City skyways filled with drone-like vehicles have long been a common image in science fiction, and for many of us, a lifelong dream. A few years ago, the advent of small consumer drones brought our dream a little closer to reality. In the shadow of this initial hype, a growing number of people and organizations […]
Skin is our largest organ. Every year more than 50 million people suffer from skin defects and need skin transplants to restore skin function. Unfortunately, standards of care are often lacking and ineffective, leaving patients with scars. Scars are disfiguring but also highly discomfiting, they can impair growth and movement and require serial surgeries and […]
The relationship between intersex people and medicine is a very complex one. At the forefront of the discussion lies the question of how to call people with diverse sex characteristics. We assume that the question of how to name people with diverse sex characteristics and the question of how to treat them are connected, since […]
Is there life on planets outside our solar system? In this short lecture we dedicate ourselves to this question, which has occupied mankind for thousands of years. For this we dive into the world of "exoplanets", planets orbiting other stars than the sun. We will look at how many exoplanets have already been found, what […]
Everyone is talking about the safety of voting systems. What exactly are the characteristics we expect from a secure system? Is it at all possible to supplement or even surpass the security of paper-based voting documents electronically? And how can a fully decentralized system, namely a blockchain, be helpful here? This short talk presents the […]
Damaged tissue that simply grows back: What is real everyday life for some species in the animal kingdom remains a nice dream for humans. We can only regrow lost tissue to a limited extent – for example, in the case of skin and liver. Our goal is to produce tissue and spare parts for the […]
Two basic questions arise in zoo animal feeding: Should zoo animals be fed according to their original habitats as much as possible? Zoo lions could then eat live hares, for example. Or is it more important that zoo animals eat as balanced a diet as possible and that their nutritional needs are met with a […]
Where does a rainbow come from? Why is the sky blue and the sunset red? Why does thunder come after lightning? Why does spaghetti cook more slowly in a mountain hut? We can answer these and other questions directly in the lecture hall by "recreating" the natural phenomenon accordingly. Come with us on a journey […]
What would it mean to have a robot judge making decisions in courts? How would that judge be built? While artificial intelligence could make decisions more efficient and consistent, there are also risks that automated systems could replicate or amplify existing biases and rigidities. Given the stakes, these technologies force us to think carefully about […]
Mobile apps are taking on an increasingly important role in psychological research. They are easy to use, can be used at any time and from anywhere, and provide real-time data from a person's natural environment. Developmental psychologists at the University of Zurich have developed the "kleineWeltentdecker app," which parents can use to document their children's […]
In this talk, we will explore the diversity of flowers and their visitors. Flowers show incredible variation in size, shape, colour, and scent. Bright colours and enticing perfumes are used by flowers to attract equally diverse flower visitors, that while feeding on sweet nectar and starchy pollen pollinate the flowers and thereby help in the […]
Unlike embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells can safely be used in regenerative therapies. Their potential to develop into specific tissues gives them the unique ability to restore function to damaged tissues and organs. This ability can be used in the treatment of various injuries and diseases such as spinal cord injury, heart failure and […]
In 2015, the heads of state and government of the 193 UN member states agreed on 17 global goals, the so-called Sustainable Development Goals. These goals aim to end poverty, fight inequality and address climate change by 2030. In the meantime, more than five years have passed, and there is still much to do! All […]
In nature, the gecko is the master of perfect adhesion. It manages to walk quickly and safely along vertical walls and even overhangs. In our dreams we would like to climb everywhere and see the world from a different perspective. Is this a dream or are we already on the way to realization? This lecture […]
Snow is of great importance for our life in Switzerland. Be it for winter sports activities, as an important reservoir for hydroelectric power plants or as a central component in alpine ecosystems. Global climatic changes are altering snowfall and thus also the snow cover in the Alps. Understanding these changes or measuring them in the […]
What is perceived as "natural" and "unnatural" in music is by no means clear-cut. In the 13th and 14th centuries there were heated discussions about this among music theorists. In particular, “metric” and “rhythm” led to many distortions. There was for instance a "long" and a "short" note, which together formed a trinity that was […]
Bacteria are ideal organisms to study evolution in real time. Bacteria always occur in thousands, reproduce quickly and therefore have an enormous potential to adapt to environmental changes. These adaptations can be studied in artificial laboratory systems. As an example, we use the evolution of antibiotic resistance. How do bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, which […]
Do not trust your eyes and do not believe what you see – painters are, after all, the greatest deceivers! Above all, illusionist painting aims to deceive the eye of the beholder. Although the picture surface is two-dimensional, it suggests openings to the inside and outside. It provides views into vast illusory worlds, things and […]
