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The citizens of Lausanne may provide some insight into the causes of obesity. The extra weight carried by people living in the working-class neighborhoods of the western side of the city defies the usual explanations, and urbanism may have something to do with it. We are not all equal when it comes to obesity.

21. EPFL scientists have found that chronic inflammation can cause regenerating cells to grow into new, aberrant types; this is called metaplasia, and is a disorder linked to prolonged inflammation. The study highlights a new concept of chronic inflammation and could lead to better treatments. Chronic inflammation turns the immune system on for prolonged periods of time.

18. EPFL scientists have discovered a new topological insulator that could be used in future electronic technologies. Topological insulators are recently discovered materials that differ from the familiar insulators and semiconductors in many ways. While topological insulators are fascinating for fundamental physics, they could one day enable electricity with less energy loss, spintronics, and perhaps even quantum computing.

15. Scientists at EPFL identify the biological pathway behind the growth of colon cancer, and block it with vitamin A. A leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, colon cancer is famously resistant to treatment. There are many reasons for this, but one has to do with a group of persisting cancer cells in the colon that cause relapses.

14. SThAR, an EPFL spin-off, draws on large quantities of tele data to identify where and when to deliver a message most effectively.

11. Upward lightning strikes initiate on the ground and head skyward. These discharges, which usually begin at the top of tall and slender structures, pose a real risk for wind turbines.

EPFL spin-off Nanolive has launched the 3D Cell Explorer, a microscope for observing living cells in 3D.

Statistics show that urbanites travel thousands of miles during their leisure time. Is it an urgent need for greenery?

Technis, an EPFL start-up, is bringing augmented reality to the tennis court. Their newly developed technology could be used for other sports in the future.

ROVéo is a robot whose unique four-wheel design allows it to climb over obstacles up to two-thirds its height.

30. Neuroscientists at EPFL identify a brain region that links anxious temperament to low social status. The researchers were able to tweak social hierarchy in animals by using vitamin B3. There are important differences in how individuals approach life. While some people are relaxed and calm, others often see situations as threatening, making them worried and tense.

26. For the first time, researchers at EPFL and the WSL investigate how the fate of tiny algae-harboring amoebas that live in peatlands could reinforce global warming. The world's peatlands store tremendous amounts of carbon - up to 20 years' worth of human and natural emissions. While today they sequester more carbon than they release, research suggests that in a warmer world, they could decompose more quickly, reinforcing the vicious cycle of global warming by releasing additional CO2 into the atmosphere.

24. Researchers from EPFL and UNIL have used flies to show how behaviors may be shaped by seemingly random brain activity. This study raises new questions about the role of neural noise in moment-to-moment decisions. What processes lie behind voluntary actions like when to walk or rest? According to a study carried out by EPFL and the University of Lausanne, these choices may be shaped in part by neural fluctuations.

23. Scientists at EPFL show how a light-induced force can amplify the sensitivity and resolution of a technique used to study single molecules. When it comes to studying single molecules, scientists use a powerful technique called "surface-enhanced Raman scattering" (SERS). An extremely sensitive tool, SERS detects the vibrations within the atoms of the illuminated molecule as a change in light color.

Changing flow rates in rivers can be disruptive to bushes and trees that grow on riverbanks. Now, researchers from EPFL have developed a way to predict how fluctuations in the water table impact the roots that nourish them.

17. Scientists from EPFL and Nestlé have developed a new method that can "see" inside dispersed cubosomes (dispersed cubic liquid crystalline phases) with unprecedented detail. The breakthrough can help to improve their design significantly for better drug or nutrient delivery. Cubosomes are small biological "capsules" that can deliver molecules of nutrients or drugs with high efficiency.

11. Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa. While humanitarian projects have successfully brought down the number of victims, researchers are developing a computer model to achieve a more ambitious aim: to completely eliminate the disease from the region.

10. EPFL researchers have come up with a method to determine the exact location of short circuits in a power grid. This is an important step towards operating complex power grid topologies that enable the massive integration of renewable energy resources. When a high-voltage power line is damaged by wind, ice or a tree, electricity utilities must quickly find the fault location and repair it to meet the power quality requirements or avoid cascade blackout.

06. Given the choice between safer and cheaper construction, many housing design companies in earthquake-prone developing countries see themselves forced to save on expensive construction materials and opt for the latter. EPFL structural engineers have gathered new data on how these structures respond to earthquakes, and in which circumstances they may fail.

02. EPFL researchers have come up with an algorithm to analyze Mayan writing. This project could one day contribute to translating this complex and still partially unknown language. While some five million people still speak a language that evolved out of Mayan civilization in South America, the written language has suffered a different fate.