News
News stories from research and education at the Department of Earth Sciences at ETH Zurich.
Landscape evolution makes Madagascar a hotspot for plant species diversity
The famous biodiversity of the island of Madagascar owes much of its richness to geologic processes according to a new multidisciplinary study published in the journal Science.
Looking deep into rocks and distant planets: geobiological research in the BedrettoLab
Cara Magnabosco and her team study subsurface environments at BedrettoLab, focusing on simple life-forms like bacteria surviving by "breathing rocks". They explore conditions for life emergence and survival, discovering rare microorganisms and conducting experiments to understand their lifestyle.
15 years of focusTerra
focusTerra is celebrating its 15th anniversary in April 2024. This anniversary will be recognised on International Museum Day, which will take place at focusTerra on Sunday, 26 May 2024.
LunarLeaper - a big leap for human mankind
Anna Mittelholz and Simon Stähler from the Department of Earth Sciences, together with Hendrik Kolvenbach from D-MAVT, are leading an international team that is proposing a cost-effective method for exploring lava tubes on the Moon.
Unveiling the origin of Earth's richest cobalt resource: insights from the unique Bou Azzer orebody
ETH earth scientists have developed a new method for determining the age of cobalt mineralisation.
Detecting storms thanks to GPS
Researchers at ETH Zurich have succeeded in detecting heavy precipitation events directly with GPS data. The results of their study could significantly improve meteorological monitoring and forecasting.
Do we have cosmic dust to thank for life on Earth?
It might be that what set prebiotic chemistry in motion and kept it going in the early days of the Earth was dust from outer space accumulating in holes melted into ice sheets. Researchers at ETH Zurich and the University of Cambridge have used a computer model to test this scenario.
Switzerland needs to do a better job of exploiting its innovation potential
Switzerland offers tremendous opportunities for technological and entrepreneurial innovation. Thomas Zurbuchen asks, “How can we generate the momentum needed to maintain an edge in the face of international competition – especially when times get tough?”
Why olivine and diamonds are best friends
Hardly any gemstone is more difficult to find than diamonds. Geologists from ETH Zurich and the University of Melbourne have now established a link between their occurrence and the mineral olivine. This could make the search for diamonds easier in the future.
New Master’s in Space Systems to be launched in September
A new Master’s degree programme in Space Systems will be launched at ETH Zurich in autumn 2024. Interested parties can start applying in April.
Sound-powered sensors stand to save millions of batteries
Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a sensor that utilises energy from sound waves to control electronic devices. This could one day save millions of batteries.
Green Light for LISA
The European Space Agency’s most expensive and complex mission, the LISA space antenna, has reached a major milestone: it has passed the stage of intensive testing by experts in the Mission Adoption Review process - a significant step for the LISA consortium.
The rocky road to the beginning
Craig Walton is the first NOMIS Fellow at the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life at ETH Zurich. With an unconventional idea, he wants to find out the conditions under which life originated on Earth.
What should be done with all the carbon dioxide?
Capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and storing it either in recycled concrete aggregate or in geological reservoirs in Iceland is not only technically feasible, but also has a positive carbon footprint. These are the findings of a pilot project lead by ETH Zurich and commissioned by the Swiss confederation.
Modern adventurer
Whether on research vessels or testing her limits as an analog astronaut and pilot, alumna Sandra Herrmann has an irrepressible appetite for adventure, fuelled in part by her experiences at ETH Zurich.
Pesticide-free as a new pathway for agriculture
We can transition to pesticide-free agriculture without converting to organic farming. Robert Finger outlines the advantages and challenges involved.
Recycling plastic is not a quick fix
Recycling is an accepted formula for sustainable resource use, but in the case of plastic it can have serious side effects, says Helene Wiesinger – and uses the example of plastic flooring in Switzerland to illustrate the dilemma.