[ETH Zurich] The asteroid Bennu orbits the Sun once every 1.2 years and approaches Earth every six years, passing within around 300,000 kilometres. NASA took advantage of this to collect […]
ETH ZURICH
Posted inAstrobiology (general)
The SETI Institute And ETH Zurich Join Forces To Search For The Origin Of Life
[SETI Institute]. The question of how life originated and whether it exists elsewhere in the universe has fascinated humanity for centuries. Now, ETH Zurich and the SETI Institute in California […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Press Release
Earth Formed From Local Building Blocks
Planetary scientists have long debated where the material that formed our Earth comes from. Despite its location in the inner Solar System, they consider it likely that 6–40 per cent […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Habitable Zones, Press Release
Why Only A Small Number Of Planets Are Suitable For Life
For life to develop on a planet, certain chemical elements are needed in sufficient quantities. Phosphorus and nitrogen are essential. Phosphorus is vital for the formation of DNA and RNA, […]
Posted inAstrobiology (general), Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
The Genesis Project On The Origin Of Life Becomes A National Centre Of Competence In Research
The Federal Council has approved funding for the “Genesis” project on the origins of life, led by ETH Zurich in collaboration with the University of Lausanne. Genesis is one of […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Minute Witnesses From Earth’s Primordial Sea
Earth scientists often face huge challenges when researching the earth’s history: many significant events occurred such a long time ago that there is little direct evidence available. Consequently, researchers often […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Habitable Zones, Press Release
Exoplanets Are Not Water Worlds
An exoplanet orbiting a dwarf star 124 light-years from Earth made headlines around the world in April 2025. Researchers at the University of Cambridge reported that planet K2-18b could be […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
How Urea Forms Spontaneously
Urea is one of the most important industrial chemicals produced worldwide. It is used as a fertiliser, for the production of synthetic resins and explosives and as a fuel additive […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
In The search For Life On Exoplanets Finding Nothing Is Something Too
A team led by researchers at ETH Zurich’s Institute for Particle Physics and Astrophysics studied what insights can be gained from a ‘no life detected’ scenario in future exoplanet surveys.
Posted inAstrobiology (general), Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Intelligence & Language, Press Release, SETI & Technosignatures, Societal Issues
What If We Find Nothing In Our Search For Life Beyond Earth?
What if we spend decades building advanced telescopes to search for life on other planets and come up empty-handed? A recent study led by ETH Zurich researchers including corresponding author […]