News

By focusing on identifying efficient pea varieties with superior photosynthetic performance, a new interdisciplinary project explores an alternative approach to improving nitrogen use efficiency at the farm level.

Many types of bacteria produce a protein complex that injects toxins into neighbouring cells to eliminate competitors. For the first time, researchers at ETH Zurich and Eawag discovered that these killer bacteria also use this weapon to feed on their neighbours.

A delegation from Indian ministries and universities visited ETH Zurich in May to learn more about research and initiatives focused on agroecology and resilience.

Five years ago, an experiment began at ETH Hönggerberg: researchers set up an outdoor laboratory in the forest near the campus. They used sensors positioned in trees, the soil and in a stream to study water dynamics and the “old water paradox”. ETH News accompanied the head of the experiment, Marius Floriancic.

Recognizing the limitations of current crop monitoring techniques in providing timely and precise data, an ongoing project is developing an innovative solution using smartphone vision and Artificial Intelligence (AI). This technology is aimed to provide farmers and researchers with detailed 3D/4D insights into plant health and development, advancing sustainable agricultural management.

Hidden beneath the Antarctic ice lies a system of lakes and watercourses. An research team, including ETH researchers, has for the first time directly observed the subglacial streams of West Antarctica. Their study shows how individual flood events influence the melting of the ice.

The role of water for food and nutrition security was the central theme of a three-day course held at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome. Organized by the World Food System Center, as part of a lecture on food security, the course brought together agricultural and environmental science students from ETH Zurich for an interactive learning experience.

An innovative project is underway to equip farmers with low-power, cost-effective sensors designed to measure nitrous oxide emissions directly in their fields. This technology offers a promising route towards a more sustainable agriculture by enabling farmers to optimize fertilization and mitigate nitrous oxide emissions.

The World Food System Center is launching the Food System Journey website, a platform allowing visitors to explore the challenges in our food system and discover innovative solutions from research at ETH Zurich through captivating graphics, videos, and stories.

We are excited to share the report on our third phase of operations (2021-2024),  which highlights our diverse research, education, and outreach activities focused on food system transformation.

Alumni Stories: Marta López Cifuentes shares how her Summer School experience sparked her interest in investigating alternative models of global food value chains, leading to the successful initiation of a project on trans-local food coalitions.

ETH researchers are developing a drone-based eDNA analysis approach for early detection of invasive species in viticulture. This interdisciplinary project aims to overcome limitations of traditional monitoring, demonstrating the potential of this approach for biomonitoring in initial field trials.

ETH Zurich hosted a delegation from the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) for a dialogue on research and applications in agroecology and the social dimension of food systems transformation.

Switzerland’s glaciers are in increasingly poor shape. If greenhouse gas emissions are not cut drastically soon, they could cease to exist by 2100 – so says ETH Professor Daniel Farinotti in this ETH News interview to mark the first World Day for Glaciers.

Lenny Winkel researches the environmental behaviour of trace elements such as selenium. A native of the Netherlands, she adores the Swiss mountains.

Focusing on the highly productive Campo de Cartagena area in southeast Spain, a new interdisciplinary project seeks to enhance the understanding of how different crop rotation practices impact water and nitrogen balances under climate change scenarios.

A new research funding opportunity aims at addressing critical environmental and human health risks in food systems. 

We are excited to announce that applications for the 2025 World Food System Summer School “Design Ideas for Sustainable Food Systems” are open now!

Updates from the Novel Protein for Food and Feed Flagship Project include the research team from ETH Zurich recently contributed to the Spirulina Industry Development International Conference.

The RUNRES team reports on a successful innovation for improving sanitation systems in South Africa primary schools. The devised state-of-the-art system improves sanitation facilities and also offers the unique, eco-friendly advantage of providing nutrients for school agricultural activities.

Flight ticket prices could rise by 50 percent if aviation is made climate-neutral. This is an estimate from a new study by researchers at ETH Zurich. It is based in particular on the use of synthetic fuels.

A recent study examined how training programs for Indian women working in agriculture can be improved. ETH student Alicia Luther found that effective trainings should be held in a participative and demand-driven way. A participative methodology is key to include participants’ topics of interest, making the potential for adoption higher.

On the Pic du Midi in the Pyrenees, ETH Zurich researchers have analysed particulate matter, clouds and rainwater for traces of arsenic. Using newly developed measurement methods, they have elucidated the transport pathways of the environmental toxin in the atmosphere.

Daria Odermatt and Helena Ström are the winners of this year's Swiss Forum for International Agricultural Research (SFIAR) award. Both Odermatt's and Ström's research offers promising pathways to healthier plants and increased yields for smallholder farmers in Africa.  

