August 2016

Over the past decades, the northward drift of sea ice surrounding Antarctica has strengthened. This not only has increased the extent of the sea ice, but also has freshened the sea water around the sea-ice edge — with as yet indeterminate consequences for the global climate system and Antarctica’s ecosystem.

In a comment on ETH News, ETH President Lino Guzzella is strongly disapproving the attack on a plant breeding congress.

ETH’s sixth annual togETHer staff party was held on Friday, 26^th August. It was also a very special occasion for Lorenz Hurni, Professor of Cartography, who was presented with the Golden Tricycle award in recognition of his skill in fostering an optimum balance between work and family life. Arik Jung, President of the Academic Association of Scientific Staff at the ETH Zurich (AVETH), presented him with the award.

Electronic components have become faster and faster over the years, thus making powerful computers and other technologies possible. Researchers at ETH Zurich have now investigated how fast electrons can ultimately be controlled with electric fields. Their insights are of importance for the petahertz electronics of the future.

Many people see privately funded research as a threat to academic independence, but this is an incomplete view. Experts with close connections to politics and business are a logical consequence of a knowledge-based society. It is time for a fundamental debate on responsible research partnerships.

Riding the Polybahn from Central up to ETH Zurich with Elgar Fleisch: the Professor of Information Management at ETH Zurich tells us in a new Polybahn Pitch how the Internet of Things allows the development of better therapies for chronically ill people. 

ETH researchers have synthesised fatty acids in the laboratory that result from oxidative stress in the body. The laboratory variants turned out to be more potent anti-inflammatories than the natural ones, and have now been patented.

They have big ambitions: nine students from ETH Zurich and ZHdK are preparing to take on developers from renowned manufacturers and universities from around the world with their "Scewo" wheelchair at the Cybathlon.

An ETH spin-off, xorlab, has ambitious plans: it has developed a unique IT security solution that provides more effective protection against hacker attacks. Now the product is about to undergo crucial trials in a real business environment.

The deuteron — one of the simplest atomic nuclei, consisting of just one proton and one neutron — is considerably smaller than previously thought. This finding was arrived at by an international research group.