science wire

EPFL and CSEM researchers have achieved a record 30% efficiency for triple-junction solar cells, which combine two thin-film perovskite cells and one silicon cell on a single device. The milestone could advance affordable next-generation solar technologies for space and terrestrial applications. Researchers from the Photovoltaics and Thin-Film Electronics Laboratory ( PV-Lab ) in EPFL's School of Engineering and CSEM have developed a new solar cell that combines exceptional voltage, high efficiency, and scalable manufacturing.

Quantum computing could be one of the big technological revolutions of the coming decades. EPFL is working on making it accessible and useful for addressing pressing global issues.

Under the EPFL-led ADOPT project, researchers are combining AI satellite-image recognition with drift prediction models to improve the collection of plastic debris in the ocean. The technology has passed the proof-of-concept stage and is ready for field testing. Being able to identify and track floating masses of debris is critical to ocean clean-up efforts.

This week, EPFL is hosting Sustainability Week, with a public open house on Saturday, March 7. How EPFL has halved its volume of incinerable waste over the past ten years? We spoke with two of the people who are helping to change our habits - and our campuses - one bin at a time.

Plant-based alternatives are promising, but none will be effective unless we also rethink our production methods in a way that supports a sustainable transition - and the costs that come with it.

The presence of dogs changes the gas, particle and microbial composition of the surrounding air. This impact has now been quantified, thanks to a recent study led by researchers from EPFL. Unseen but all'around us, the air we breathe in enclosed spaces is crucial to our health and well-being. Indoor air is not simply outdoor air that has been run through a filter: it has its own chemical makeup and a unique combination of particles, gases and microorganisms.

A team of researchers has developed an AI algorithm that can model complex dynamical processes while taking into account the laws of physics - using with Newton's third law. Artificial intelligence has enabled major breakthroughs in several fields, but the models still struggle to obbey the fundamental laws of physics.

Plastic recycling is entering a new era, thanks to smart sorting systems and chemical processes that break the material down into its constituent monomers. Research and innovation are giving rise to new approaches for a bolder, more sustainable circular economy. Despite heightened awareness about the damaging impacts of plastic and the growing number of sustainable alternatives to it, change is disappointingly slow.

A new study sheds light on a previously overlooked mechanism of soil erosion that occurs just after raindrops hit the ground. The research was conducted in part by Bertil Trottet, an EPFL physicist who also runs a family tree farm in Féchy. What does the study of the physics of particle entrainment have to do with apple-growing along the coast of Lake Geneva? The answer lies in the parallel activities carried out by Bertil Trottet.

The demolition part of the Double Deck project began in July 2025 and was completed in the fall. It was a complex phase of work that presented some unique technical - and organizational - challenges.

EPFL professor Robert West and invited professor Ágnes Horvát discuss how the rise of AI is transforming the dissemination and production of scientific knowledge.

Protonica, an EPFL and CSEM spin-off has developed a new imaging and detection technology that aims to make proton therapy - a highly precise form of cancer treatment - quicker, more effective and, ultimately, cheaper.

Plastic pollution is everywhere - including where you would least expect it, especially when it's in tiny particle form. Today, scientists are working to measure the consequences of this contamination. There's the pollution you can see - on the beach, on the roadside and in open-air landfills. And then there's the pollution you can't - on the peak of Mount Everest, deep inside the Mariana Trench, in clouds, in buildings, and in our water supply, food, blood and brain.

Plastic is everywhere in modern society. While it has paved the way for enormous progress, the pollution it leaves behind is now creating major challenges.

What made EPFL shine over the past year? Its around 18,000 students and staff members. And what the media and internet users reported.

A team of scientists tested the reproducibility of five decades of research on fly immunity. Most of those research results proved to be valid, but the team made one surprising discovery: the non-reproducible results were most often found in highly prestigious journals. These are tough times for reproducibility.

Scientists have integrated discarded crustacean shells into robotic devices, leveraging the strength and flexibility of natural materials for robotic applications.

By transforming a kitchen into a fully instrumented research environment, a team led by EPFL neuroscientist Alexander Mathis opens a new window onto the fine-grained mechanics of human movement.

Over 700 volunteers took part in the Lémanscope citizen-science initiative, taking upwards of 3,400 measurements on Lake Geneva. This high turnout was a welcome surprise for We spoke with Natacha Pasche, the scientist behind the initiative, which will come to a close in February, 2026.

Researchers have engineered a fiber-based electronic sensor that remains functional even when stretched to over 10 times its original length. The device holds promise for smart textiles, physical rehabilitation devices, and soft robotics. The phrase 'liquid metal' may bring to mind something hazardous, like mercury or molten steel.

Scientists have found that changing the "packaging" of DNA in neurons can turn memories on or off in mice. Our experiences leave traces in the brain, stored in small groups of cells called "engrams". Engrams are thought to hold the information of a memory and are reactivated when we remember, which makes them very interesting to research on memory and ageor trauma-related memory loss.

In the largest computer systems project ever undertaken at EPFL, an international team of researchers has come up with a new way of building computers to help tackle the increasing challenges faced by data centers.

Researchers have demonstrated the first pill-sized bioprinter that can be swallowed and guided within the gastrointestinal tract, where it directly deposits bio-ink over damaged tissues to support repair. Soft tissue injuries of the gastrointestinal tract, like ulcers or hemorrhages, can currently be treated only with some form of surgery, which is invasive and may not result in permanent repair.

Several commercially viable technologies use quantum science for practical applications in health care, environmental monitoring, navigation, communications and particle physics.

An EPFL engineer has illustrated some of the complex ways in which climate change will affect hydropower facilities, taking the Gries dam in Valais Canton as a case study.

Quantum computing could revolutionize information technology by harnessing the strange principles of quantum mechanics.

EPFL Center for Digital Trust report pleads for a coordinated strategy that meaningfully operationalizes the benefits and responsible secondary use of health data in Switzerland.

From your wrist to orbiting the Sun, compliant mechanisms are designed to live for many decades without maintenance.

An EPFL PhD candidate in mechanical engineering has developed a clever device that significantly dampens the flow-induced vibration caused by rotating parts, such as those in boat propellers, turbines and hydraulic pumps.

Most patients with a spinal cord injury suffer from debilitating pressure drops or dangerous pressure peaks.

An EPFL study measured the carbon footprint of 20'000 residential buildings in Vaud Canton. The authors' findings show that a targeted approach will be key to lowering the emissions associated with residential real estate.