At a recent webinar, experts from various fields discussed the current state of true cost accounting, its challenges, and ongoing initiatives aimed at integrating this comprehensive approach into food systems. The event was hosted by the World Food System Center and the Swiss Society for Agricultural Economics and Sociology.

A selected delegation of seven students and researchers represented ETH Zurich and co-organized a side event at World Food Forum, held at the FAO in Rome in October.

People are already being forced to flee the consequences of climate change to an alarming extent in the Global South, says Jan Freihardt. He believes, however, that Europe's fear of mass climate migration is exaggerated, since international migration has other root causes.

On 2 December, Andreas Fischlin will give his farewell lecture. Time for a profile of the systems ecologist who fought against climate change at the highest political level.

Since the 1980s, it’s been known that a mysterious contaminant forms in chloraminated drinking water, but only now has a Swiss-American research team been able to identify the unknown product in US drinking water systems.

The XPRIZE Rainforest competition acknowledged ETH Zurich-led team for its development and deployment of novel, autonomous technologies that enable near real-time insights about biodiversity.

A team led by ETH climate researcher Sandro Vattioni has shown that diamond dust released in the atmosphere could be a good way to cool the climate. However, it is still not a sustainable solution to climate change, says Vattioni in an interview with ETH News.

At the AI + Environment Summit in Zurich, an afternoon workshop led by the World Food System Center focused on the use of AI for sustainable food systems. 

Agroecology is a promising integrated and holistic approach that aims at transforming food systems. Join our upcoming public lecture series to learn more.

ETH spin-off Terensis is able to forecast the harvest yield and climate risks such as droughts and frost with the help of satellites. This not only helps farmers to plan. Authorities and insurance companies can also predict damage more efficiently.

Research areas at ETH Zurich span barriers in a wide variety of fields, including cell biology, drug delivery and spatial planning. Below, we look at examples from six different disciplines.

Nina Cabezas Wallscheid, Professor of Stem Cell Biology and Ageing, is researching the impact of nutrition on the human blood system. Her research team aims to identify the ideal diet for a long and healthy life.

ETH agronomist Fridolin Stocker worked on Swiss farms before discovering his fascination for Africa. Today he manages a coffee farm in Zambia.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new way to break down a dangerous subgroup of PFAS known as PFOS. With the help of nanoparticles and ultrasound, piezocatalysis could offer an effective alternative to existing processes in the future.

The Director General of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization recently visited ETH Zurich to discuss innovation and collaboration for sustainable food systems.

Four researchers from ETH Zurich have successfully applied for Consolidator Grants funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Catastrophic volcanic eruptions that warmed the planet millions of years ago shed new light on how plants evolve and regulate climate. Researchers reveal the long-term climate effects of disturbed natural ecosystems - its implications both in geological history and for today.

Earth seen from space: ETH spin-off askEarth facilitates access to satellite images for environmental and climate monitoring. It supports businesses in combatting deforestation.

Alumni Stories: Karolina Rodriguez and the Board of the World Food Systems Network share the story of the journey of the network from an idea to a vibrant community striving to empowering food systems globally.

Updates from the Novel Protein for Food and Feed Flagship Project include new results from projects addressing food waste management using black soldier fly larvae and presentations at the Insects to Feed the World Conference.

The RUNRES (Rural-Urban Nexus: Establishing a nutrient loop to improve city-region food system Resilience) team held their 5th Annual Meeting in Nyamata, Rwanda, bringing together members from Switzerland, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and South Africa.

The Center’s recent workshop brought 20 ETH researchers together to learn about elements of food design as well as ways to cultivate a creative mindset and apply it in their studies and work.

Jessica Droujko’s start-up, Riverkin, measures the water quality of freshwater ecosystems and helps quantify and respond to risks such as floods and pollution. Thanks to an ETH Pioneer Fellowship, her work is now picking up speed.

The World Food System Center again joined with Food Zurich to create an innovative dinner event: Science on your Plate. Young researchers from ETH Zurich shared insights from their work with guests enjoying a delicious vegan menu developed by young star cook Mirco Kristal.

ETH researchers are using radar to scan the snow and ice on the Jungfraujoch. Sometimes, scaling an icy peak is the only way for scientists to fully understand satellite data.

The federal government has plans to tax electric vehicles to secure funding for road infrastructure. However, a new levy could delay the switch to electromobility. Alessio Levis explains how this dilemma could be resolved.

