News EPFL

Strain “trick” improves perovskite solar cells' efficiency

Published:09.04.25 — Researchers at EPFL have found a way to dramatically reducing energy loss and boosting efficiency perovskite solar cells by incorporating rubidium using lattice strain—a slight deformation in the atomic structure that helps keep rubidium in place.

Small- model approach could be more effective

Published:07.04.25 — Small language models are more reliable and secure than their large counterparts, primarily because they draw information from a circumscribed dataset. Expect to see more chatbots running on these slimmed-down alternatives in the coming months.

“Fruit flies are a major source of inspiration in robotics”

Published:04.04.25 — Researchers at EPFL’s Neuroengineering Laboratory, led by Pavan Ramdya, aim to replicate the workings of the brain of the common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. We spoke with Ramdya about the exciting prospects for robotics.

How to detect criminal activities on Signal or WhatsApp?

Published:01.04.25 — Encryption is a way to ensure that data sent from one device to another can’t be read if intercepted. But what if the data pertains to criminal activity? Ana-Maria Cretu from EPFL’s Security and Privacy Engineering Lab shares her expertise on safety versus privacy concerns.

Gut microbiome serves as a “second brain” regulating our bodies

Published:26.03.25 — The microorganisms in our intestines play an important role in many bodily processes, from digestion to emotions, and are a key factor in our overall health. A number of modern diseases could be traced to disturbances in the gut microbiome.

Listen to quantum atoms talk together thanks to acoustics

Published:27.03.25 — To get around the constraints of quantum physics, EPFL researchers have built a new acoustic system to study the way the minuscule atoms of condensed matter talk together. They hope to one day build an acoustic version of a quantum computer.

Can energy-hungry AI help cut our energy use?

Published:24.03.25 — It takes ten times more electricity for ChatGPT to respond to a prompt than for Google to carry out a standard search. Still, researchers are struggling to get a grasp on the energy implications of generative artificial intelligence both now and going forward.