Zinc from industry and fossil fuel combustion reaches even the most remote oceans, as researchers at ETH Zurich have shown. There, it now exceeds natural inputs, potentially disturbing the balance of marine ecosystems.
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Even in the extremely remote South Pacific Ocean, zinc from man-made emissions now exceeds natural sources.
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Zinc emitted by humans is carried by aerosols over vast distances and transported to open ocean regions far from civilisation.
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Rising zinc concentrations in seawater could disrupt the delicate balance of plankton communities and the marine food web.
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Read the whole article on ethz.ch
Could a “dead” volcano wake up again? Study of Methana shows water rich magma can build unseen, meaning eruptions may come with little warning.
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The Methana volcano in Greece appeared dormant for over 100,000 years, but magma was continuously accumulating deep underground.
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Water-rich magma slowed its own ascent by crystallizing, preventing eruptions while allowing a hidden reservoir to grow larger.
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The study shows that long volcanic silence does not mean safety, challenging how “extinct” volcanoes are assessed globally.
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Read the full article on ethz.ch
Maria Schönbächler nahm mit einem internationalen Team an einer Expedition in die Antarktis teil und fand dabei einen 7.6 Kilogramm schweren Meteoriten. Die Mission war sehr erfolgreich, denn solch grosse Meteoriten sind sehr selten. Er stammt aus dem Asteroidengürtel, der seine Reise im antarktischen Blaueis beendete und mehrere zehntausend Jahre im Eis lag, bevor er entdeckt wurde. Meteoriten gehören zu den ältesten Materialien, die auf der Erde gefunden werden können.
📷 Maria Schönbächler
#meteorite #antarctica #expedition
Geologie in Zürich – Stadtführung einmal anders
Komm mit uns und der Fachgruppe Georessourcen Schweiz mit auf eine spannende Reise durch die Vergangenheit bis in die Gegenwart, über einen Moränenwall und an Findlingen vorbei, zu alten und neuen Bauwerken, erstellt aus einer bunten Vielfalt an Natur- und Kunststeinen, die das Stadtbild von Zürich prägen.
📅 Mittwoch, 12. Mai 2026, 17-19 Uhr
📍 Treffpunkt: @focusterra_eth
#Geologie #Stadtführung #Bausteine
#focusTerra #ETHzürich
Come back to campus to look to the moon. 🌕🚀
Mark your calendar: May 30, 2026. ETH Zurich turns into a space hub – and you’re invited.
At your alma mater, explore how satellites provide new insights into our environment, how robots navigate the Moon, and how galaxies tell the story of how stars are formed.
Expect a full day of:
🎤 Lectures & live podcasts
🛰️ exhibitions
🔬 Workshops & guided tours
🌌 A mobile planetarium experience
Some events are open to public; others require registration – secure your spot early. 👉 Discover the program & register now (link in bio)!
Am 30. Mai wird die ETH Zürich mit wow² Space – ins All und zurück zur Bühne für aktuelle Forschung, spannende Gespräche und überraschende Einblicke.
Es erwartet Sie ein vielseitiges Programm aus Vorträgen, Live-Podcast und Science & Comedy Show:
• Wie Satelliten den Zustand unserer Umwelt sichtbar machen – Prof. Dr. Verena Griess
• Faszinierende Einblicke in ferne Galaxien dank modernster Teleskoptechnik – Dr. Adrian Glauser
• Neue Missionen zur Höhlenforschung auf dem Mond – Elena Krasnova
• Leben auf dem Mars – wann erfahren wir mehr? – Dr. Simon Stähler
• NZZ Geopolitik Live-Podcast zur Zukunft und Kontrolle von Satelliten im All – David Vogel, Felix Seidel und Leonid Leiva Ariosa
• Wissenschaft trifft Humor bei BLACK BOX Space am Abend mit Prof. Dr. Sascha Quanz, Deborah Müller, Patrick Karpiczenko und Dr. Mirko Bischofberger
Staunen. Entdecken. Verstehen. Mitfiebern – gemeinsam mit den Forschenden der ETH Zürich.
Die meisten Vorträge sind frei zugänglich. Für ausgewählte Programmpunkte ist eine Anmeldung erforderlich. Sichern Sie sich rechtzeitig Ihren Platz. Jetzt Programm entdecken und dabei sein: https://ethz.ch/de/news-und-veranstaltungen/meet-eth/wowhochzwei/vortraege-und-gespraeche.html
#space #galaxies #satellites #SpaceTechnologies #SpaceEconomy @ethzurich@ethz_dusys@eth_dphys@eth_eaps@nzz
The chemical composition of meteorites and asteroids acts as a kind of fingerprint, providing information about the origin of the building materials that formed the Earth.
Using a new analysis of existing data, the researchers show that this material must exclusively come from the inner solar system.
The material that formed the Earth is similar to that found on Mars and the asteroid Vesta. The Earth is thus part of a trend line extending from the Sun.
This close relationship also enables predictions to be made about the composition of Venus and Mercury, from which we have no known samples.
For more information, visit ethz.ch (link in the bio)
The new location of ETH Swiss GeoLab in the Canton of Lucerne has been decided: the centre of competence for Earth observation will be established at D4 Business Village in the municipality of Root. This location stands out for its attractive business environment, good public transport connections to Zurich and immediate availability of scalable space.
ETH Zurich is expected to open the new location in the summer of this year. We would like to express our gratitude for the many valuable submissions (46 in total) and for the excellent cooperation with the Canton of Lucerne.
In 16 disciplines, the university ranks among the 10 best in the world. In addition to Earth Sciences, it also achieves an outstanding ranking in Architecture, Civil and Structural Engineering, and Environmental Sciences. These are the latest results of the QS World University Rankings according to subject.
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Read the full article on https://ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2026/03/eth-zurich-still-the-worlds-best-university-in-earth-sciences.html
Future lunar missions may rely on a fibre-optic cables to assess vital sub-surface structures. Researchers at ETH Zurich are investigating whether lightweight optical fibres – like those used for internet communication on Earth – could be deployed on the Moon to detect seismic activity and reveal its interior structures.
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Scientists propose fibre-optic cables as dense, lightweight seismic sensors on the Moon.
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Laser-based Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) technology could map lunar interiors using vibrations from Moonquakes, lunar landings, and meteorites etc.
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The Moon’s conditions make this method especially effective for future exploration.
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Read the full article on https://ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2026/03/imaging-the-moons-interior-with-fibre-optics.html
The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at ETH Zurich offers four forward-looking Master’s programmes designed to equip students with strong analytical and computational skills, hands-on experience, and a deep scientific understanding of Earth and planetary systems.
Our students engage with cutting-edge research, benefit from close interaction with leading scientists, and gain the quantitative and interdisciplinary skills needed to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time – from natural hazards and resource management to climate change and space exploration.
We are proud to be consistently ranked among the top institutions worldwide in Earth Sciences, Geophysics, and Geology. Study with us!
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#EarthSciences #ClimateScience #Geophysics #SpaceSystems #AppliedGeophysics #Geology #EngineeringGeology #Mineralogy #Geochemistry #ETHZurich #StudyAtETH
