September 2016

Upon application of the President of ETH Zurich, Professor Lino Guzzella, at its meeting of 28/29 September 2016 the ETH Board appointed nine professors and took note of the resignation of 3 professors and thanked them for their services.

Giant ice avalanches caused by catastrophic glacier failures are rare events. The collapse of two neighbouring glaciers within two months – as just witnessed in Tibet – was never seen before. The timely analysis of satellite images enabled scientists to issue a warning prior to the second collapse.

Biological cells can expand, contract and interact with neighbouring cells. With an advancement in a microscopy technique, ETH Zurich researchers can now readily, directly, and accurately determine which forces are at work during cell motion and where. The technique is used in areas such as cancer research.

What role does technology play in equality for people with disabilities? Experts and scientists have been discussing this question in the run-up to the world’s first Cybathlon at ETH Zurich.

ETH researchers have discovered a molecule in liver cells that controls the release of fat into the bloodstream. This “lock keeper” is present in large quantities in overweight people and leads indirectly to vascular narrowing.

Ultrafast processes beyond the human imagination occur in nature, but basic research has been able to measure and explore them only since the turn of the millennium. A book and an exhibition by the National Centre of Competence in Research Molecular Ultrafast Science and Technology (NCCR MUST) now connect this to everyday life by inviting you on a journey into time.

At first glance, exoskeletons conjure up images of futuristic robots from science fiction films. But the exoskeleton from the ETH team VariLeg is a real-life aid that could allow people with paraplegia to walk again.

Elsbeth Stern, Professor for Research on Learning and Instruction, explains in a Polybahn Pitch why physics is a difficult school subject and why it may be worth familiarising children with its basic concepts at an early age.

Lake Victoria in East Africa is known to be stormy at night, with thousands of fishermen dying each year. New evidence suggests that the lake will become a real hotspot for hazardous thunderstorms in the future due to climate change. But improved storm warnings could be on the way.

Six young scientists from ETH Zurich are to receive ERC Starting Grants. The European Research Council offers these grants to support talented young researchers as they embark on their academic careers. The selected projects come from several different ETH research areas.