The landslide in Brienz (GR) in 2023 kept Switzerland on tenterhooks for weeks. Researchers from ETH Zurich, WSL and SLF used a model to provide a highly accurate blind prediction of where the sliding mass would come to rest. ETH Professor Johan Gaume explains how the model works and where its limitations lie.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have teamed up with the food industry to produce a whole-fruit variety of chocolate. This helps increase the value creation of cocoa farming – and is healthier.

Renewable energies are not the main driver of biodiversity loss. It is rather the other way round: renewables can limit climate change in order to preserve biodiversity. Cyril Brunner contextualises the trade-offs from a scientific perspective.

Like forests, grassland provides numerous ecological, economic and social benefits. Researchers have investigated ways to maintain and improve these benefits in the Swiss canton of Solothurn.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a protein-based gel that breaks down alcohol in the gastrointestinal tract without harming the body. In the future, people who take the gel could reduce the harmful and intoxicating effects of alcohol.

Since 2014, the Center has collaborated with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Sustainable Agroecosystems Group to offer a three-​day course for ETH Zurich Master’s students at the FAO headquarters in Rome.

Plants with multiple sets of chromosomes have advantages over their relatives with a double set. But why they often start out infertile was only partially understood. Biologists at ETH Zurich have now discovered a new reason for the initial difficulties.

Natural forest regeneration is hailed as a cost-effective way to restore biodiversity and sequester carbon. However, the fragmentation of tropical forests has restricted the movement of large birds limiting their capacity to disperse seeds and restore healthy forests.

Our 45 members are full of ideas on how to drive change towards food and nutrition security, environmental health and social well-being for all in our world food system.

We are pleased to share our Annual Report 2023, which highlights our many research, education, and outreach activities focused on food system transformation.

Alumni Stories: Benjamin Gräub shares struggles and insights from his learning journey while developing a new app for farmers in Kenya in times of Covid, a project supported by a Center Ambassador Grant.

Over a week in March, NICE country teams and representatives from six cities in Rwanda, Kenya, and Bangladesh joined in peer-learning visits to Zurich and Geneva in Switzerland. The public was able to join in discussions with the consortium at the seminar ‘How do we build sustainable urban food systems?’

Researchers at ETH Zurich led by Robert Boes are developing specific solutions to optimise electricity production from Swiss hydropower plants. This will ensure that hydropower remains the backbone of Switzerland’s electricity supply in the future.

Environmental scientist Alice Pradel cultivates ice cores in the lab to investigate the transport and accumulation of micro- and nanoplastics. Her aim in doing so is to better understand material flows in the Arctic ice.

We can transition to pesticide-free agriculture without converting to organic farming. Robert Finger outlines the advantages and challenges involved.

Bioengineer Randall Platt engineers bacteria that can assess the state of our guts. It is hoped this non-invasive technique could eventually be used to develop more effective interventions against malnutrition among children in the Global South.

Sport and an interest in healthy eating took Martina Pfeiffer first to ETH Zurich and then to Swiss beverage producer Rivella. Her active lifestyle has always kept her at the top of her game.  

Recycling is an accepted formula for sustainable resource use, but in the case of plastic it can have serious side effects, says Helene Wiesinger – and uses the example of plastic flooring in Switzerland to illustrate the dilemma.

Christoph Schär is one of the Swiss climate scientists who have shaped high-resolution climate modelling. He is now retiring after more than 35 years at ETH Zurich. In this portrait, he explains why he himself never tires of researching climate change.

The cost of removing large quantities of CO₂ from the air will fall in the medium term, but not as much as previously hoped. This is the conclusion reached by ETH researchers on the basis of new calculations. Efforts to reduce carbon emissions should therefore continue at pace, says the research team.

Vacant land, community gardens and public parks are key resources for liveable cities. Fritz Kleinschroth calls on urban planners to focus on giving nature more space and on granting equitable access to green spaces.

Researchers have found genes in the reproductive organs of bulls that influence fertility. The findings can be transferred to humans, as these genes are also present in men.

Achim Walter believes increased cultivation of legumes would bring major benefits. But how to persuade farmers in Switzerland to make the switch?

Two years ago, Russia launched its war of aggression against Ukraine. One direct consequence of the conflict is the destruction of buildings and infrastructure. Now an exhibition in the ETH Main Building entitled “ETH with Ukraine” is showing how buildings, facilities and the environment in Ukraine can be protected or restored.

A global study shows that the world’s groundwater resources are dwindling: levels are falling sharply worldwide, and the decline has accelerated in the 21st century. Nevertheless, there is still reason for hope.

Alumni Stories: Future Food Fellow Joan Oñate Narciso shares how her work on kabog millet with communities in Cebu, Philippines has left a lasting impression on her life.

