news

Launched more than five years ago, the small Swiss satellite designed by EPFL and several other Universities of Applied Sciences, will soon have orbited the Earth 30'000 times.

How does stress affect our self-confidence when we compete? An EPFL study shows how stress could actually be both a consequence and a cause of social and economic inequality, affecting our ability to compete and make financial decisions. Stress is a staple of our lives today, and we know intuitively that it can influence our confidence in competing with others.

Scientists at EPFL have developed a new lab-on-a-chip technique to analyze single cells from entire population. The new method, which uses beads and microfluidics can change the way we study mixed populations of cells, such as those of tumors. Individual cells in a population, e.g. a tumor, can vary greatly in terms of biochemistry and function.

Powering coral reefs: Scientists have revealed how coral-dwelling microalgae harvest nutrients from the surrounding seawater and shuttle them out to their coral hosts, sustaining a fragile ecosystem that is under threat. Coral reefs are the jungles of the oceans, home to some of the planet's most fertile fishing grounds, and hotspots of global tourism.

Ski resorts and researchers could potentially rely on statistics to evaluate the long-term avalanche activity on their slopes with a simple webcam, a weather station, and several years' worth of observations. Researchers from EPFL have validated a statistical avalanche model that translates observations into an assessment of the link between snowfall and avalanches.

Using natural gas for car fuel is a challenge, requiring massive research efforts to find materials that can efficiently store it. However, a Swiss-US study concludes that the best materials have not only been already discovered, but can only meet up to 70% of energy targets set by governments. Because of its low energy density, natural gas has to be compressed or liquefied, which makes it difficult to integrate into vehicles.

Multitasking circuits capable of reconfiguring themselves in real time and switching functions as the need arises - this is the promising application stemming from a discovery made at EPFL and published. Other potential uses: miniaturising our electronic devices and developing resilient circuits. Will it be possible one day to reconfigure electronic microchips however we want, even when they are in use? A recent discovery by a team at EPFL suggests as much.

"Living-dead" bacteria exist in limbo: biologically active but not proliferating. Buried in this zombie state, disease-causing bacteria could come back from the dead to re-infect patients. Researchers at EPFL have produced the first evidence of this strange phenomenon in tuberculosis, suggesting new avenues for treatment.

To overcome the problem of interference between wireless networks, a researcher has developed an algorithm that automatically selects the best frequency band according to the usage of neighboring networks.

Scientists have used a cutting-edge method to stimulate neurons with light. They have successfully recorded synaptic transmission between neurons in a live animal for the first time. Neurons, the cells of the nervous system, communicate by transmitting chemical signals to each other through junctions called synapses.

Could graphene turn light to electricity? Scientists have shown that graphene can convert a single photon into multiple electrons, showing much promise for future photovoltaic devices. Graphene is a material that has gathered tremendous popularity in recent years, due to its extraordinary strength and light weight.

EPFL scientists have developed an extremely sensitive device that can detect life forms by sensing the slightest motion. The chemistry-free system can be used to rapidly test antibiotics or even to search for life on other planets. Looking for life on other planets is not straightforward. It usually relies on chemical detection, which might be limited or even completely irrelevant to alien biology.

Sscientists have uncovered the unconventional way that the cholera bacterium stabs and kills other bacteria to steal their DNA, making it potentially more virulent. Cholera is caused when the bacterium Vibrio cholerae infects the small intestine. The disease is characterized by acute watery diarrhea resulting in severe dehydration.

How do fireflies produce those mesmerizing light flashes? Using cuttingedge imaging techniques, scientists from Switzerland and Taiwan have unraveled the firefly's intricate light-producing system for the first time. Fireflies used rapid light flashes to communicate. This "bioluminescence" is an intriguing phenomenon that has many potential applications, from drug testing and monitoring water contamination, and even lighting up streets using glow-in-dark trees and plants.

Two EPFL scientists have shown how to achieve a dramatic increase in the capacity of optical fibers.

Next-generation drugs designed to fight Alzheimer's disease look very promising. Scientists have unveiled the mechanisms behind two classes of compound currently being tested in clinical trials. They have also identified a likely cause of early-onset hereditary forms of the disease. The future is looking good for drugs designed to combat Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers have elucidated a century-old mystery: how hydrogen destroys steels. A new mathematical model predicts this failure in the presence of the destructive atoms. A veritable gangrene for steels and other structural metals, hydrogen is one of the most important causes of ruptures in industrial parts, such as pipelines.

One year after the MIR submersibles dove into the depths of Lake Geneva, the elemo program is delivering its first scientific results. The operation will be extended with a campaign to make observations above the lake surface from a sensor-packed ultralight aircraft. The same experiments are planned above Lake Baikal in Russia.

A virtual character produces the same facial expressions as its user. It makes a video game, chat, or an animated film both fun and fast.

For those familiar with its language, the face reflects much about an individual's identity and emotional state. Scientists are developing a tool that will be able to use facial information to make the cars of the future safer and more comfortable. Today's "intelligent" cars, equipped with multiple sensors and algorithms, can react to emergency situations, regulate speed, assist with parking and respond to voice commands.