In this short lecture, Dr Rocha Martin invites the public to take a tour inside the body. We will stop at all the places where microorganisms live within our bodies, aiming to understand how they can protect or harm us. The first stop is our skin, the largest organ we have, which is covered with […]
Today, hundreds of thousands of artificial satellites fly around the earth to fulfill scientific, commercial or military purposes. Among them are satellites, so-called CubeSat, that are as big as a truck or as small as a cube with an edge length of only 10 cm. Besides there is only exactly one giant natural satellite orbiting […]
In recent years, artificial intelligent (AI) technologies have advanced at an enormous pace and in impressive ways. AI systems are now in every smartphone for speech and image recognition, in self-driving cars, and even robots are acting smarter and smarter thanks to their artificial neural networks. Nevertheless, AI still has a long way to go […]
How many sexes are there? Can you turn a female animal into a male, or vice versa - and why is it not so easy to get rid of the production of male chicks? What have researchers observed after removing the male plants from a plant species with separate sexes - and why do they […]
Where does a rainbow come from? Why is the sky blue and the sunset red? Why does thunder come after lightning? Why does spaghetti cook more slowly in a mountain hut? We can answer these and other questions directly in the lecture hall by "recreating" the natural phenomenon accordingly. Come with us on a journey […]
The robot Pepper gives us information in the mall, we ask Siri for the next pizzeria, and service robots are used in nursing: What are the characteristic features of communication with machines? What are the differences between this type of interaction and human-to-human communication? How do we perceive such interactions? Is one artificial, the other […]
Artificial radioactive isotopes of a natural element can be used to visualize and treat specific cancer cells in the body. All that is needed is to administer tiny amounts of a so-called radiopharmaceutical to the patient. Thanks to specific receptors, the radiopharmaceuticals accumulate only in the tumor but not in healthy tissue. A prominent example […]
Children's books should inspire, fascinate and arouse curiosity. In pictures and text, they use artistic means to present spectacular natural phenomena. But how exactly does this art of marveling at nature work in children's books? And how do nature and art come together in picture books? The short lecture invites you on a journey of […]
Although tendon injuries in horses are very common, promising therapies are still lacking. The often traded stem cell therapy has great potential. However, it leaves many questions about its exact effect unanswered and has therefore not been widely accepted to date. Another approach is the therapy with Genipin, which was originally extracted from Gardenia plants. […]
Parenthood is a miracle of nature! An egg and a sperm combine their genetic material to form a new organism, the pregnancy results in the birth of a new life. The development of mankind has been taking place in this way for thousands of years. However, for various reasons, the possibility of having children naturally […]
Blood vessels form a complex network of transport pathways through which blood circulates and reaches every region of our body. Together with the heart, they form the circulatory system that supplies all tissues with oxygen and nutrients. Functioning blood vessels are indispensable for a healthy life. But our vessels are also subject to malfunction. Vascular […]
Nature is often leaps and bounds ahead of us when it comes to creating ideal material behavior: from the high hardness of insect carapaces to extremely flexible palm trees to wafer-thin eggshells that can withstand enormous forces. Inspired by nature, we develop so-called "metamaterials" whose extreme, special or unusual properties can be controlled by their […]
Michel Houellebecq draws a very negative picture of human intimate relationships in his novels. In modern times, sexuality has become an object of consumption and exchange, which leads to enormous inequality. Certain people have an excess of sexual contacts, while others are denied access to sexuality. At the same time, the family as a social […]
How do planets form? Thousands of extrasolar planets have been discovered to date, and yet we still do not know how planets form out of the galaxy’s raw materials of interstellar gas and dust. Astrophysicists have made some progress by using supercomputer models to try to interpret new exciting images of planetary nurseries – protoplanetary […]
Photographs are used for a variety of purposes in the sciences. Especially in research and teaching, photography has the task of making an object or situation visually accessible to an audience in a lifelike manner - regardless of time and place. But can photography really reproduce the desired motif true to nature? What influence do […]
We are interested in how we can arrange molecules in relation to each other. Not so easy when you can't touch molecules directly! But we believe that the shape of a molecule – its three-dimensional topography – can help us. A trick that potato chips have taught us. But how can we bend and shape […]
Writing depicts language graphically. It is a human invention, an artifact. Nevertheless, there is a lot of nature in it: Used by humans for thousands of years, the world's scripts are marked by their biological, cognitive and social nature. One example: At first, the forms of characters were very pictorial and visually resembled the objects […]
