.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalAlzheimer s Research & Therapy·DateSep 8, 2025

The ocean carbon sink is ailing

The world's oceans absorbed significantly less CO2 in 2023 than expected, with the global marine carbon sink decreasing only moderately. Three physical and biological processes - CO2 escape, stratification of the water column, and the biological pump - counteracted CO2 outgassing and supported the sink's strength.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Climate Change·DateSep 2, 2025

How cancer puts other cells to work

Researchers at ETH Zurich discovered that cancer cells can transfer their mitochondria to healthy fibroblasts, reprogramming them into tumour-associated fibroblasts that support cancer cell growth. The mitochondrial transfer mechanism involves the protein MIRO2, which is produced in high quantities in cancer cells.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Cancer·DateAug 29, 2025

Why the foam on Belgian beers lasts so long

ETH Zurich researchers discovered that Belgian ales like Tripel and Dubbel have stable foam due to surface viscoelasticity or Marangoni stresses. The study also found that beer foam stability depends on protein content and structure, with LTP1 playing a key role in stabilizing foam.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalPhysics of Fluids·DateAug 26, 2025

A patch for the heart

Researchers at ETH Zurich create a novel three-dimensional heart patch for intraventricular implantation, integrating into existing heart tissue. The RCPatch combines a fine mesh, 3D-printed scaffold, and hydrogel with living cells to promote complete repair and regeneration of damaged heart tissue.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateAug 8, 2025

Pure quantum state without the need for cooling

Scientists have achieved a high level of quantum purity in nano glass spheres, eliminating gravitational force and detecting zero-point fluctuations. This breakthrough enables the development of quantum sensors and technological applications at room temperature.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Physics·DateAug 6, 2025

Do you want to freeze a cloud? Desert dust might help

Researchers at ETH Zurich found that mineral dust particles can trigger freezing of cloud droplets, particularly important in northern regions where clouds form below freezing temperatures. This process affects sunlight reflection and precipitation generation, with major implications for climate models.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalScience·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 31, 2025

A fully liquid Earth’s core also generates a magnetic field

A team of geophysicists from ETH Zurich and SUSTech, China, used computer models to simulate whether a completely liquid core could generate a stable magnetic field. Their simulations showed that the Earth's magnetic field was generated in the early history of the Earth in a similar way to today.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 30, 2025

On track to produce better lab-grown burgers

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a method to produce lab-grown beef with thick, functional muscle tissue that closely resembles natural bovine muscle. The breakthrough could accelerate developments in lab-grown meat production, making it more affordable and climate-friendly.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalAdvanced Science·DateJul 29, 2025

What makes debris flows dangerous

Debris flows in the Alps are hazardous due to surge waves that can destroy everything in their path. Researchers have found that surges arise spontaneously on the surface of the flow, stemming from small irregularities that grow over time.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalCommunications Earth & Environment·DateJul 16, 2025

A map for single-atom catalysts

Scientists have developed a method to study the atomic environments of single platinum atoms in solid supports, revealing diverse spatial orientations that influence catalytic action. This breakthrough enables optimization of production protocols and intellectual property protection.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·DateJul 2, 2025

Elaborate search for a new force

Researchers at ETH Zurich and international teams use precision atomic spectroscopy to detect a hypothetical force in atoms. The team measured energy shifts in isotopes with high accuracy, setting bounds on the mass and charge of the new particle.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJun 30, 2025

How urea forms spontaneously

A team led by Ruth Signorell at ETH Zurich has found a previously unknown reaction pathway for urea formation on water surfaces under ambient conditions. This spontaneous reaction could have occurred on prebiotic Earth and provides insights into the origin of life.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalScience·DateJun 27, 2025

A building material that lives and stores carbon

Researchers at ETH Zurich have created a living material that can absorb CO2 from the air through photosynthesis and store it in a stable mineral form. The material, made with cyanobacteria, can be shaped using 3D printing and requires sunlight, water, and nutrients to grow.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 20, 2025

Better images for humans and computers

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a novel solution for image sensors, utilizing lead halide perovskite to capture every photon of light. This allows for improved color recognition and higher resolution, as well as advantages in hyperspectral imaging.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 18, 2025

How trace elements are recycled in the deep sea

Researchers discovered that a substantial proportion of metals are removed from seawater solution by solid manganese-oxide particles. Chemical reactions in sediment release metals back into solution, which then mix back up through the ocean. This process changes how we view ocean chemistry and its impact on climate.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·DateJun 11, 2025

Why seismic waves spontaneously race inside the earth

Researchers discovered that solid rock flows horizontally in the lower edge of the Earth's mantle, accelerating seismic waves. This finding solves the mystery of the D" layer and opens a window into the dynamics of the Earth's deepest interior.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalCommunications Earth & Environment·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 5, 2025

Ultra-thin lenses that make infrared light visible

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new method for fabricating ultra-thin metalenses using lithium niobate nanostructures. These devices can convert infrared light to visible radiation, enabling new applications in security, microscopy, and electronics.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 2, 2025

Save twice the ice by limiting global warming

A new study finds that limiting global warming to 1.5°C could save twice as much glacier ice as current policies, which project an average of +2.7°C. This would mitigate 10cm of sea-level rise and preserve up to 39% of global glacier mass.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalScience·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 29, 2025