News

With nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, materials can be analysed to an atomic degree of precision. ETH Zurich is home to one of the most powerful NMR spectrometers in the world – and many of its research groups have now embraced this technology. 

The final discussion of the 2026 meeting of the Origins Federation brought together Didier Queloz, Jack Szostak, Dimitar Sasselov, and Cara Magnabosco, leaders in astronomy, chemistry, biology, and planetary science. The panelists explored how discoveries of exoplanets, advances in prebiotic chemistry, and growing knowledge of planetary environments are reshaping the search for life's beginnings.

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.

Five researchers have been selected for the short-term visitor programme this autumn.

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.  

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. 

The Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life is pleased to announce the
selection of three new research projects for financial support in 2026.