The lecture will be about the fascinating and futuristic research into connecting the human nervous system with bionic limbs. Striving to close the gap between humans and machines, this research combines neuroscience and medicine, engineering and artificial intelligence. Researchers are now working on creating prosthetic limbs that utilize the body’s complex senses and nervous system […]
Space is changing rapidly today due to new technologies as well as private investors. Last but not least, space also serves as a workshop for medical research and development. The use of microgravity in medicine ranges from understanding how mechanical forces are processed at the cellular level to prevent bone and muscle deterioration, for example, […]
Cardiovascular diseases are the most frequent causes of death worldwide. With preventive measures, this circumstance could be efficiently counteracted. Studies have shown that with adequate control of the eight modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, over 90% of all cardiac events could be prevented. This sometimes – but by no means always – requires drug therapy. In […]
The skin is the largest organ of the human body. It forms an important barrier to the outside world and protects us from various threats, such as physical damage, water loss and infections. It also helps us regulate our body temperature and forms a huge surface for sensory perception of our surroundings. SKINTEGRITY.CH is a […]
Our presentation explores the relationship between conceptualizations of law and the observation of natural phenomena in antiquity. We will offer examples from three main cultures of the ancient Mediterranean: Mesopotamia, Greece and Israel. In the ancient Near East, people tried to explain and predict natural phenomena like illness, the movements of stars and planets, and […]
Of more than 4000 isotopes of chemical elements known to us, 93% are radioactive and the majority of them are of artificial origin. Only 7% are found in larger quantities in nature as stable isotopes. A large number of these radioactive isotopes are used in research and medicine. The work with these isotopes in the […]
Lameness in horses can have many causes. One of them is bone cysts, which often settle at the knee joint of thoroughbreds, but in warm-blooded horses and jumpers can affect various parts of the legs - often the toe joints. The cysts form cavities under the joint surface. Depending on their size, they lead to […]
The copperplate engraving of a simple hut made of trees and branches is a hit in the history of architecture and has been printed countless times. First published in Marc-Antoine Laugier's book in 1755, the image soon became the epitome of architecture having its origins in nature. Find out the background to the triumphant success […]
Where does a rainbow come from? Why is the sky blue and the sunset red? Why does thunder come after lightning? Why does spaghetti cook more slowly in a mountain hut? We can answer these and other questions directly in the lecture hall by "recreating" the natural phenomenon accordingly. Come with us on a journey […]
With the introduction of the audio CD in 1982, an outcry went through the music world. People feared the demise of natural sound worlds and mourned the loss of the vinyl record experience – including its feel, its egging and crackling. Since then, the religious war over vinyl records, audio CDs and music files has […]
Human tissue structures with biological fidelity and organisation are no longer science fiction, and human bone marrow (BM) is no exception. BM is a semi-solid, sponge-like tissue found in the center of the bones, and it is the home to hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). HSCs ensure hematopoiesis: Life-long blood and immune cell manufacture in the […]
Two basic questions arise in zoo animal feeding: Should zoo animals be fed according to their original habitats as much as possible? Zoo lions could then eat live hares, for example. Or is it more important that zoo animals eat as balanced a diet as possible and that their nutritional needs are met with a […]
Much of our food comes from plants that humans domesticated thousands of years ago and then steadily cultivated and improved. Today, rice, maize, wheat, potatoes and tomatoes are among the most important crops. But meat and other animal foods can only be produced to today’s extent because humans feed animals with cultivated plants. But how […]
In this short talk we will introduce our app "Augmented Reality for Data Science". Augmented Reality (AR) is a versatile technology that makes abstract data more tangible. With our app, we show how, for example, a frequency distribution of flowers as well as their shape and structure can be visualized in AR as a hologram, […]
Every person produces more than one liter of urine every day, which is formed by our kidneys. How does this organ work? On the one hand, kidneys dispose of toxins and waste, and on the other, they regulate the amount of fluid, salt and other nutrients the body needs. Kidneys also produce important hormones and […]
Film soundtracks are expertly crafted to influence and manipulate our emotions. They have the power to make us laugh, cry and even cover our eyes in fear. For scary film scenes, the terrifying music accompanying them is often described as “scream-like”. A well-known example is Bernard Herrmann’s violent, shrieking violin cue that accompanies the infamous […]
Meteorites are pieces of rock that formed in space and landed on Earth. Some of them, the chondrites, formed very early in the solar system and recorded the processes that took place at the time. While we cannot observe these processes today, we can use computer simulations to reproduce them as closely as possible and […]
Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves as early as 1916 within the framework of general relativity. However, gravitational waves were not directly detected until 2015 with the help of earthbound detectors. Currently, the European Space Agency is planning to place a gravitational wave observatory with a laser interferometer space antenna (LISA) in space. […]
In current urban research, nature is increasingly coming into focus as an important urban phenomenon. We present two different projects, both of which deal with comparable questions about sustainable urbanity: One project sheds light on how urban nature was discovered as well as designed in Zurich starting in the late 1970s and what social ideals […]
Planets are common astronomical objects. Gas giant planets, which are massive planets made of mostly hydrogen and helium, are the first planets to form, and due to their large masses, they affect the dynamical evolution of young planetary systems. In addition, giant planet composition reveals key information on the birth environment of planets. In this […]
The human brain is the most complex structure known to us in the universe. Due to the formation of an interconnected neuronal system, the human brain has spectacular capabilities. However, the high complexity also has its price: the regenerative capacity of our brain is limited. Many diseases, such as stroke, lead to irreparable damage to […]
Viruses are part of nature and are found in all cells. Their number by far exceeds the number of all cells and organisms on our planet. Some viruses, such as flu viruses or SARS-CoV-2 (coronaviruses) cause diseases, others are harmless. How is this possible? Can harmful viruses be eradicated? To answer these questions, we need […]
Where does a rainbow come from? Why is the sky blue and the sunset red? Why does thunder come after lightning? Why does spaghetti cook more slowly in a mountain hut? We can answer these and other questions directly in the lecture hall by "recreating" the natural phenomenon accordingly. Come with us on a journey […]
We use the term microbiome to describe the totality of all microorganisms – for example bacteria, viruses or yeasts – on earth. In humans, we find the microbiome in different forms in the respiratory tract, in the gastrointestinal tract, on the skin and in the genital tract. These microorganisms live with us in symbiosis, fending […]
In 2020, Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna were awarded the Nobel Prize for the development of a new technology for genome editing, CRISPR-Cas9. Before being a technological tool, CRISPR-Cas is an immune system used by bacteria to protect themselves against virus epidemics. The discovery of the CRISPR-Cas function was made by researchers trying to protect […]
Are we protecting nature when we genetically modify endangered species to protect them from extinction? For example, should we make endangered ferrets in America resistant to a disease imported by humans in the name of nature conservation? In this case, genetic engineering contributes to the preservation of natural species richness. But on the other hand, […]
Biological materials such as tooth enamel and seashell gain their strength from a unique internal structure, where rigid “building blocks” are arranged in an interlocking formation. This means that no block can move without disturbing its neighbors. The combination of this interlocking with weak interfaces between the building blocks leads to unique properties that typical […]
Dolphins are very similar to us humans, although they have evolved and live in a completely different environment. They are extremely intelligent, have complex social structures with long-lasting, sometimes even lifelong friendships - certain populations even have a material culture. Dolphins in Shark Bay, Western Australia, use tools to forage. This allows some dolphins to […]
What is the current state of machine intelligence? How is our society is changing as we hand over more and more of our decision making to artificial intelligence (AI)? Drawing on ethnographic work on the entanglements of religion and AI, this talk will explore our dreams of AI and how our visions of AI superintelligence […]
The aim of research is to provide evidence by means of scientific experiments. Very specifically: an animal study has shown that a certain drug could be used for stroke therapy. Is this evidence enough to test the drug in humans? What if another study with the same drug had shown no such effect in animals? […]
With the help of binoculars we take a walk on different insects. At 10 to 40 times magnification, we discover the scales on butterfly wings, the eyes of a housefly, the sting of a hornet or the carapace of a stag beetle. The image of the microscope is projected onto the screen via beamer. The […]
Some things in our world hold together because the parts that make them up are connected to one another with a connective device. For example, the bones in our body are connected to one another by muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Other things, like the tectonic plates that make of the outer layer of Earth, remain […]
The short lecture presents two current research projects: The Meerkat Cognition Project investigates inter-individual variation across four major factors: sociality, intrinsic motivation, cognitive abilities and fitness. In particular, it focuses on how these factors emerge during early development and how they interlink with each other. Since vervet monkeys also thrive in urban ecosystems, the Urban […]
You don't necessarily have to travel to exotic places to do fieldwork. You can also do fieldwork at home, around the corner, so to speak, on a daily basis. For example, on one of the numerous cow pastures in Switzerland, either in the midland or in the Alps, where apart from cows or sheep, there […]
In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that successful cancer therapy must be tailored to the individual needs of people suffering from cancer. In this talk, we trace the question of what the biological basis of cancer is and how we can apply this knowledge to develop tailored treatments for each individual. We look […]
