Animals and plants around the world are disappearing faster than ever before because we’re using their habitats to live, grow food and timber, or extract important raw materials from the ground. This affects us all, because we need an intact natural environment to survive. But how do we know which species live where – including […]
Satellites, drones, and AI are opening up new possibilities for monitoring forests in the face of climate change. Earth observation is becoming environmental intelligence: environmental stress can be detected earlier, tree species can be distinguished, deadwood can be mapped, and changes in the forest can be visualized. This provides a crucial foundation for early-warning systems […]
In low-dimensional quantum materials, electrons no longer behave as they do in everyday materials. At this smallest scale, the arrangement of atoms and the interactions between electrons can completely change how electricity flows – and researchers can measure these effects! Using clear images and simple concepts, the talk opens a window into experiments with the […]
Is curiosity-driven research a luxury we cannot afford, or the source of the breakthroughs we never see coming? Some research follows nothing but a question and is dismissed as wasteful – until it isn't. Other research arrives loudly applauded, only to reveal hype dressed up as discovery. Through historical cases and audience reflection, this talk […]
Since the war began in Sudan in 2023, many buildings, roads and heritage sites have been damaged or destroyed. But there are areas that are now considered relatively safe, and people are beginning to return. Recovery now depends on housing, infrastructure and access to construction materials. Using Khartoum as an example, this talk looks at […]
From fire to electricity to the digital bit, new ways of controlling matter, energy and information have repeatedly transformed society. Today, quantum computing captures much of the public imagination – but behind it lies another frontier: quantum control. Researchers at ETH Zurich are developing methods to interact light and matter with extraordinary precision, enabling new […]
How can you see – or even experience – complex environmental data? High-resolution measurements show how forests, fields and meadows exchange greenhouse gases with the atmosphere. Together with an artist from Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), these data were combined with concepts of color and culture. The result is a new way of engaging […]
What would life be without bread, fruit or sugar? Many of the plants that feed us – including bananas and wheat – have extra sets of chromosomes. These “super plants” are not GMOs, but natural innovations that can outperform their “regular” relatives. By studying how evolution has reshaped their genomes, researchers can better understand what […]
How well do you know the people of the Canton of Zurich? This interactive quiz makes findings from population research accessible in a fun way. The questions draw on topics from the lecture series “Focus on People: How Science Studies Society” from the spring semester of 2026 and show how research helps us better understand […]
Animal testing has made many medical advances possible—from cancer research to the treatment of brain disorders. At the same time, animal research in Switzerland faces intense pressure to justify its use. Historical milestones and current examples from the neurosciences clearly illustrate the role that animal models play in basic biomedical research. This lecture offers young […]
How can you see – or even experience – complex environmental data? High-resolution measurements show how forests, fields and meadows exchange greenhouse gases with the atmosphere. Together with an artist from Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), these data were combined with concepts of color and culture. The result is a new way of engaging […]
The kidneys are vital excretory organs. They remove substances from the blood that the body no longer needs and perform other important functions. How exactly does this process work? At the heart of it are the three main steps—filtration, reabsorption, and secretion—and how they interact. In addition, we’ll explore other functions of the kidneys, such […]
During evolution, life on earth has adapted to survive in many extreme environments, including oceans, rivers, deserts and in the air. Changes in kidney function helped animals thrive in very different environments – and they still shape how our bodies work today. This talk explores why the secrets of the human kidney lie in our […]
Why do we so often imagine AI as godlike? From religious robots in science fiction to today’s powerful, seemingly all-seeing systems and large language models, artificial intelligence is surrounded by hopes, fears and myths. Drawing on research in digital religion, this talk explores a moment of technological and cultural change: What happens when AI talks […]
We don’t notice them, and yet hundreds of them pass through us every second: muons from space. They decay again within microseconds—the fact that they make it to us at all is vivid proof of Einstein’s theory of relativity. But what can be explored with these fleeting particles? A journey from quantum materials to batteries […]
What role does justice play in the law? Isn’t it often ultimately about power, interests, and political power dynamics—especially in times of war and power politics? And what exactly do we mean when we speak of justice? This lecture invites us to reflect together on whether justice is more than just a lofty-sounding word with […]
