ETH News
All stories that have been tagged with Earth sciences
Millions of years for plants to recover from global warming
News
![A volcano erupts in the background, glowing lava flows over dark rock in the foreground](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2024/08/millions-of-years-for-plants-to-recover-from-global-warming/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.376168963.jpg)
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.
From Earth to distant worlds: ETH department is now called Earth and Planetary Sciences
News
![Boulders and clouds of dust floating around a sun in space](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2024/08/from-earth-to-distant-worlds-eth-department-is-now-called-earth-and-planetary-sciences/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.758437356.jpg)
The Department of Earth Sciences at ETH Zurich has been renamed the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, abbreviated to D-EAPS, effective 1 August. Head of Department Johan Robertsson explains why the renaming was both logical and necessary.
New class of Mars quakes reveals daily meteorite strikes
News
![Meteoroid on the Mars](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2024/06/new-class-of-mars-quakes-reveals-daily-meteorite-strikes/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.1226249517.jpg)
An international team of researchers combine orbital imagery with seismological data from NASA’s Mars InSight lander to derive a new impact rate for meteorite strikes on Mars. Seismology also offers a new tool for determining the density of Mars’ craters and the age of different regions of a planet.
How the plant world shapes the climate cycle
News
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In order to understand the Earth's resilience, researchers at ETH Zurich are modelling climate changes from times long past. And they show: Plants are not simply victims of circumstances, but have helped to shape climate conditions on Earth.
Detecting storms thanks to GPS
News
![Gloomy storm clouds which are lightened by a flash of lightning.](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2024/03/detecting-storms-thanks-to-gps/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.1495192112.jpg)
Researchers at ETH Zurich have succeeded in detecting heavy precipitation events directly with GPS data. The results of their study could significantly improve meteorological monitoring and forecasting.
Do we have cosmic dust to thank for life on Earth?
News
![Shattering asteroid in space, smoking dust](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2024/02/haben-wir-das-leben-auf-der-erde-kosmischem-staub-zu-verdanken/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.1265409462.jpg)
It might be that what set prebiotic chemistry in motion and kept it going in the early days of the Earth was dust from outer space accumulating in holes melted into ice sheets. Researchers at ETH Zurich and the University of Cambridge have used a computer model to test this scenario.
New Master’s in Space Systems to be launched in September
News
![Spiral galaxy](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2024/02/new-masters-in-space-systems-to-launch-in-september/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.64918016.jpg)
A new Master’s degree programme in Space Systems will be launched at ETH Zurich in autumn 2024. Interested parties can start applying in April.
The rocky road to the beginning
News
![Portraitphoto of Craig Walton](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2024/01/the-rocky-road-to-the-beginning/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.348821443.jpg)
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.
"I’m fascinated by how modern technologies can help us reveal the inner workings of our planet."
- Globe magazine
- Homehero
![Portrait picture of Andreas Fichtner](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2023/12/globe-im-fascinated-by-how-modern-technologies-can-help-us-reveal-the-inner-workings-of-our-planet/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.1437266336.jpg)
Seismologist Andreas Fichtner uses the newest technologies to explore the interior of the Earth. His research with seismic waves has also found applicability in the field of medicine. ?
Mystery of the Martian core solved
News
![Illustration, Mars cut in two so that the nucleus is visible in the center](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2023/10/mystery-of-the-martian-resolved/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.2111296344.jpg)
Mars’s liquid iron core is smaller and denser than previously thought. Not only is it smaller, but it is also surrounded by a layer of molten rock. This is what ETH Zurich researchers conclude on the basis of seismic data from the InSight lander.
Why there are no kangaroos in Bali (and no tigers in Australia)
News
![Kangaroo lying in the sun with half closed eyes](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2023/07/why-there-are-no-kangaroos-in-bali-and-no-tigers-in-australia/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.786166367.jpg)
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.
Global warming accelerates CO2 emissions from soil microbes
News
![Microscopic image of microbes on humus](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2023/06/global-warming-accelerates-co2-emissions-from-soil-microbes/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.373161690.jpg)
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.
Former NASA Science Director is joining ETH Zurich
- News
- Homehero
![Thomas Zurbuchen holds a presentation.](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2023/05/former-nasa-science-director-is-joining-eth-zurich/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.234774013.jpg)
From 2016 to 2022, Thomas Zurbuchen was responsible for research at NASA, the US space agency. From August this year, he will become director of ETH Zurich Space. This initiative aims to promote space research and teaching at ETH and to expand and strengthen cooperation with the space industry.
Stefan Wiemer on earthquakes
- News
- Homepage
![Destroyed building after earthquake](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2023/04/stefan-wiemer-on-earthquakes/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.545381636.jpg)
In the video series "Ask the Expert", experts from ETH Zurich answer questions from the community. In this edition, Stefan Wiemer provides information on the topic of earthquakes.
