June 2015

Dänemark, Spanien und Portugal gelten als Pioniere der erneuerbaren Energie. Sie speisen heute weit mehr Sonnen- und Windenergie in ihre Stromnetze ein als jemals erwartet und zeigen so, dass eine Energiewende unabhängig von der geografischen Lage möglich ist. Europa hat künftig die Chance, seine Vorreiterrolle weiter auszubauen.

When a person in a group violates a norm, he or she is often punished by the others. In a game theory experiment, ETH sociologist Andreas Diekmann shows that this defector is most likely to be punished if those injured by the violation have differing levels of strength. Among equals, in contrast, the defector tends to get away with it.

The use of 3D printing continues to rise among students and researchers. ETH Zurich has set up a special web platform so people will be able to find the right printer faster in future. At the same time, the ETH Additive Manufacturing Community has also been created, forming a place where researchers can exchange ideas on the various applications of 3D printing.

In their fourth semester, students on the ETH Bachelor in Environmental Sciences course discover the joys of integrated practicals – a cornerstone of the programme ever since the Department of Environmental Systems Science was founded.

Among the great research challenges for the future will be the efficient use of resources and the provision of healthy and safe food. Further details are given in a new study carried out by the World Food System Center at ETH Zurich commissioned by the Federal Office for Agriculture. An interview with ETH professor Nina Buchmann, chair of the World Food System Center and co-author of the report.

Die ETH Zürich will und soll ihre Aufgaben für Forschung, Lehre und den Campus-Betrieb möglichst im Einklang mit einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung erfüllen. Dies in die Praxis umzusetzen, ist in mancher Hinsicht eine Herausforderung, wie unser neuer Nachhaltigkeitsbericht zeigt. Doch wir haben auch einiges erreicht. Eine Bestandsaufnahme.

Active galactic nuclei are the brightest objects in the universe. They are not lit up permanently, but rather ‘flicker’ extremely slowly. This insight helps ETH researchers better understand the influence these nuclei and black holes have on their host galaxy.

Die Frage scheint für den Klimawandel essentiell und denkbar einfach: Wie stark erwärmt sich die Oberfläche unseres Planeten? Wer sich damit beschäftigt, landet schnell bei weiteren fundamentalen Fragen: Was ist überhaupt Temperatur, und wie misst man sie? Und was braucht es, um die globale Temperatur über die Zeit hinweg zu bestimmen?

As of October 1, 2015, Rainer Borer will be the new head of Corporate Communication of ETH Zurich. At the age of 52, he will join ETH after leaving the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) where he was responsible for strategic communication. Before joining FINMA he headed for eight years the economy editorial staff of Swiss public radio SRF.

Just as the size of transistors continues to decrease, laboratories are also expected to shrink until they eventually fit on a chip. ETH Zurich researchers have developed a system of using sound waves to move, merge or sort minuscule droplets with reagents or cells in a controlled manner.