Asger Jorn (1914-1973) achieved fame with his wild expressionist paintings filled with strange, wondrous creatures. But the Danish artist also made books into artworks and produced subversive theories of language. Nordic expert Klaus Müller-Wille has been taking a closer look. More …

In crises like the current one, values such as solidarity are in high demand. But acting with solidarity does not come naturally to us, especially when we have to keep it up over a long period, say sociologist Heiko Rauhut and psychologist Johannes Ullrich. More …

Specialists in science, technology, engineering and mathematics are in high demand. A good thing then that these so-called STEM subjects are a popular choice among young people. And yet, this positive development presents the Faculty of Science of UZH with a number of challenges, as MNF Dean Roland Sigel explains in an interview. More …

The University of Zurich and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin are entering into a strategic partnership. This will enable Zurich and Berlin to step up cooperation in medical research and teaching. The first joint priority area is digitalization in medicine. More …

Generosity entails costs. Its benefit to us, though, is indeterminate. Why are we nonetheless generous toward others? Neuroeconomist Philippe Tobler has peered into the brains of generous people and discovered an answer to that question. More …

Katja Rost, professor of sociology and president of the Gender Equality Commission, gives her view on the ongoing debate about racism and the role of universities. . More …

State-of-the-art sequencing technology can analyze billions of DNA fragments in a matter of hours. A group of researchers at the Functional Genomics Center Zurich has demonstrated how this high-speed method can be leveraged to increase coronavirus testing capacities: Hundreds of thousands of samples could be processed each day. More …

Now that coronavirus cases are dwindling, the economic fallout of the pandemic is becoming more apparent. One thing is clear: Countries that were well equipped before the crisis – like Switzerland with its social welfare system – will be able to cope better and get back on their feet more quickly. More …

Optimism, faith and spirituality can help us get through crises. Psychologist Ulrike Ehlert and theologian Thomas Schlag talk about strength and vulnerability, the slowing down of life, and the opportunities that can come out of crises. More …

The coronavirus isn't going anywhere anytime soon. As long as there is no vaccine, policymakers need reliable information about the level of infection within the population. Milo Puhan, an epidemiologist at UZH, is leading a national study that investigates this very issue. More …

Today, UZH returns to adapted on-site operations. What exactly does this mean for employees? Many questions were answered at last week’s virtual town hall meeting. More …

Covid-19 has spread fear and panic all over the world. The question of why this viral disease takes so many different forms is still largely unresolved. What is clear, however, is that international cooperation to manage pandemics will have to be stepped up. More …

How do UZH professors give lectures to an empty room? How have churches gotten through the crisis? The special circumstances created by the coronavirus pandemic have raised new questions for research. We present two current projects. More …

The challenges posed by the coronavirus have exposed our personal strengths and weaknesses as well as those of our society. The new UZH Magazin examines what helps us overcome crises and what we can learn from them. More …

Computer scientist Sven Seuken uses artificial intelligence to design complex electronic markets that aim to benefit vendors and customers in equal measure. More …

Artificial intelligence is already commonplace in healthcare, lightening doctors’ workloads and helping them make medical decisions. The legal issues have yet to be resolved, however. More …

Virtual reality can immerse you in foreign worlds and let you experience your body in a completely new way. Neuropsychologist Jasmine Ho wants to harness the power of these physical illusions for medical treatments. More …

From checking loan applications to selecting job applicants, decisions are increasingly being made with the aid of artificial intelligence. While AI doesn’t make them any fairer, it can make us wiser, says ethicist Markus Christen. More …

Algorithms sort the internet for us. The problem is, no one knows exactly how they decide. Information scientist Anikó Hannák is trying to change this. What she’s finding out in the process offers food for thought. More …

Artificial intelligence is changing the way we work. Information scientist Abraham Bernstein predicts that it won’t make us redundant. But there will be new forms of collaboration between humans and machines that will open up new and interesting avenues. More … 1 Comment