As the RUNRES project enters its second phase of developing and now upscaling innovations for circular economies in the rural-urban nexus, private-public-partnerships will continue to play an important role.

New ways to measure nitrous oxide emissions from soils as well as detect invasive pests in vineyards are the foci of two new interdisciplinary projects starting in 2024. Both projects are funded by the Center’s Smart Sustainable Farming Research Program.

Updates from the Novel Protein for Food and Feed Flagship Project include the development of “calamari” rings made from microalgae and mung bean protein as well as a study on Singaporean consumers’ acceptance of microalgae-based foods.

The Center announces two new projects starting in 2024 focused on understanding how different crop rotation practices affect water and nitrogen balances as well as production. Both projects are funded by the Improving Sustainability of Agricultural and Food Systems across Key Environmental Metrics Research Program.  

Three new projects supported by the Future Food Initiative focus on various topics of health and nutrition. Adipose tissue expandability and probiotic bacteria functional ability will be investigated as well as new innovations for processing plant proteins.

More and more people are afraid of climate change. For Cyril Brunner, this also has to do with how we talk about climate. We should focus less on problems and instead spend more time discussing solutions, suggests the climate researcher at the start of the year.

Craig Walton is the first NOMIS Fellow at the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life at ETH Zurich. With an unconventional idea, he wants to find out the conditions under which life originated on Earth.

Snow measurement has never been so fast and accurate: ETH Zurich researchers have developed an artificial intelligence capable of determining snow depth across Switzerland using satellite images.

Samuel Levy and Lorenz Allemann have won this year's SFIAR Award. Both researchers focussed their award-winning research work on the Amazon region. Congratulations!  

From the giant blue whale to minuscule microbes, all creatures on this earth continuously shed traces of their DNA. These clues help researchers to determine the degree of biological diversity.

At the recent World Food Forum at the FAO in Rome, a delegation from ETH Zurich interacted and exchanged with leaders and youth from around the world.

Food Day @ETH brought more than 200 people with different backgrounds together to discuss food system transformation. The networking poster session gave young scientists a stage to present their innovative research on food system topics.

People living on the in low-lying coastal areas will be at even greater risk from cyclones in the future. Natural ecosystems offer protection, but this protection has decreased in recent years and is expected to continue to decline. This is a finding of a model study by an international team of researchers led by ETH Zurich.

New study estimates that natural forest recovery could capture approximately 226 Gigatonnes (Gt) of carbon, but only if we also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Achieving these results requires community-driven efforts to conserve and restore biodiversity.

In a new study, an international consortium led by researchers at ETH Zurich, investigated the cascading impacts after two consecutive hurricanes (Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017) on smallholder banana farmers in Dominican Republic.

In fall 2023, the Center contributed to several public dialogue events. Researchers were on hand to talk to visitors at Scientifica and OLMA about innovations for sustainable food systems.

Every year, ETH Zurich awards the ESOP scholarship to excellent students from different backgrounds. This year, two students, Nina Bili Rossi and Abheepsa Nanda decided to use their scholarships to pursue a Master’s degree programme at the Department of Environmental Systems Science (D-USYS). This week, we are presenting Nina, who came to ETH to study agricultural economics.

The Alps are being increasingly affected by floods and droughts. According to Manuela Brunner, we can do something about this problem: use water more sparingly and think about hazard protection in broader terms.

Turning unused waste from food production into clean energy: Researchers at ETH Zurich and Nanyang Technological University Singapore are using chicken feathers to make fuel cells more cost-effective and sustainable.

They set out to study the Congo Basin’s carbon cycle and in the process have become aware of one of the world’s darkest blackwater rivers: the Ruki. In the first study on this major jungle river, an international research team led by ETH Zurich explains how this blackness comes about and what it says about the river system’s carbon balance.

ETH Zurich is present at the Olma trade fair in St Gallen. Using spin-offs and games, the ETH booth illustrates how research can contribute to making Swiss food and agriculture sustainable.

ETH Professor Sonia Seneviratne has been elected as Vice-Chair of the Working Group I of the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In order to take on this new responsibility, she is stepping down as Associate Vice President for Sustainability at ETH Zurich. In this interview she talks about her old and new positions.

The World Food System Center along with the Grassland Sciences Group are pleased to announce the return of the public lecture series on agroecology and its role in the transformation of sustainable food systems.

As part of the Open Your Eyes Photo Festival, a panel discussion brought together experts and ETH Zurich students to discuss the sustainability of Swiss food production.  

Forests renew themselves naturally. There has been very little research into how exactly this happens – until now. Researchers at ETH Zurich and WSL have set themselves the task of solving this puzzle.

