Simultaneous extreme heat and drought have consequences in a variety of areas – for example the economy, health and food production. In addition, due to complex socio-economic connections, such extreme events can cause knock-on effects. More …

The winners of our summer quiz have now been drawn. They plan to use their prizes when kayaking on the river, on excursions to the Munster Valley in Alsace, or after swimming at a secluded woodland pond. More …

The worldwide distribution of one of the most important cereal pathogens is the result of human activity. Researchers at the University of Zurich have traced the history and spread of wheat powdery mildew along wheat trade routes and found that mixing of genetic ancestries of related powdery mildew species played a central role in the evolution and adaptation of the pathogen. More …

Chimpanzees use communication to coordinate their cooperative behavior – such as during hunting. When chimpanzees produce a specific vocalization, known as the “hunting bark”, they recruit more group members to the hunt and capture their prey more effectively. More …

New findings are emerging from UZH research all the time, and UZH is also constantly evolving as an institution. Our summer quiz will take you on a tour of some topics that we’ve covered over the past several months. Have fun trying to guess the answers. More …

Happy couples clash over the same issues as unhappy ones, and have just as many conflicts – but they argue differently, shows a large-scale long-term psychological study from UZH. More …

Hereditary diseases often play a role when young people succumb to sudden cardiac death. Genetic analysis may prevent further suffering in the affected families, as a study at the Institute of Forensic Medicine has shown. More …

Humans make decisions based on various sensory information which is integrated into a holistic percept by the brain. But how do single cells make decisions? Much more autonomously than previously thought, as researchers from the University of Zurich have now shown. Cells base their decisions not only on outside signals like growth factors, but also on information they receive from inside the cell. This can even lead to treatment-resistant cancer cells. More …

In times of war, the media fulfill a vital function as information providers. The quality of coverage about the war in Ukraine has been relatively high, a study by the University of Zurich has now shown. Swiss media have been offering reports on the war from various perspectives, providing background information and using images carefully. However, the media depend on external sources and have failed to cover some regions indirectly affected by the conflict. More …

Health issues and loss, social isolation and mental health problems – the pandemic has had a drastic effect on our society. But how have the youngest members of society been coping with these changes? Researchers at the University of Zurich have found that the presence of parents and caregivers is enough to mitigate the pandemic’s negative effects on the social development of infants. More …

Green genetic engineering will help secure our food supply, believes plant biologist Beat Keller. One possible approach involves genetically modifying wheat to make it more resistant to powdery mildew. More …

Four UZH students emerged victorious from the international John H. Jackson Moot Court, which simulates a hearing of a fictitious case between two World Trade Organization members. The successful students, the first winners ever from UZH, had to present their arguments before a panel of experts at the WTO. More …

Covid infections are on the rise again. Time for UZH epidemiologists Milo Puhan and Viktor von Wyl to take stock and look ahead. With video. More …

When words fail, gestures can help to get the message across – especially for people who have a language disorder. An international research team has now shown that listeners attend the gestures of people with aphasia more often and for much longer than previously thought. This has implications for the use of gestures in speech therapy. More …

Mosquitoes are responsible for transmitting many disease-causing pathogens. In Switzerland, biting midges in particular make life difficult for sheep and horses. Entomologist Niels Verhulst researches methods to keep the unwanted insects away. More …

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently listed a new sibling diagnosis for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), termed complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). An international team with the involvement of the University of Zurich has now summarized the symptoms of the long-awaited new diagnosis and issued guidelines for clinical assessment and treatment. More …

2021-2030 has been declared the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing by the World Health Organization. Research into healthy longevity and the development of innovative approaches to aging have been a strategic priority at UZH for several years now. The creation of the new Healthy Longevity Center provides an added boost and a firm footing for research in this increasingly important area. More …

If we want to avoid destroying our planet, we need to transform our eating habits – and this starts in our kitchens. We have to find a balance of healthy and sustainable food, with less meat and more veg. More …

At the World Biodiversity Forum in Davos this week, the focus is on how to slow down species loss and protect ecosystems. The UZH-organized conference aims to inspire action by bringing together researchers and practitioners. More …

The Swiss National Science Foundation is supporting two University of Zurich projects with CHF 2.5 million each. Sebastian Jessberger is investigating the aging process in the brain, while Nicola Serra is on the trail of a sensational development in particle physics. More …