The best way to find out what holds the world together at its very core is to cut it open. Cathedrals, skulls, the hulls of ships, the circles of hell, volcanoes, blossoms, caterpillars or even entire mountain chains – nothing and nobody can escape the exploring cut. Be it a cross section or a longitudinal […]
Our lives sprout from chemistry: Fuels, plastics, fertilizers, medicines... These products are typically made with the help of catalysts, which are substances that accelerate chemical transformations. Most chemical processes today are based on fossil raw materials such as coal, oil and natural gas. These provide the carbon atoms for the production of our everyday products. […]
Do we already know everything about orchids? Do we even know all the orchid species in the world? Both questions can be answered with a clear NO. Because every year dozens of new orchid species are described in addition to the 26,000 already known. We know even less about the pollinators of these flowers. Yet […]
Very small objects, such as atoms, are subject to the laws of quantum physics. Conversely, very large objects, for example a galaxy, follow the laws of general relativity. However, since galaxies also consist of individual atoms, there should actually be a theory that describes both the very large and the very small at the same […]
In our lecture we explore the fascinating world of bacteria, antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. Together we discover what challenges society is facing due to increasing resistances. We will take a look behind the scenes of a microbiology laboratory and introduce you to our Institute of Medical Microbiology at the University of Zurich. You will learn […]
We present a particular form of beekeeping - migratory beekeeping - from the perspective of ethnology in three different regions of the world: the lavender fields of Provence, the rape fields of southwest China and the dry forests of eastern Bolivia. Beekeeping differs in all regions of the world as it adapts to cultural and […]
The ability to produce and comprehend spoken language is a key defining feature of the human species. The evolutionary roots of language (how old is language? where did it come from?) are, however, less clear. One powerful way to begin to answer this question is to investigate the communicative abilities of our closest living relatives, […]
Cancer cells can spread from where they are first formed and travel through the blood system to create new tumors in other parts of the body. Referred to as metastasis, this process is a major cause of cancer-related death, as we do not have any effective therapies for most cancer types when they metastasize. This […]
Sometimes places hold the world together too. The Ticino hill Monte Verità near Ascona is a case in point. At the beginning of the 20th century, it attracted national and international writers, intellectuals, life reformers and artists who wanted to fulfill their dream of an alternative life close to nature there. The short lecture introduces […]
Based on the "SWEET-SURE" research project, we show how the Swiss energy system can be transformed to make the energy supply more environmentally friendly and secure. We will look at new technologies, the role of consumers and the costs of this transformation. For the younger participants, we have a little puzzle ready, with which they […]
The short lecture will be focused on the renovation of Swiss residential buildings. During the lecture, we will show why building renovations are necessary in Switzerland. We will present a methodologyused to quantify the environmental impacts and costs during the life cycle of a building, even when many aspects about the future are still uncertain. […]
The course of our world is determined by forces. The gravitational force holds our Earth and the planets in their orbits in the solar system. The Lorenz force turns the electric motor in our e-bike. And strong forces act in the nuclei of atoms, which are released during nuclear reactions. One important task in physics […]
The design discipline plays an important role in healthcare - for example in the user-centred development of smart devices or the design of treatment processes. In our short lecture, you will learn how design and design research can be incorporated into various areas of healthcare and thus improve health and quality of life. For example, […]
Sepsis, a serious illness caused by the body's response to infection, poses a significant public health threat. We explore the disease from the perspective of microbiology as well as infectious diseases and shed light on the relationship between harmful microorganisms and our immune system. We present the most current research findings as well as innovative […]
In the past two decades, the technical possibilities in forensic medicine and forensics have developed greatly. A large number of examinations are now carried out digitally. Imaging procedures such as computer tomography or virtual reality-based 3D visualisations of crime scenes and processes are used for this purpose. Gaming technology is often used for this. In […]
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an essential technical tool for looking into matter and also into the human body and, for example, for understanding the human body. However, the spatial resolution of conventional MRI devices is limited to the millimetre scale and therefore cannot be used to study very small structures such as biological molecules […]
Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas released by human activities. To tackle global warming, we need to understand the methane budget and identify methane sources. However, the dynamics that led to the methane increase in the last decades are not fully understood. Tracing methane sources and monitoring mitigation strategies are therefore an urgent […]
