Robotics professor Davide Scaramuzza has qualified to compete in an international drone racing series that will pit autonomous quadcopters against drone pilots. A million dollars await the winner. More …

The cultural identity of managers can influence the way an organization finances itself. An economist at UZH has shown that companies led by Italian-speaking people take up credit more often than those managed by German-speakers. More …

Huge floating solar islands on the ocean that produce enough energy to enable CO2-neutral global freight traffic - it sounds like science fiction, but researchers have now figured out how it might be possible. More …

Height – and the influence it has on our health – is the topic of an international symposium currently taking place at UZH. For example, research shows that tall women in Switzerland are more likely to develop cancer than shorter women. More …

Maintaining mental fitness as we age is a goal we all aspire to. But how can we achieve this? In a recent talk, neuropsychologist Martin Meyer explains why social interaction and physical activity do more to improve your mental performance than brain training exercises. More …

Our Solar System may contain alien comets that were stolen from another star flying past 4.5 billion years ago. Far away in a distant cluster of young stars, a similar close encounter might have also sent the inter-stellar visitor “Oumuamua” flying on its way towards us, and there must be many more of these free-floating objects in the Galaxy. These are results of a new study by astrophysicists at the University of Zurich. More …

With a range of grasslands, wetlands and woods, Irchel Park is rich in ecosystems and is habitat to a host of plants and animals. A new trail has been designed to give visitors to Irchel Campus the chance to discover the park’s natural environment. Marking International Day for Biological Diversity, the Irchel Nature Trail officially opens today. More …

Gottfried Keller is the most famous Zurich writer of the 19th century. He had close links with UZH and bequeathed the university his complete estate and archive, laying the foundations for modern-day Keller research. A major international congress is now being held on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Keller’s birth. From 23 to 25 May, congress attendees and speakers will examine Keller’s literary heritage. More …

With her commitment to the environment, 16-year-old Swede Greta Thunberg has provoked a debate on values among young people all over the world. How do values arise, and how do they change? An interview with social ethics expert Monika Wilhelm and economist Martin Kindschi. More …

Fifty years ago, on 21 July 1969, humans stood on the moon for the first time. To celebrate the anniversary of the moon landing, UZH astrophysicist Ben Moore has written a biography of the moon. In this interview he tells us about the new space race, and explains how the Earth’s satellite came into being. More …

Chlamydiae are bacteria that can be transmitted from pigs, goats and sheep to humans and can cause infections. We talked to veterinarian Nicole Borel whose work follows these highly adaptable and sometimes mystifying pathogens. More …

Every third teenager is subject to violence from peers. How can we identify risk factors at an early stage and intervene in time? A UZH study investigated these questions, evaluating data from the Zurich long-term study “z-proso”. More …

Is better legal protection against stalking needed in Switzerland? UZH doctoral candidate Aurelia Gurt is researching this politically hot topic. More …

Children are mostly open and tolerant towards foreigners but, in contrast to adults, their attitudes are easier to change. Much depends on their friends. More …

Many former Verdingkinder suffered a traumatic childhood, but some have managed to cope with the potentially damaging experience. Psychologist Myriam Thoma wanted to know how. More …

Paulin Jirkof has been working for around a year as 3R Coordinator for UZH. Her job is to help reduce the number of animal experiments conducted at UZH and to improve the welfare of the animals involved. More …

The illegal trade in animals and plants is a highly profitable and low-risk business. Due to inconsistent application and lax enforcement of laws in many countries, criminals get an easy ride. Students at UZH are looking for solutions to the problem. More …

How do animals communicate? How do humans acquire language? When humanities scholars and natural scientists join forces, groundbreaking answers to those questions become possible. The new Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution at UZH aims to deliver them. More …

Can water reach minus 263 degrees Celsius without turning into ice? Yes it can, say researchers from the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, if it is confined in nanometre-scale lipid channels. More …

As teacher trainer and scientist at the Department of Geography, Andreas Linsbauer communicates on environmental issues with various target groups. The exhibition he has curated, Expedition 2 Grad (Expedition 2 Degrees), opens at the National Park Centre in Zernez today. More …