"Earthquake in Turkey was an earthquake doublet"
- News
- Homepage
![](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2023/03/earthquake-in-turkey-was-an-earthquake-doublet/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.2025775763.jpg)
ETH Zurich researcher Luca Dal Zilio offers an insightful summary of the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, shedding light on the complex nature of this event. He discusses the lessons that can be drawn from it to better understand and prepare for future seismic occurrences in the region.
Maren Brehme on geothermal energy
- News
- Homepage
![Maren Brehme at work by a pond surrounded by gravel](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2023/03/maren-brehme-ueber-geothermische-energie/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.39045771.jpg)
In the video series "Ask the Expert", ETH Zurich experts answer questions from the community. In this edition, Maren Brehme provides information on the topic of geothermal energy.
Knowing where earthquakes will cause damage
- News
- Homepage
![Old black and white picture of three men sweeping debris from the street.](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2023/03/knowing-where-earthquakes-cause-damage/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.1758161001.jpg)
The Swiss Seismological Service at ETH Zurich has just introduced the first seismic risk model for Switzerland. It shows the potential impact of earthquakes on people and buildings in the country.
A habitable planet
Globe magazine
![Sun in the background, in the foreground you can see various rocky planets.](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2023/01/a-habitable-planet/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.667126242.jpg)
Life has existed on Earth for billions of years. Stabilising mechanisms have helped our planet remain habitable to this day.
Of cancer therapy research and Mars volcanism
News
![](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2022/12/looking-back-at-2022/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.942892491.jpg)
A special year is soon coming to an end. In 2022, much has been researched, developed and invented at ETH Zurich. ETH News looks back on an eventful past year.
NASA’s InSight Lander has retired
News
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The lander’s team has tried to contact the spacecraft twice without response, leading them to conclude it has run out of energy.
Playgrounds in the universe
Globe magazine
![](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2022/12/playgrounds-in-the-universe/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.168756781.jpg)
Nobel laureate and astrophysicist Didier Queloz and earth scientist Cara Magnabosco on the origin of life on Earth, complex life beyond our planet, and the inevitable end of every life.
Magma on Mars likely
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Until now, Mars has been generally considered a geologically dead planet. An international team of researchers led by ETH Zurich now reports that seismic signals indicate vulcanism still plays an active role in shaping the Martian surface.
In search of the origin of life
Press release
![](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2022/09/pr-in-search-of-the-origin-of-life/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.2043971266.jpg)
ETH Zurich is opening a new research and teaching centre with a focus on exploring the origin and prevalence of life on Earth and beyond. Under the leadership of Nobel Laureate Didier Queloz, more than 40 research groups from five departments will address the big questions posed by humankind.
New insights into the Earth’s formation
News
![Artist’s impression of the Earth’s formation – from chondritic asteroids on the left, and from planetesimals on the right.](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2022/07/new-insights-into-the-earths-formation/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.616711666.jpg)
An international research team led by ETH Zurich proposes a new theory for the Earth’s formation. It may also show how other rocky planets were formed.
An underrated factor
News
![Image of deformed rocks under tension](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2022/06/an-underrated-factor/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.1186865548.jpg)
How the plates of the Earth’s crust move depends largely on the behaviour of the rocks below them in the mantle. A new ETH study now shows that the grain size of these rocks is a key factor.
“It was true detective work!”
News
![Domenico Giardini looks at a Mars globe](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2022/06/true-detective-work-on-mars/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.627815726.jpg)
The InSight mission on Mars is running out of power and most of its functions could be shut down in the months to come. Some have already been deactivated. However, the attached seismometer, SEIS, will remain in operation for as long as possible. ETH Professor Domenico Giardini takes stock of three years of marsquake measurements.
New earthquake assessments strengthen preparedness in Europe
News
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European scientists with the participation of the Swiss Seismological Service at ETH Zurich have published an updated earthquake hazard map and, for the first time, an earthquake risk map for Europe. Switzerland will follow suit next year with a higher resolution national risk map.
Is Vesuvius taking an extended siesta?
News
![Pompeji](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2022/01/is-vesuvius-taking-an-extended-siesta/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.824789771.jpg)
Located near Naples, Italy, Vesuvius last had a violent eruption in 1944, towards the end of the Second World War. It could be a few hundred years before another dangerous, explosive eruption occurs, finds a new study by volcano experts at ETH Zurich.
How to better identify dangerous volcanoes
News
![eruption of Mount Pinatubo in June 1991](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2021/10/how-to-better-identify-dangerous-volcanoes/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.145942630.jpg)
The more water is dissolved in the magma, the greater the risk that a volcano will explode. A new ETH study now shows that this simple rule is only partially true. Paradoxically, high water content significantly reduces the risk of explosion.
Rock shape should be given greater consideration in risk assessments
![concrete blocks positioned on the tilting platform](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2021/09/greater-consideration-in-risk-assessments-rock-shape/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.1332684146.jpg)
The shape of rocks is a key factor in assessing rockfall hazard. This is the conclusion of a new study from the Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research and ETH Zurich.
