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ETH Zurich


Sanitary towels morph into test strips

MenstruAI analyzes menstrual blood to detect disease biomarkers, offering an early warning system for women's health. The technology uses a paper-based test strip and smartphone app to analyze protein concentrations.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalAdvanced Science·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 27, 2025

Using sound waves to create a smart T-shirt

The ETH Zurich researchers have developed SonoTextiles, a novel technology that uses acoustic waves to measure touch, pressure, and movement in fabrics. This allows for accurate health monitoring, such as tracking breathing patterns, with minimal power consumption and high precision.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Electronics·DateMay 19, 2025

AI provides reliable answers with less computational overhead

Researchers at ETH Zurich developed a method to specifically reduce uncertainty in AI responses by enriching general language models with additional data from relevant subject areas. The SIFT algorithm uses relationship vectors to identify closely related information, resulting in more reliable answers and reduced computational overhead.

SourceETH Zurich·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 24, 2025

Rolling particles make suspensions more fluid

Researchers at ETH Zurich developed a method to measure frictional forces between single particles in suspensions. By understanding these microscopic interactions, they can optimize suspension flow characteristics and prevent dramatic thickening.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 10, 2025

How human cells repair damaged DNA

Researchers have discovered new interactions and identified potential targets for cancer therapy by analyzing the effects of inactivating DNA repair genes. By comprehensively studying the interactions between more than 500 crucial genes, the team gained important new insights into how cells maintain genome integrity.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateApr 9, 2025

New vaccine concept tackles harmful bacteria in the intestine

Researchers have developed an effective approach to tackle intestinal pathogens by administering oral vaccinations combined with harmless bacteria that starve out pathogenic microbes. This method has shown promising results in preventing colonization with salmonella and effectively tackling established E. coli bacteria.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 3, 2025

AI in a mini-lab or putting precision to the test

Juan Gamella's mini-labs provide a flexible test environment for new AI algorithms, allowing researchers to test their performance beyond simulated data. The mini-labs help identify issues early on, enabling targeted improvements to underlying mathematical assumptions and algorithms.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Machine Intelligence·DateMar 28, 2025

Were large soda lakes the cradle of life?

Phosphorus is essential for life, but it's rare at Earth's surface. Large soda lakes can maintain high phosphorus concentrations through constant inflow and minimal evaporation. This creates an ideal environment for prebiotic chemistry, making these lakes a potential cradle of life.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalScience Advances·DateMar 25, 2025

Could the layout of trees impact human health?

Researchers found that large, contiguous areas of well-networked tree canopies lower mortality risk in densely developed cities. Compact, geometrically simple areas of tree canopy also show a positive effect on health. The study suggests that connecting isolated green spaces and promoting biodiversity can support human health.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalThe Lancet Planetary Health·DateMar 20, 2025

Tiny component for record-breaking bandwidth

Researchers from ETH Zurich have developed a tiny plasmonic modulator that can transmit data with frequencies over a trillion oscillations per second, breaking previous records. The new modulator can be used for various applications, including high-performance computing and measurement technology.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalOptica·DateMar 20, 2025

Tiny component for record-breaking bandwidth

Researchers from ETH Zurich have developed a tiny plasmonic modulator that can transmit data at frequencies over a trillion oscillations per second. This breakthrough device reduces energy consumption and increases measurement accuracy, enabling efficient optical fibre technology for 6G mobile communications.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalOptica·DateMar 13, 2025

Elementary-particle detectors, 3D printed

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a fully additive-manufactured plastic scintillator detector for elementary particles, showcasing a significant step towards time- and cost-effective ways to build large-scale particle detectors. The detector's three-dimensional particle tracks enable more accurate neutrino tracking and analysis.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalCommunications Engineering·DateMar 11, 2025

Crystal lattice at a distance

Physicists use a new method to create an artificial crystal lattice by applying an electric voltage, allowing them to study the behavior of electrons in semiconductor materials. The technique enables insights into strong interactions and their effects on material properties.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalPhysical Review·DateMar 7, 2025

The pupil as a window to the sleeping brain

Researchers at ETH Zurich discovered that pupil dynamics is related to specific patterns of brain activity and arousal levels, contradicting previous assumptions about low arousal during sleep. The study uses pupil measurements to monitor brain activity in humans for the first time.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Communications·DateMar 5, 2025

Precision therapy with microbubbles

A team of ETH Zurich researchers has demonstrated how microbubbles create tiny pores in the cell membrane, allowing drugs to pass through and potentially treating brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The breakthrough was achieved using a high-speed camera and specialized microscope.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Physics·DateFeb 21, 2025

A new switch for the cell therapies of the future

Researchers have developed a new gene switch that uses nitroglycerine to trigger the production of insulin and regulate blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. This switch is made exclusively of human constituents, eliminating the risk of false triggering or immune reactions.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Biomedical Engineering·DateFeb 14, 2025

Ice streams move due to tiny ice quakes

Researchers at ETH Zurich discovered tiny ice quakes deep inside ice streams, explaining the discrepancy between simulations and satellite measurements. The findings impact sea-level rise estimates and may reveal fault planes in ice cores, providing a better understanding of ice stream deformation.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalScience·DateFeb 6, 2025

Obese and healthy

A comprehensive study has provided a detailed atlas of gene activity in adipose tissue from healthy and unhealthy overweight people. The researchers found significant functional changes in cells in the visceral adipose tissue of people with metabolic diseases, including altered fat burning and immune responses. The study's findings cou...

