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Researchers have developed a new distributed algorithm that, for the first time, solves one of the key performance and reliability problems affecting most of the currently-deployed consensus protocols. Consensus is one of the fundamental problems in distributed systems. It allows a group of machines to maintain multiple copies of data and update them consistently, even when a fraction of the machines might fail.

Using a new, non-invasive brain-stimulation technique, scientists at EPFL show that it is possible to enhance the activity of deep brain structures and improve motor learning. The research opens up new ways for noninvasive treatments of brain disorders. Video: The Hummel lab showed improvements of motor learning in older adults by noninvasive neuromodulation of a deep brain region (striatum).

A new EPFL developed tool, Quotebank , has helped researchers provide the first large-scale data-driven evidence of a drastic shift towards a more negative political tone beginning at the start of Donald Trump's primary campaign in June 2015. A vast majority of Americans believe that the tone and nature of political debate in the United States has become more negative in recent years and more than half have the impression that Donald Trump is responsible.

Researchers shed light on the axolotl's unparalleled limb regeneration abilities, challenging long-held beliefs and offering new insights into potential mammalian limb regrowth. In the serene waters of Mexico, the axolotl - a type of salamander - has long fascinated scientists with its remarkable ability to regrow lost limbs.

A collaborative study with EPFL builds a novel theory to explain the puzzling collective behavior of glass-forming liquids at low temperatures, a phenomenon with widespread implications in fields like material science and biology. Glass, despite its apparent transparency and rigidity, is a complex and intriguing material.

Parithera, an EPFL spin-off, has developed a system that lets doctors detect drug resistance in cancer patients early on, saving precious time and preventing the unnecessary use of treatments with onerous side effects. Drug resistance is a major problem in the treatment of cancer. Some cancer cells demonstrate resistance right at the start of a new therapy, while others develop it over the course of several months or years.

Scientists at EPFL have synthesized the first ever metal-organic frameworks membrane with thickness of just one unit cell. The ultrathin film yields record-high separation performance of hydrogen-nitrogen. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of materials that contain nano-sized pores. These pores give MOFs record-breaking internal surface areas, which make them extremely versatile for a number of applications: separating petrochemicals and gases , mimicking DNA , producing hydrogen , and removing heavy metals , fluoride anions , and even gold from water are just a few examples.

Scientists at EPFL have synthesized the first ever metal-organic frameworks membrane with thickness of just one unit cell. The ultrathin film yields record-high separation performance of hydrogen. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of materials that contain nano-sized pores. These pores give MOFs record-breaking internal surface areas, which make them extremely versatile for a number of applications: separating petrochemicals and gases , mimicking DNA , producing hydrogen , and removing heavy metals , fluoride anions , and even gold from water are just a few examples.

When it comes to feeding a growing population at a time of conflict and climate change, Mother Earth has a lot on her plate. To build a sustainable future we'll need to return to a farm-to-table model, and that's opening up vast and exciting avenues of research for scientists in an array of fields. In this special report , we explore some of the developments taking place in research labs and out on the farm.

Scientists at EPFL use cutting-edge imaging techniques to shed light on the progression of Parkinson's disease by studying how the main culprit, the protein alpha-synuclein, disrupts cellular metabolism. Parkinson's disease is a complex neurodegenerative disorder that leads to the deterioration of specific types of neurons in the brain, resulting in a number of motor and non-motor symptoms.

Through an innovative project in Sri Lanka, an EPFL researcher and a Sri Lankan researcher have demonstrated that construction practices in transition economies can operate more efficiently, sustainably and responsibly.

Scientists show that it is possible to make a femtosecond laser that fits in the palm of one's hand using a glass substrate. Is it possible to make a femtosecond laser entirely out of glass? That's the rabbit hole that Yves Bellouard , head of EPFL's Galatea Laboratory, went down after years of spending hours - and hours - aligning femtosecond lasers for lab experiments.

Researchers uncover an intricate protein network controlling asymmetrical development of organs in the embryo, providing insights into genetic disorders and fundamental biology. In order to keep track of their environment, cells use cilia, antenna-like structures that can sense a variety of stimuli, including the flow of fluids outside the cell.

A complete spinal cord injury leads to irreversible paralysis. Scientists at.NeuroRestore report in Science that they have developed a gene therapy that was proven in mice to stimulate nerve regrowth across such injuries and guide nerves to reconnect to their natural targets below the injuries in order to restore motor function.

Scientists have developed a novel imaging technique to capture rapid protein dynamics. The technique, a microsecond, time-resolved version of cryogenic electron microscopy, allows them to observe the behavior of a virus in unprecedented detail. Proteins are the workhorses of biological systems, carrying out their work with extraordinary precision and speed.

In a breakthrough for the field of bioelectronics, researchers at EPFL have enhanced the ability of E. coli bacteria to generate electricity. The innovative approach only offers a sustainable solution for organic waste processing while outperforming previous state-of-the-art technologies, opening new horizons for versatile microbial electricity production.

A study by researchers found that Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for Future climate strikes have influenced the environmental behavior of Swiss residents. Climate activist Greta Thunberg made the headlines in September 2019 with her Fridays for Future climate strikes, in which some 4 million students in 150 countries protested to demand action on climate change.

The fusion of 2D semiconductors and ferroelectric materials could lead to joint digital and analog information processing, with significant improvement in energy consumption, electronic device performance, and lead to novel functionalities. We live in an analog world of continuous information flow that is both processed and stored by our brains at the same time, but our devices process information digitally in the form of discrete binary code, breaking the information into bits.

Leveraging results from knot theory and using physical simulation, researchers in the School of Computer and Communication Sciences (IC) have created a data set of thousands of different elastic knots that can be used in the design of new structures. Knots are used in all sorts of ways, every day. They ensure safety both indoors and for outdoor activities such as boating or sailing, are used as surgical sutures, as decorations and they can even be found at nano-scales in nature, for example in DNA molecules.

EPFL and University of Manchester researchers unlock secrets of nanofluidics using a 2D material and light. A discovery in the field of nanofluidics could shake up our understanding of molecular behavior on the tiniest scales. Research teams at EPFL and the University of Manchester have revealed a previously hidden world by using the newly found fluorescent properties of a graphene-like 2D material, boron nitride.