The anatomy of a planet
Press release
![Graphic: Chris Bickel/Science, Data: InSight Mars SEIS Data Service (2019). Reprinted with permission from AAAS](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2021/07/pr-the-anatomy-of-a-planet/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.1701952476.jpg)
Researchers at ETH Zurich working together with an international team have been able to use seismic data to look inside Mars for the first time. They measured the crust, mantle and core and narrowed down their composition. The three resulting articles are being published together as a cover story in the journal Science.
AI provides debris flow warnings
News
![Mudslide](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2021/03/ai-provides-debris-flow-warnings/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.1163230253.jpg)
When it comes to debris avalanches and mudslides, there is usually very little warning. Using seismic monitoring and machine learning, researchers from ETH Zurich and WSL have developed an alarm system that can provide early warning of debris flows at Illgraben.
Warmer and wetter climates amplify carbon release
News
![Man at gaoping river](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2021/02/warmer-climates-amplify-carbon-release/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.1974982071.jpg)
Terrestrial ecosystems help mitigate climate change by absorbing large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere. A new study now confirms that changing climate conditions could reduce this effect because in warmer and wetter areas, carbon stored in the soil is released back into the atmosphere more quickly.
Scientists begin building highly accurate digital twin of our planet
News
![ESA](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2021/02/a-highly-accurate-digital-twin-of-our-planet/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.439059173.jpg)
A digital twin of our planet is to simulate the Earth system in future. It is intended to support policy-makers in taking appropriate measures to better prepare for extreme events. A new strategy paper by European scientists and ETH Zurich computer scientists shows how this can be achieved.
Martian moons have a common ancestor
News
![Martian moon impact](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2021/02/martian-moons-have-a-common-ancestor/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.727342174.jpg)
Phobos and Deimos are the remains of a larger Martian moon that was disrupted between 1 and 2.7 billion years ago, say researchers from the Institute of Geophysics at ETH Zurich and the Physics Institute at the University of Zurich. In collaboration with the U.S. Naval Observatory, they reached this conclusion using computer simulations and seismic recordings from the InSight Mars mission.
How our planets were formed
News
![Solar system](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2021/01/how-our-planets-were-formed/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.1310190263.jpg)
Terrestrial planets versus gas and ice giants: A new theory explaining why the inner solar system is so different to the outer regions runs counter to the prevailing wisdom. The theory was proposed by an international research group with ETH Zurich’s participation.
Solar activity reconstructed over a millennium
News
![Illustration solar activity](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2021/01/solar-activity-reconstructed-over-a-millennium/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.567768866.jpg)
An international team of researchers led by ETH Zurich has reconstructed solar activity back to the year 969 using measurements of radioactive carbon in tree rings. Those results help scientists to better understand the dynamics of the sun and allow more precise dating of organic materials using the C14 method.
Changing resilience of oceans to climate change
News
![Underwater image of wave with seabed](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2021/01/changing-resilience-of-oceans-to-climate-change/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.2054689488.jpg)
Oxygen levels in the ancient oceans were surprisingly resilient to climate change, new research suggests.
Leading European universities unite to battle climate change
Press release
![Geothermal energy is becoming increasingly important: geothermal power plant in Indonesia. (Image: TU Delft)](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2020/10/idea-league-easygo-en/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.89474113.jpg)
Researchers from four leading European technical universities, all members of IDEA League, are looking for new solutions against climate change in the EASYGO project.
Twelve ERC Starting Grants for ETH Zurich
Press release
![erc logo](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2020/09/pr-erc-starting-grants-2020/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.1196370804.jpg)
ETH has once again been highly successful in the awarding of this year’s ERC Starting Grants for young researchers, with the European Research Council (ERC) approving a total of CHF 21.4 million in funding for 12 ETH project submissions.
The Venus ‘ring of fire’
News
![Coronae on Venus](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2020/07/venus-ring-of-fire/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.199173450.jpg)
ETH researchers used computer simulations to classify the current activity of corona structures on the surface of Venus. To their surprise, they found a previously undiscovered ring of fire on our neighbouring planet.
Making geothermal energy safer through simulation
News
![St. Gallen geothermal project](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2020/07/simulations-for-safe-geothermal-energy/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.924767305.jpg)
Researchers from the Swiss Seismological Service SED and ETH Zurich are working with the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre CSCS and the Università della Svizzera italiana USI to develop a way of utilising geothermal energy safely with the help of supercomputers.
First global map of rockfalls on the Moon
News
![Lunar rockfall / Felssturz auf dem Mond](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2020/06/first-global-map-of-rockfalls-on-the-moon/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.498800835.jpg)
A research team from ETH Zurich and the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in G?ttingen counted over 136,000 rockfalls on the moon caused by asteroid impacts. Even billions of years old landscapes are still changing.
Cleaner air with geothermal energy
Globe magazine
![Mongolei](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2020/04/saubere-luft-dank-erdwaerme/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.2000539564.jpg)
The use of dirty coal as a heat source makes life tough in the Mongolian winter. ETH geophysicists are helping to develop geothermal energy as a clean alternative.