News
A new piece in the puzzle of Earth’s deep water
Scientists have identified two previously unknown iron-bearing minerals that could store water deep inside the Earth. The minerals are stable under the extreme conditions near the boundary between the mantle and the core and may have preserved water since the planet’s early history.
A missing mineral in half the planet
For decades, models of Earth’s interior have relied on a mineral that had never been measured under the conditions in which it actually exists. New measurements now show that most of the lower mantle may contain far less of this mineral than previously thought.
Meteorite uncovers ancient brines inside primitive asteroids
A rare meteorite, recovered within minutes of its fall, has revealed that salty, mineral-rich fluids once circulated inside a primitive asteroid. Researchers at ETH Zurich helped reconstruct the rock's journey through space.
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.
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 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?
Are we alone in the galaxy? Scientists propose a new science for humanity's deep future
If humanity is the galaxy's only technological civilisation, its survival becomes a cosmic responsibility. Researchers propose Future Dynamics, a new field to align civilisation with Earth's long-term planetary systems.
Ancient ocean crust found buried at the base of Earth's mantle
ETH Zurich researchers have discovered that slabs of ancient ocean floor lie buried near Earth's core, offering a ground-breaking explanation for mysterious, slow-moving regions deep inside our planet.
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.