How do engineers design and construct buildings that can withstand earthquakes? Sergio Reyes Arriagada from Chile provides an exciting look at the science behind earthquakes and modern technologies that reduce the impact of earthquakes on communities. You will learn about the causes and types of earthquakes, their effects on structures and the environment, as well […]
With a binocular we dive into the world of plants. With a magnification of 10 to 40 times, we wander over the surface of the leaves of sage, basil and peppermint and discover droplets of essential oils, we measure the length of a tiny orchid seed together and go in search of precious stones on […]
Germany and Switzerland are linked not only by their geographical proximity, but also by their common language. However, the communicative routines (e.g. greetings) are different and communicative misunderstandings occur again and again in everyday life. How exactly does our communication behaviour differ? Is it true, for example, that people in Switzerland are quicker to switch […]
Our solar system has been orbiting in our Milky Way since its formation about 4.5 billion years ago. How is this Milky Way structured, what holds it together and where is our solar system in it? This lecture describes how astronomers study the structure and evolution of the Milky Way. The Milky Way is made […]
Wood is a natural building material with special properties. No wonder, the renewable material is experiencing a true renaissance. Even high-rise buildings made of wood will soon be built. This is made possible by technological advances in fire protection, in bonding and joining techniques and in processing. In addition, the use of wood as a […]
In Switzerland, more than 1,100 patients die every year from leukaemia and so-called lymphomas, malignant lymphocytes in the lymph nodes or bone marrow. Despite the wide range of treatment options, there is a great need to optimise the choice of therapy for blood cancer patients who are affected by a relapse. This is exactly what […]
Meerkats have one of the most distinctive call repertoires in mammals. The lecture presents the diversity of their calls, what information they contain and how this is perceived by the receivers. The audience will learn about the methods used to study vocal communication in animals and the connection to the evolution of human language.
Earthquakes shake the world without warning. Triggered by a sudden release of stress along faults in the earth's crust, they can have far-reaching consequences: damaged or collapsed houses, injured people and, in the worst case, even fatalities. In Switzerland and neighbouring countries, severe quakes occur on average every 50 to 150 years. Therefore, they are […]
We live in a society in which digital technologies increasingly influence our everyday lives. How do courts deal with this, or to what extent do data and statistics also play a role in courts? Are courts allowed to rule against empirical evidence? Does the law impose requirements on the quality of data? What does the […]
The brain of each one of us is a network composed of hundreds of billions of neurons. A total or hundreds of trillions of synapses connect these neurons and transmit electrical signals from one cell to another. In reaction to stimulus, waves of electrical activity traverse the network of neurons, processing the incoming stimulus signal. […]
The short lecture will be focused on the renovation of Swiss residential buildings. During the lecture, we will show why building renovations are necessary in Switzerland. We will present a methodologyused to quantify the environmental impacts and costs during the life cycle of a building, even when many aspects about the future are still uncertain. […]
Biologically speaking, humans belong to the great apes. But why do we differ so fundamentally in our ability to communicate from chimpanzees, bonobos or gorillas? New results of behavioural research show that the differences are probably not that big and many of the building blocks of human language ability can already be recognised in rudimentary […]
What neural principles underlie the vocal learning and imitation behaviour of songbirds? Neuroscientist Richard Hahnloser presents his experimental and theoretical models, which he uses to investigate signal processing in the neurons of songbirds. His work aims to decipher the neuronal networks of the song system and to explain their structural and functional plasticity in response […]
Recent progress in observations have shown that our universe is dominated by two mysterious components called dark matter and dark energy. Under the action of gravity, they hold the universe together but also pulls it apart. The nature of these ingredients is unknown and poses some of the most pressing questions in fundamental science today. […]
Sepsis is the life-threatening failure of vital organs as a result of our body's defence reaction against infection. Every year, more than 10 million deaths are caused by this devastating disease. The lecture will give an overview of the implementation of the Swiss National Action Plan against Sepsis – an initiative to improve the treatment […]
One of the crucial challenges for humanity is to develop clean sources of energy that are available to all and compatible with sustainable development. Nuclear fusion is the energy source of the sun and the other stars. It has enormous potential to help us meet this challenge. Moreover, research into nuclear fusion is a virtuous […]
Since the beginning of human history, the Sun has been central in making sense of our existence. As the source of life, the Sun has been worshipped, mystified, harvested and feared. With the Copernican Revolution, we realized that the Earth – and consequently, humanity – is in fact not at the center of the universe. […]
