ETH Zurich

The gold nugget obtained from computer motherboards in three parts. The largest of these parts is around five millimeters wide. Credit: ETH Zurich / Alan KovacevicTransforming base materials into gold was one of the elusive goals of the alchemists of yore. Now Professor Raffaele Mezzenga from the Department of Health Sciences and Technology at ETH Zurich has accomplished a modern parallel to this quest. While he hasn’t changed one chemical element into gold as alchemists dreamed, he has successfully extracted gold from…

Restoring natural sensory feedback results in functional and cognitive benefits for leg prosthesis users. Credit: Pietro ComaschiA few years ago, a team of researchers working under Professor Stanisa Raspopovic at the ETH Zurich Neuroengineering Lab gained worldwide attention when they announced that their prosthetic legs had enabled amputees to feel sensations from this artificial body part for the first time. Unlike commercial leg prostheses, which simply provide amputees with stability and support, the ETH researchers’…

A global crisis is unfolding as countries, including the U.S., excessively pump groundwater, threatening future water security. Research by ETH Zurich and UCSB reveals a sharp decline in groundwater levels exacerbated by agriculture, climate change, and population growth. Despite some successful recovery efforts, urgent global action is needed to address this unsustainable usage and prevent long-term environmental impacts. Credit: SciTechDaily.comAt the beginning of November, The New York Times ran the headline, “America…

A new mechanical sensor developed by a team led by Marc Serra-Garcia and Johan Robertsson harnesses sound vibrations to power itself, eliminating the need for batteries. This versatile and eco-friendly sensor, made of silicone, can recognize specific sounds for applications in infrastructure, medical devices, and industry. Above is a prototype of the sound sensor. Credit: Astrid Robertsson / ETH ZurichSensors used in monitoring infrastructure like bridges and buildings, or in medical devices like prostheses for the…

Researchers have created an AI model to predict the best methods for synthesizing drug molecules, significantly improving efficiency and sustainability in pharmaceutical development.Researchers have created an artificial intelligence system capable of predicting where a drug molecule can be chemically altered.A collaborative team from LMU, ETH Zurich, and Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED) in Basel has employed artificial intelligence (AI) to devise a novel technique for predicting the optimal method for…

In the new process, air is channeled through a liquid to capture CO2. If the liquid is irradiated with light, the greenhouse gas is released again and can be collected. Credit:ETH ZurichTo mitigate global warming, significant cuts in greenhouse gas emissions are essential. This includes phasing out fossil fuels and embracing energy-efficient technologies.However, simply cutting emissions is insufficient to achieve climate goals. It’s also critical to remove substantial amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere, storing it…

In the BLG double quantum dot used in this work, electrons (the blue spheres) have both an intrinsic angular momentum (spin, given by the arrows through the spheres) and a pseudo-​spin (valley, given by the rings rotating in opposite directions). Credit: ETH Zurich/Chuyao Tong Researchers in the Laboratory for Solid State Physics at ETH Zurich found evidence that bilayer graphene quantum dots may host a promising new type of quantum bit based on so-​called valley states.In quantum computing, the question as to what…

Scientists have unveiled new insights into halide perovskites’ optical properties, finding that photo-excited electrons increase crystal symmetry. This discovery could lead to advances in technologies like high-quality TV screens and more efficient solar cells.Many scientific and technical challenges could be effortlessly addressed if we had the capability to observe the movements of atoms and electrons within materials in real-time. For halide perovskites, a group of minerals increasingly used in a variety of…

New research explores how amyloids, capable of forming under early Earth conditions and binding with RNA and DNA, may have played a key role in life’s emergence by increasing molecular stability and encouraging cooperation over competition.The question of how living organisms emerged from non-living matter remains one of the most profound mysteries in science. Despite numerous theories, a conclusive explanation remains elusive. This is hardly unexpected, considering these events occurred three to four billion years ago,…

A groundbreaking study has enabled the use of ultrasound-guided microbubbles to navigate through blood vessels in the brain. This method promises a more targeted and less invasive approach for treating brain-related conditions, including tumors and psychological disorders, with potential to reduce side effects of medications. Credit: SciTechDaily.com ETH Zurich researchers have shown for the first time that microvehicles can be steered through blood vessels in the brains of mice using ultrasound. They hope that this will…