science wire

Is natural always good and artificial always bad? We talked to psychologist Angela Bearth and biotechnologist Sven Panke about science, scepticism, misunderstandings and how language influences the way we think.

A cultural landscape reflects the combined activity of nature and humans. Where has the equilibrium of this union been lost? And how can we restore the balance? Putting on the VR headset, Maya finds herself immersed in a landscape where a dozen wind turbines are busy generating electricity. Whenever she moves, this immediately triggers sounds linked to the virtual image.

The level of self-sufficiency indicates the extent to which agricultural performance ensures food security.

Using chemical synthesis, Bright Peak Therapeutics can produce proteins that have never before existed.

The benefits of strict climate policies are often underestimated in public debate, while the costs are generally overestimated, says Lucas Bretschger. Climate protection does not have a negative impact on economic development. Climate policies will permanently affect the structures of our economies.

Next week, the first European Girls' Olympiad in Informatics will take place in Zurich. The competition, which will have around 160 participants from 43 countries, is being organised by ETH students, who also came up with the original idea and are the driving force behind the event.

Discrimination and harassment violate scientific integrity - but the damage they do goes beyond that.

ETH spin-off Restor aims to increase the success rate of ecosystem restoration and conservation projects by connecting people with better data and ecological transparency.

Using large-scale mobility data from diverse cities around the globe, researchers from ETH Zurich, MIT and the Santa Fe Institute discover a powerful yet surprisingly simple travel law that governs the number of visitors to any location in a city.

Although measures taken to mitigate the effects of climate change are generally associated with energy levies and high costs, the opposite is actually true: the switch to renewable sources is set to reduce energy prices significantly.

ETH Fellow Rodrigo Arzate-Mejia is studying how traumatic life experiences affect the brain, with a focus on epigenetic changes in brain cells. Neglect, calamitous events or even abuse: traumatic childhood experiences increase the risk of mental and physical illness and can lead to psychiatric disorders later in life.

The 5G wireless standard is a less polarising issue among the Swiss population than thought. According to a survey conducted by ETH researchers, the majority of people are in favour of 5G. However, a substantial portion of the population in the French-speaking region had concerns about electromagnetic radiation.

Extreme weather poses increasing challenges to the agricultural sector. New insurance models based on satellite data may reduce the risk of drought for farmers, writes Robert Finger. Climate change is increasing drought risk to many areas. Droughts already cause massive yield losses on a regular basis, and coping with this risk is becoming increasingly important to farmers.

ETH Fellow Serina Robinson is devoted to microorganisms. She is particularly interested in the enzymes they use to produce and break down chemical substances, as well as the question of how and why they function as they do.

How do you get more people to have vaccinations? Gudela Grote firmly believes that it's worth looking at team dynamics.

The scientific community is taking a clear stand on the CO2 Act. Given their expertise, they are not only permitted, but obliged to do so, asserts Reto Knutti.

The most capable geotechnical research centrifuge in Europe is currently being built on the Hönggerberg campus.

The end of the pandemic is still not in sight, but we have every reason to be hopeful. How has the first year of living with the virus changed ETH? And what will endure after the crisis ends? I only briefly experienced what ETH was like before the pandemic.

An 80-metre-high skyscraper made of wood is soon to be built in Zug. A pioneering project for which basic research is being carried out in the construction hall on the Hönggerberg.

Many cocoa farmers live in poverty - yet the fairly traded chocolate bunny often stays on the shelves.

Microplastic pollution is a serious problem, but blanket bans won't solve the issue, says Denise Mitrano. We should regulate plastics more precisely to create incentives for both innovation and environmental safety. Stark images of plastic floating in urban rivers and washing up on shorelines symbolize the magnitude of mismanaged plastic waste and its impact on the environment.

Evolution never stops - and disruptions can speed up the procees. Now ETH researchers are delving deeper into the secrets of evolutionary change.