ETH-News

Here we present all News fron ETH Zurich!

1. Students breathe new life into old building materials

   Students at ETH Zurich dismantle buildings, catalogue their materials and use them to develop new construction projects. In a course held directly on the building site, they learn how to put the circular economy and digital tools into practice in real-world projects.

2. Improving animal welfare in the lab: AI helps better detect pain

   In animal experiments involving mice, changes in the facial expression indicate whether an animal is suffering. Until now, researchers have had to rely on the human eye to detect any possible signs of pain or distress. A standardised video monitoring system and AI algorithms now make this task easier.  

3. A concept for semester-long learning

   Over 700 students continuously engage with the study material in Dennis Kochmann’s Dynamics lecture, leading to higher participation rates, less exam stress and more sustainable learning. The ETH professor has been nominated for the KITE Award 2026. 

4. Jaboury Ghazoul, why do we need to consider issues of fairness in rewilding processes?

   The reintroduction of extinct animals such as beavers or the restoration of wilderness: nature conservation is often imposed without involving the local population. Ecosystem researcher Jaboury Ghazoul writes that we must incorporate concepts of fairness and justice into landscape management to ensure the success of restoration projects. 

5. The volcano that slept for 100,000 years was never truly quiet

   A volcano can lie dormant for over 100,000 years not because it is dying, but because water-rich magma is trapped in the crust, silently growing its reservoir. Studying zircon crystals from the Methana volcano, scientists show how seemingly extinct volcanoes could reawaken with limited warning.