wire - news in brief

Our visual perception depends more strongly on the utility of information than previously thought. This has been demonstrated in a series of experiments conducted by researchers at ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich. Cognitive biases can begin at the retina. (Photograph: Colourbox) Are our senses there to provide us with the most complete representation of the world, or do they serve our survival? For a long time, the former was the dominant view in neuroscience.

The first "National Laboratory Animal Day" is being held in Switzerland today, Saturday, 10 June 2023.

EPFL conducted a survey of its community's health and well-being in November 2022, with the goal of pinpointing needs in this area and developing practical measures to address them.

Researchers from the University of Bern, Inselspital, University Hospital Bern, and the University of Connecticut have made a significant breakthrough in the fight against cancer. They identified a previously unknown weak point of prostate cancer cells. This could also lead to entirely new therapeutic approaches for other types of cancer.

ETH Zurich and EPFL want to work with partners from politics, science and industry to push innovative storage and transport solutions for renewable energy carriers.

Gabriela Hug - an expert in power transmission networks - argues that securing an affordable energy supply from renewable sources is not a utopian ideal for Switzerland, but rather a practical and feasible necessity.

An analysis conducted by Cleo Bertelsmeier and Aymeric Bonnamour at the University of Lausanne's Department of Ecology and Evolution and published in "PNAS" reveals that the spread of plants precedes and favors the establishment of insects outside their region of origin. Based on the time lag observed, the scientists estimate that in the near future, discoveries of non-native insects could increase by 35% worldwide .

Sewer systems and centralised treatment plants are not a sustainable solution for managing the world's wastewater. Environmental engineers at ETH Zurich and Eawag have been helping to develop decentralised, closed-loop modular systems. Out of sight, out of mind: we've been flushing away human waste ever since sewers were invented, using copious amounts of fresh water to expel it from our homes and cities as fast as the pipes can carry it.

From tackling micropollutants in wastewater to removing plastic waste from rivers, here are five solutions based on ETH expertise.

Heavier rain, longer droughts, melting glaciers: climate change has a dramatic impact on the global water cycle.

During her doctoral studies, Liliane Ableitner developed a trading and billing tool for energy communities.

The expansion of hydropower generation often leads to conflicts of interest, both in Switzerland and beyond.

Plastics contain thousands of chemicals that can harm the environment and human health. Yet we know too little about approximately half of them.