The kidney is an amazing organ that performs many vital functions. With increasing age, kidney function can decline—a condition that is particularly common in house cats. Chronic kidney disease usually develops gradually and often goes unnoticed for a long time. How can it be recognized? Here is an overview of the kidney’s functions, typical warning […]
What if your computer could think inside its own memory, like a brain? Today, processors and memory sit in separate places: one handles computation, the other stores information. For demanding applications such as AI models, this creates a major bottleneck. Vast amounts of data must constantly move back and forth, wasting energy and slowing computation. […]
What would life be without bread, fruit or sugar? Many of the plants that feed us – including bananas and wheat – have extra sets of chromosomes. These “super plants” are not GMOs, but natural innovations that can outperform their “regular” relatives. By studying how evolution has reshaped their genomes, researchers can better understand what […]
Russia’s war against Ukraine marks a turning point in European security policy. What are the causes of the war, how has it unfolded, and what strategies are the key players pursuing? The focus is on Russia’s war aims, Ukraine’s resilience, the role of Western support, and the consequences for the European security order. This also […]
The kidneys filter the blood, regulate blood pressure, and produce hormones. In Switzerland, about one in ten people is affected by kidney disease. Common risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. Because kidney disease often goes unnoticed for a long time, prevention and early detection are particularly important. What factors influence kidney health—and […]
Kidney disease affects around 10 percent of people worldwide. To develop better treatments, researchers first need to understand how these diseases begin and progress. Lab-grown “mini-kidneys” can help reveal what happens in the early stages of kidney disease. They offer a new way to study disease processes closely – and may uncover clues for future […]
As early as the 18th century, wealthy Europeans traveled to Italy to experience foreign lands, ancient sites, and spectacular natural phenomena—including Mount Vesuvius near Naples and the buried city of Pompeii. But how could they show pictures of these sights to those back home in an era without photographs or cell phone photos? Over 200 […]
The American architect Frank Lloyd Wright is associated with the phrase “to understand what others only know”. But what is the difference between knowing and understanding? This talk explores the question through three perspectives: Spinoza’s 17th-century ideas on kinds of knowledge, Graham Wallas’s stages of the creative process, and Margaret Boden’s recent work on types […]
Every winter, bird flu makes headlines: Wild birds die in large numbers, while the poultry production is also threatened. Researchers from across Europe and various disciplines are studying how bird flu viruses spread, mutate, and are transmitted to animals. What was unique about the outbreaks in recent years? What does bird flu mean for Switzerland? […]
Many people develop kidney stones at some point in their lives, with men being more likely to do so than women. There are many possible causes: genetic predisposition, diet, fluid balance, and environmental factors can all play a role. Why do kidney stones form, how can they be detected—and why is prevention so important?
Beauty is considered a matter of taste—yet what people have found beautiful has changed significantly throughout history. Using visual examples from prehistory, antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the modern era, the ideals of beauty and how they have evolved will be explored: What was considered to be beautiful in a person, which notions remained constant, […]
An autopsy provides information about a body. But is it really necessary to cut it open to do so? Virtopsy is a modern method in forensic medicine in which the deceased are examined virtually using CT, MRI, and 3D scans. This allows injuries, signs of illness, or traces to be documented precisely and transparently. This […]
Every person’s cancer is different. Even tumors that look similar under the microscope can respond very differently to the same treatment, depending on their biology and the healthy cells around them. So how can doctors know which therapy is most likely to work? Researchers are growing miniature tumor models – called tumoroids – in the […]
Hospitals hold enormous amounts of knowledge in free-text formats such as clinical notes, discharge summaries and medical reports. Because these texts contain sensitive patient information, they are difficult to use for research. ClinD is a privacy platform that anonymizes unstructured medical data directly inside the hospital’s secure infrastructure. AI tools help detect and remove personal […]
From missed exams to missing pants: when we sleep, we enter worlds that are sometimes strange or completely impossible and sometimes utterly mundane. But how can researchers study something that happens only in the mind – and is often forgotten moments after waking? Dream research uses scientific methods to explore what we dream about, how […]
How can artificial intelligence learn from data that cannot be shared? Decentralized federated learning allows devices or institutions to train AI models together without sending their data to a central server. This talk will introduce how decentralized federated learning works, why it matters, and how it could support more private, secure and collaborative AI.
