wire - news in brief

Pierangelo Gröning, President of the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Transfer Center (AM-TTC) Alliance and Empa's Research Commission and member of Empa's Directorate, explains the research institute's role in AM research. What does the buzzword Advanced Manufacturing actually mean? What is so new about it? Today, modern materials science involves more than just the development of materials.

Researchers at PSI have joined forces with employees of the technology transfer centre ANAXAM and the industrial partner Audi Sport to shed light on a potential sticking point: they have used neutrons to examine a brake calliper in action and reveal ways of optimising it. Human lives depend on brakes.

Researchers Lorenz Hofer and Mgeni Tambwe are trying to stop malaria transmission in Tanzania. Astrid Knoblauch is distributing drugs to combat tuberculosis with the help of drones in Madagascar.

A nature-based economy that regenerates ecosystems and stops species extinction? Christoph Küffer believes this is possible if we strengthen ecology in research and education and make ecological expertise a basic skill for society.

Uzufly's technology uses aerial imaging to generate 3D models of cities and regions with advanced precision, enabling urban planners to incorporate full-scale designs of all types of architectural and urban structures.

Novel materials could revolutionise computer technology. Research conducted by scientists at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI using the Swiss Light Source SLS has reached an important milestone along this path. Microchips are made from silicon and work on the physical principle of a semiconductor. Nothing has changed here since the first transistor was invented in 1947 in the Bell Labs in America.

As part of a two-day state visit to Switzerland, the Italian President stopped off at ETH Zurich today in the company of President of the Swiss Confederation Ignazio Cassis.

To examine how digital transformation challenges organisational identity construction: it is the goal of the project "New Ways of Making Sense of Who We Are: How Digital Transformation Challenges Org

Construction machinery is expensive. For many companies, it is hardly worthwhile to purchase every piece of equipment anew.

Stephen Herzog is researching how nuclear weapons could be better controlled and eventually eliminated. For him, Putin's threats are a reason to fundamentally question the nuclear "balance of terror." "I research nuclear arms control." For years, this line produced blank stares in social settings as I tried to explain my job's importance.

Although they are indispensable nowadays, there is still a lack of knowledge and skepticism about batteries.

Every year, TIME publishes a list of the most important inventions of the year.

Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees requires the energy system to be restructured as quickly as possible.

The DigiPart Index records the extent to which it is possible to participate digitally in political processes in Switzerland's cantons on a scale of 0 to 100.

The recently completed first edition of the KimCheese program challenged students from Switzerland and Korea to design solutions to everyday obstacles faced by senior citizens in both countries. The KimCheese program is led by College of Humanities (CDH) lecturer Marc Laperrouza, who also initiated the China Hardware Innovation Camp ( CHIC ) and the India Switzerland Social Innovation Camp ( INSSINC ).

How did teaching staff cope with the sudden switch to online teaching during the coronavirus pandemic? Researchers from the University of Basel investigated this in collaboration with Eucor - The European Campus.

This year's Swiss HR Barometer focuses on working conditions that promote innovative behaviours amongst employees. Approaching errors in an open manner, a practice prevalent in Switzerland, has a positive effect on innovative behaviour as well as attitudes to work. Scope for improvement is found in areas such as support for new ideas, personnel development and compensation.

The manufacturing industry is going through a period of profound change, driven in part by the advent of 3D printing and other advanced technologies. In order to support Swiss industry at this critical juncture, EPFL and CSEM have joined forces to create the Micromanufacturing Science & Engineering Center (M2C), a new focal point for pure research, technology transfer and everything in between.

Cognitive flexibility improves leadership, according to numerous studies conducted by researchers. The Swiss Armed Forces are planning to employ this knowledge in the training of officers to better prepare them for future crises.

The title of the encounter organised by L'ideatorio, USI's service for promoting scientific culture, and the USI Institute of Public Health was "Smartphones and Teenagers.

Five ETH spin-offs are displaying the kind of innovative thinking that will determine the success of the energy transition.

ETH Zurich is stepping up research and teaching in the field of food technology and nutrition. It is supported in this by the companies Givaudan, Bühler and Nestlé with initial funding of 5 million Swiss francs over six years. This funding includes the creation of a new professorship. Raw foodstuffs are made suitable for consumption or storage through traditional methods such as cooking, drying and fermentation, or modern methods such as pasteurisation, pressure treatment or the use of enzymes.

In many chemical laboratories, routine chemical syntheses are performed on a daily basis, which takes up a lot of time.

Plants use light waves from only a portion of the spectrum for photosynthesis - the remainder can be recovered and used to generate solar power.

This year, Empa will once again be taking part in the Swiss Digital Days with various activities - with exciting insights into different research topics.

ETH Industry Day on 7 September offers exciting insights into applied research, industry partnerships and entrepreneurial activities at ETH Zurich.

Zebrafish eggs are among the most commonly used model organisms in genetic, developmental and toxicology research.

Held every year on August 12, International Youth Day provides a platform for young people to focus on how they will develop innovative and entrepreneurial solutions for the future.