Using a new analytical method, ETH Zurich doctoral student Julie Lestang aims to determine the chemical profile of cacao beans reliably and quickly. This forms the basis for controlled fermentation – and high-quality chocolate.

Strategy games developed by ETH ecologists bring different stakeholders to the table. By shifting people’s perspectives, they create a win-win situation for environmental protection.

The risk of fatal heatwaves has risen sharply over the past 20 years. In the future, such extreme weather will become more frequent and heat-related excess mortality will increase. Europe will be particularly affected, as ETH Zurich researchers show.

ETH alumnus Fabian Unteregger is one of Switzerland’s most successful cabaret artists. But bringing people together and coming up with solutions is where his passion lies.

For the first time, researchers combined human and ecological factors to analyse the global scale of non-native tree species invasions. Human activity in hotspots of global trade, such as maritime ports, is linked to an increased likelihood of non-native tree species invasions. However, a high diversity of native tree species can help to curb the intensity of such invasions.

ETH spin-off Gaia Tech transforms waste from olive oil production into high-quality antioxidants for use in cosmetics or food. This turns waste into valuable raw materials.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have demonstrated the use of a specially coated metal mesh to harvest water from fog and simultaneously remove pollutants. People living in dry but foggy areas should benefit from this technology.

A new method allows large quantities of muscle stem cells to be safely obtained in cell culture. This provides a potential for treating patients with muscle diseases – and for those who would like to eat meat, but don’t want to kill animals.

The media uproar over wolf attacks on livestock in Switzerland and a bear attack in Italy show how charged the issue of large carnivores and humans coexisting in Europe is. ETH Zurich researcher Paula Mayer has now created a participatory model to help facilitate human-bear coexistence using the example of the Apennine brown bear.

A team led by researchers from ETH Zurich and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) advances to the finals of the competition "XPRIZE Rainforest". The international competition aims to promote the development of autonomous technologies for collecting data on biodiversity.

Researchers are using a new model to clarify why millions of years ago more animal species from Asia made the leap to the Australian continent than vice versa. The climate in which the species evolved played an important role.

The Flagship Project Novel Proteins for Food and Feed aims to develop food innovations to provide new sources of sustainable and nutritious protein for a growing world population. Work continues on projects focused on urban food waste management with black soldier fly larvae, in Switzerland and Singapore.

The Flagship Project Enhancing Resilience in Food Systems seeks to directly contribute to food systems resilience by supporting decision-​making in practice through stakeholder participation and academic education. Several projects are ongoing in countries across Africa and in Switzerland.

World Food System Center alumni and friends plant seeds of learning and understanding at Bloom, a community garden project in Zurich. Recent highlights at the garden include permaculture and mushroom workshops and a film series.

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.

When microorganisms break down organic material in the soil, they actively release CO₂ into the atmosphere. This process is called heterotrophic respiration. A novel model shows that these emissions could surge by up to 40 percent by the end of the century – most significantly in the polar regions.

How we are contaminating our waters with microplastics and a multitude of chemicals.

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

A delegation from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization visited food system researchers at ETH Zurich to discuss innovations for change.

The expansion of hydropower generation often leads to conflicts of interest, both in Switzerland and beyond. Researchers from ETH Zurich are trying to find a basis for compromise that serves the public interest.

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

The Morphs are here! The smart, eager-to-learn creatures are now waiting in the ETH main building for players to train them. "Morph Tales - Exploring Artificial Intelligence" is a new game from ETH Zurich that is fun to play and shows how humans and AI master tasks together.

To decarbonize our economy, electricity will replace oil and natural gas as the primary energy carrier. Where should that power come from? Many people argue that all of it should be produced domestically. Careful analysis suggests some share of it should be imported, says Anthony Patt.

Switzerland is monitoring its biological diversity as part of a global effort to understand its changes and prevent further biodiversity loss. Researchers from ETH Zurich are working on a pioneering pilot study that includes the analysis of genetic diversity of native species.

Eating insects might make some people squeamish, but they are already part of the diet of millions of people worldwide. Researchers at ETH Zurich explored insects as source of dietary iron. Nikolin Hilaj and Diego Moretti present their findings in our new film.

Insect pests cause major crop damage and yield losses. ETH Zurich researcher Anna Spescha shares her work with beneficial soil organisms to control insect pests.

How might we involve the collective in agroecological projects and ensure long-term application? A group of World Food System Center alumni recently traveled to Colombia to explore answers to this question with local organizations.

Political debate is vital for a functioning democracy. And when it comes to complex issues such as climate change, scientists should be able to share their expertise and help shape opinion, says Reto Knutti.