About 10 percent of the world’s population lives in extreme poverty. But how do we actually know that? Measuring poverty is complex: it requires clear definitions, reliable data, and methods that capture different realities of life. Fundamental concepts and approaches to measuring poverty are explained: How has poverty evolved worldwide? Where do most poor people […]
Images do not merely show what is true. They also portray what is claimed to be true. This was already the case in the early modern period: works of art could convey knowledge, suggest authority, raise doubts, or allow for ambiguity. This makes clear just how relevant these old strategies remain today: even on social […]
Urinary tract infections are among the most common bacterial infections. While antibiotics are now part of standard treatment, resistance and recurrent infections are on the rise. In addition to causes, symptoms, and current treatment options, the focus is on new research approaches: What role does the microbiome play? And how might bacteriophages—viruses that specifically target […]
Space is closer than we think: Navigation, weather forecasts, communication, agriculture, climate research, and disaster relief all rely on satellite data and space technologies today. We take much of this for granted—often without even realizing it. The view from space helps us to find new paths, assess weather conditions, plan harvests, and detect natural hazards […]
AirTags, smartwatches and wireless headphones quietly communicate with nearby devices and Crowdsourced Finding Networks. These technologies can make everyday life easier by helping us locate lost items. But they can also be misused for unwanted tracking – and may reveal more about us than we realize. TRACE explores how tracking technologies work, why they are […]
What if Albert Einstein could answer your questions today? Digital Einstein is an AI avatar that speaks in real time, displays emotions, and responds to questions—just like the legendary physicist. Modern AI technology combines speech, facial expressions, and personality to bring historical figures back to life. At the same time, questions arise: What opportunities do […]
Once upon a time, deep within the world of Embryon, there was a loud and lively city called Cellula, where proteins rushed about, vesicles drifted and everything moved in perfect harmony. Everything – except Cromixi, a colorful creature trapped in sleep by an ancient spell. Who cast it, and why? And more importantly: could the […]
How did people write in the past—and how has email changed things? The history of letter and email communication in the 19th and 20th centuries shows how closely materials, technology, and communication culture are intertwined: from paper, stamps, and postal routes to input forms, servers, and digital archives. Historical letter formats and early email exchanges […]
Deepfakes are synthetic media – usually video, audio or images – created with generative AI to imitate a real person, voice, scene or action. They can appear so convincing that they become difficult to distinguish from captured reality. How are deepfakes created and shared? How can they be detected? And what technical and societal impact […]
Today, modern medicine is capable of more than ever before: personalized therapies, artificial intelligence, and human research. But who decides what is permissible? Who protects patients? And how can the law enable medical innovation rather than merely restricting it? Using easy-to-understand examples, this book illustrates how medicine, law, and ethics work together to generate knowledge—and […]
We’re all familiar with the catchphrases: “Big Data is the new oil” and “Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the new engine”. Furthermore, AI is considered “our final invention” and heralds the “second machine age”. But what does that actually mean? Where are we headed? How will our society and our lives change? Concepts such as Society […]
Is there life on worlds that are light-years away? To find out, we don’t have to travel there—often, a close look at the light is enough. Researchers use the faint light from distant exoplanets to find clues about their atmospheres, composition, and potential conditions for life. This is also the approach of the planned LIFE […]
How do scientists transform an unknown plant into a potential future crop? Using orphan crops such as marama bean, an African legume, this talk follows the step-by-step process of building scientific knowledge: from the first field observations and questions, to studying germination, reproduction, and genetics, and finally developing tools for crop improvement. Discover how curiosity-driven […]
Animal testing has made many medical advances possible—from cancer research to the treatment of brain disorders. At the same time, animal research in Switzerland faces intense pressure to justify its use. Historical milestones and current examples from the neurosciences clearly illustrate the role that animal models play in basic biomedical research. This lecture offers young […]
Modern medicine offers many possibilities. However, patients can only make informed decisions when they are well-informed. How much medical knowledge is needed to consent to—or refuse—a treatment? The focus is on the questions of what doctors must explain, what knowledge patients need to make effective decisions, and how informed consent, advance directives, and electronic health […]
