October 2017

With the planning stage now completed, Zurich’s central university district is turning its attention towards construction. An urban space concept, in which ETH Zurich urban planners participated, has also been presented. Those interested in the project can get an idea of the plans for the area at a public information booth.

Jeremy Rugenstein studies how the climate has changed since the extinction of the dinosaurs. By looking into the past, the ETH Fellow hopes to gather information about our future climate.

A new procedure simplifies wind tunnel tests and makes the results visible immediately. Athletes have gone up against the wind at ETH to test the new method.

Richard M. Schoen is a bridge-builder between physics and mathematics, and has enriched the theory of relativity with his proofs and geometric methods. On Monday, ETH Zurich will award him the Heinz Hopf Prize 2017.

ETH researchers succeeded in shortening the pulse duration of an X‑ray laser to only 43 attoseconds. With a time resolution in the range of a few quintillionths of a second, they are now able for the first time to observe the movement of electrons during chemical reactions in slow motion.

ETH researchers have developed a scale for measuring cells. It allows the weight of individual living cells, and any changes in this weight, to be determined quickly and accurately for the first time. The invention has also aroused significant interest both in and outside the field of biology.

ETH Zurich is launching an administrative enquiry into allegations made in the Department of Physics. The Executive Board has already taken immediate action in the first half of the year, including measures to protect doctoral students and the closure of the Institute for Astronomy. Now the enquiry will be taking a more detailed look at the circumstances in the former institute. Additional measures may also be proposed.

Earth is an ideal building material: it’s low-cost, saves resources and regulates indoor climates. What's more, earth is readily available in the places where people build. Yet the construction potential of earth remains undervalued.

In a public speech during his visit to ETH, Defence Minister Guy Parmelin emphasised the importance of establishing a unit to defend against attacks from cyberspace. To achieve this, the Federal Council is counting on the support of ETH and, above all, of its graduates.

ETH Zurich and IBM Research opened the Binning and Rohrer Nanotechnology Center some six years ago. This week, participants in a symposium will take stock of the achievements so far.