SourceETH Zurich·JournalCell Metabolism·DateFeb 5, 2025

Interpreting traces of arsenic in rain

The study found that clouds contain significantly more arsenic on average than rainwater, and biological processes play a key role in the global distribution of arsenic. The researchers also detected various types of arsenic compounds in rainwater samples, including methylated forms formed by bacteria and plants.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Communications·DateJan 9, 2025

Sunken worlds under the Pacific?

Researchers have discovered unexpected zones in Earth's mantle beneath large oceans and continents, contradicting current plate tectonic theories. The new high-resolution model uses full-waveform inversion to reveal anomalies that may indicate ancient or iron-rich material.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalScientific Reports·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 7, 2025

Delivering medicines with microscopic flowers

Scientists have created a new class of microscopic flower particles that can guide medicines to specific locations in the body and be easily tracked using ultrasound. The particles' unique shape and structure allow them to absorb large amounts of active substance molecules, making them an effective carrier for targeted medication deliv...

SourceETH Zurich·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeImaging analysis·DateDec 10, 2024

Cause of the yo-yo effect deciphered

A study by ETH Zurich researchers has found that epigenetic markers in fat cells can lead to the yo-yo effect, where weight drops but returns. The researchers also found evidence of this mechanism in humans, suggesting that obesity can leave a lasting mark on gene expression.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 18, 2024

Catching prey with grappling hooks and cannons

Researchers at ETH Zurich have discovered a new predatory bacterium, Aureispira, that uses grappling hooks and cannons to capture prey. The bacterium's molecular structures resemble those of pirate tools, allowing it to entangle and kill its victims quickly.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalScience·DateOct 17, 2024

Record-breaking laser pulses

Researchers at ETH Zurich have set a new record for the strongest laser pulses, surpassing previous records by over 50%, using a special arrangement of mirrors and a semiconductor mirror. The pulses can be used to create high harmonic frequencies up to X-rays, enabling fast processes in the attosecond range.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalOptica·DateOct 11, 2024

A stiff material that stops vibrations and noise

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a material that combines stiffness and damping properties, making it suitable for various applications. The new composite material features layers of stiff materials connected by ultra-thin rubber-like layers, resulting in excellent vibration-damping performance.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalComposites Part B Engineering·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 10, 2024

How a bacterium becomes a permanent resident in a fungus

A team of researchers led by Julia Vorholt at ETH Zurich initiated laboratory partnerships between bacteria and fungi to study the beginnings of an endosymbiotic relationship. They found that when certain bacteria are passed on to the next generation of fungi through spores, the fungus adapts and becomes more inhabited.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·DateOct 2, 2024

Antidepressant shows promise for treating brain tumors

Researchers at ETH Zurich have found an antidepressant, vortioxetine, effective against glioblastomas, a particularly aggressive brain tumor with no cure. The drug's ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and trigger a signalling cascade makes it promising for treating this deadly tumour.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Medicine·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 20, 2024

How Ukraine can rebuild its energy system

Researchers have identified Ukraine's renewable potential as exceeding the generation capacity destroyed during the war. The study recommends developing a distributed power supply system and investing in solar and wind energy, particularly in the south and east of the country.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalJoule·DateSep 18, 2024

New method in the fight against forever chemicals

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new method to degrade perfluorooctane sulfonates (PFOS), a subgroup of forever chemicals. Using piezocatalysis, the team was able to break down 90.5% of PFOS molecules in water samples, offering a potential solution to environmental pollution.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalSmall Science·DateSep 13, 2024

One-way street for sound waves

A team of researchers at ETH Zurich created a method to suppress sound wave propagation in the backward direction without deteriorating forward propagation. They achieved this using self-oscillations and a circulator, which allows sound waves to travel only one way.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Communications·DateSep 6, 2024

Flexible tentacle electrodes precisely record brain activity

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed ultra-flexible tentacle electrodes that can precisely record brain activity over extended periods, enabling detailed analysis of neural activity. The technology has the potential to diagnose and treat neurological disorders such as epilepsy, depression, and schizophrenia.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Communications·DateSep 4, 2024

Chemical plastics recycling is ready to go

Scientists at ETH Zurich have developed a new method for chemical plastics recycling that breaks down long-chain polymer molecules into monomers, creating high-quality plastics. The approach involves adding a powdered catalyst to molten plastic and stirring it with an impeller, resulting in improved mixing and fewer byproducts.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Chemical Engineering·DateAug 28, 2024

Operating from 9,300km away

A team at ETH Zurich successfully conducted the first remote-controlled magnetic endoscopy procedure across a 9,300km distance. The procedure allowed for precise navigation and manipulation of a probe in a live pig's stomach via a joystick controlled by an operator in Zurich.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalAdvanced Intelligent Systems·DateAug 26, 2024

Separating the physical and psychosocial causes of pain

Researchers developed an approach to clearly separate physical and psychosocial components of pain, allowing for more targeted treatment. The new method combines measuring body signals, self-disclosure, and computerized evaluation to create two indices: one for physical component and one for psychosocial component.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalMed·DateAug 21, 2024