News
Deep iron nanoparticles prove the Earth's mantle never mixed
Hidden within volcanic rocks from Hawaii, Iceland and Samoa lies a chemical relic from the earliest history of our planet.
Even the most remote ocean is contaminated with zinc from human sources
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.
The volcano that slept for 100,000 years was never truly quiet
A volcano can lie dormant for over 100,000 years not because it is dying, but because water-rich magma is trapped in the crust, silently growing its reservoir. Studying zircon crystals from the Methana volcano, scientists show how seemingly extinct volcanoes could reawaken with limited warning.
The Earth formed from local building blocks
Planetary scientists at ETH Zurich have shown that the material that makes up the Earth originates exclusively from the inner solar system. This also sheds new light on the history of our planet’s formation.
“Why us? And why Earth?”: a planetologist’s fascination with celestial bodies
Paolo Sossi is fascinated by how celestial bodies form. Even so, he would think twice before embarking on a journey to another planet.
Deep in Earth’s mantle, melting begins the same way worldwide
Volcanoes are the surface expression of magmas that begin their journey at about 200 km depth. How these deep magmas form has now been investigated by a team of researchers from ETH Zurich and the Carnegie Institution for Science.
The Earth’s core is a huge hidden reservoir of hydrogen
Recent research from ETH Zurich has revealed that the Earth’s core contains significantly more hydrogen than previously believed. The analysis suggests that a substantial amount of hydrogen entered the core during the early stages of the Earth’s formation.
The Swiss underground contains numerous indications of critical raw materials
A re-evaluation of georesources data shows that there are indications of occurrences of numerous critical raw materials such as copper, rare earths elements and lithium in Switzerland. Could their exploration mining be worthwhile?
When nature turns petroleum into a resource for essential metals
Base metals such as zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) are essential elements for our economy. They are most commonly used for galvanizing protection for steel and the manufacture of batteries. Both metals are mostly mined from deposits hosted in ancient sedimentary rock formations.
Nine new professors appointed
Earth sciences and chemistry, computer and materials science, nutrition and architecture: the incoming professors work in a wide range of very timely research fields. Seven ETH professors will soon leave the university.