News
2026 call for applications to the NOMIS–ETH Fellowship Programme
The 2026 call for applications for the NOMIS–ETH Fellowship Programme within the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life is open. Researchers are invited to apply until 8 November 2024, at 17:00 Zurich local time.
Short-term visitors for Autumn 2026
Five researchers have been selected for the short-term visitor programme this autumn.
ETH Zurich and the SETI Institute join forces to search for the origin of life
The SETI Institute, which researches the possibility of life beyond Earth, has entered into a strategic partnership with ETH Zurich. The American research organisation is providing start-up funding for a new assistant professorship and associated research activities in Zurich.
Venus: Dead? Far from it
Simulations conducted by researchers at ETH Zurich suggest a strong likelihood that Venus’s rift valleys are still geologically active rather than being mere relics of a bygone era, as had been previously believed. This finding reshapes our understanding of Earth’s sister planet and will influence future missions to Venus.
Three research projects selected for financial support
The Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life is pleased to announce the
selection of three new research projects for financial support in 2026.
2026 Cohort of the NOMIS-ETH Fellows
The Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life is pleased to announce the 2026 cohort of NOMIS-ETH Fellows. Between April and September, two postdoctoral fellows will join the COPL, thanks to the generous support of the NOMIS Foundation.
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 only a small number of planets are suitable for life
Researchers from ETH Zurich have demonstrated why only a small number of planets have the chemical requirements for life – and why the Earth is so fortunate. Their findings may have consequences for the search for life elsewhere in the universe.