January 2014
Ertr?ge schonend steigern – aber wie?
Zukunftsblog
Landfl?chen werden immer knapper, die B?den vielerorts st?rker belastet, und die Nachfrage nach Nahrungsmitteln steigt angesichts der wachsenden Weltbev?lkerung. Eine ?nachhaltige Intensivierung? der Landwirtschaft k?nnte die Situation entsch?rfen.
Four ETH researchers win award
Press release
Once again, ETH researchers benefit from European Research Council (ERC) grants: four researchers from ETH Zurich receive an ERC Consolidator Grant – a total of almost CHF 9 million – for their projects.
Sponge bacteria as chemical factory
News
A new, unknown strain of bacteria produces most of the bioactive substances that the stony sponge Theonella swinhoei exudes. An international research team led by ETH professor J?rn Piel describes these natural products, the associated genes and strain of bacteria in a publication in Nature.
Enhanced antibiotics
News
An international research team led by scientists at the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich has succeeded in improving a class of early-generation antibiotics: they have been able to suppress their once serious side effects.
Simulations for sustainable cities
Zukunftsblog
‘Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen, have we got something to show you! Prepare to be impressed!’ With a nice touch of showmanship, Ian Smith, Principal Investigator at the Future Cities Lab (FCL), was presenting the Simulation Platform Research Module. For me, it was one of my first real experiences of FCL.
Continents set the pace
News
The origin and stimulus behind plate tectonics has been simulated with the aid of high-performance computers. A new study sheds light on the role continents play in the formation of oceanic crust.
The app of the day, keeps the sunburn away
News
The young ETH spin-off Bitsplitters introduces a system that measures UV exposure using a sensor and a smartphone app.
Managing rail disruptions more effectively
News
Commuters know only too well: the congested rail network is causing more and more incidents and delays. ETH doctoral student Steffen Schranil has developed a method that allows the duration of disruptions to be predicted early and reliably.
Engineers with a profile
News
Gaining experience living abroad, completing a traineeship at an international company and receiving personal coaching: every one of these elements is already exciting in itself; the Unitech programme offers the whole lot.
Mitochondrial ribosome revealed
News
Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich have deciphered the structure of part of the ribosome found in mitochondria, the power plants of the cell. The scientists were able to benefit from advancements in the field of electron microscopy and capture images of the mitochondrial ribosome at a level of resolution never achieved before.