News EPFL

Learning lessons from medium-sized Swiss cities

Published:03.07.24 — "La Suisse de A(rbon) à Z(oug): Portrait en 12 villes", a new book published by EPFL Press, eschews the traditional focus on major conurbations. Each chapter is penned by a researcher working in the humanities and social sciences, who provides insights into the city they know best through a dual lens: as both an expert and a resident.

A collaboration to push the boundaries of cosmos mapping

Published:02.07.24 — EPFL officially joined the Multi Spectroscopic Telescope (MUST) project, led by China’s Tsinghua University, as a founding member. This flagship project will enable scientists to better understand the young universe, dark energy and dark matter.

Controlling electronics with light: the magnetite breakthrough

Published:01.07.24 — Researchers at EPFL have discovered that by shining different wavelengths of light on a material called magnetite, they can change its state, making it more or less conducive to electricity. This could lead to the development of innovative materials for electronics.

Membrane protein analogues could accelerate drug discovery

Published:21.06.24 — EPFL researchers have created a deep learning pipeline for designing soluble analogues of key protein structures used in pharmaceutical development, sidestepping the prohibitive cost of extracting these proteins from cell membranes.

Scientists reveal why some people with the flu may be more contagious

Published:26.06.24 — EPFL scientists have discovered that in indoor spaces, droplets containing the flu virus will remain infectious for longer when they also contain certain types of bacteria found in our respiratory tract. This finding provides important insight into how respiratory infections are transmitted and can enhance estimates of exposure risk.

Introducing the young people of Valais to science

Published:26.06.24 — “Les sciences, ça m’intéresse,” a science outreach program aimed at young people aged 7 to 16 years, is now available in Valais. The initiative uses fun, hands-on activities to inspire interest in science and technology. The program’s expansion was made possible thanks to the support of UBS and a partnership between EPFL’s Science Outreach Department, the EPFL Valais Wallis campus and the Canton of Valais.

Moving objects precisely with sound

Published:25.06.24 — EPFL researchers have succeeded in directing floating objects around an aquatic obstacle course using only soundwaves. Their novel, optics-inspired method holds great promise for biomedical applications such as noninvasive targeted drug delivery.