News Opening a window on environmental phenomenaPublished:23.07.24 — Data collected by satellites, drones, radars and microscopes provide a goldmine of information to better understand our environment. And when these data are coupled with artificial intelligence (AI), they can unlock the secrets of phenomena taking place at all levels. “The variety of backgrounds in my classroom is to everyone's benefit”Published:18.06.24 — Julia Schmale is just as comfortable in an EPFL lecture hall as on an icebreaker in the Arctic. This adventurous spirit – along with the specific know-how of her students – enhances her cutting-edge research.Scientists map biodiversity changes in the world's forestsPublished:31.05.24 — A group of EPFL and ETH Zurich scientists have mapped the biodiversity in forests worldwide. Their data, when combined with climate projections, reveal trends that could support ecosystem conservation and restoration efforts.How rising treelines can affect Alpine lakesPublished:08.05.24 — An EPFL scientist along with colleagues from universities across Europe have completed the first-ever quantitative study of the changes that soil organic matter from forests can cause in high-altitude and high-latitude lakes once it’s dissolved in the water.AI-powered system maps corals in 3D in record timePublished:19.03.24 — An artificial intelligence system developed at EPFL can produce 3D maps of coral reefs from camera footage in just a few minutes. It marks a major leap forward in deep-sea exploration and conservation capabilities for organizations like the Transnational Red Sea Center (TRSC).Glacier shrinkage is causing a “green transition”Published:01.03.24 — Glacier-fed streams are undergoing a process of profound change, according to EPFL scientists in a paper appearing in Nature Geoscience. This conclusion is based on the expeditions to the world’s major mountain ranges by members of the Vanishing Glaciers project.Mapping the blue ice in Antarctica from the skyPublished:07.02.24 — Antarctica’s blue ice is a gold mine of information for scientists. Yet it’s scattered across areas making up just 1% of the continent’s surface – so it’s not easy to find. But now, researchers have generated a map of blue ice areas by combining artificial intelligence with satellite data.Vanishing worlds: Exploring our planet's icy ecosystemsPublished:26.01.24 — Long considered devoid of life, glaciers – and the microorganisms they harbor – are receiving the recognition they deserve.Polar ice holds the key to our future on EarthPublished:26.01.24 — The world’s ice shelves, glaciers and ice caps are melting at an alarming rate. The extent of polar sea ice in both the Arctic and the Antarctic is unusually low this year. Protecting the cryosphere is essential to life on Earth – which is why scientists are pulling out all the stops to understand the complex dynamics“Valais is an ideal laboratory to study climate change impacts”Published:26.01.24 — Exploring the climate crisis with Jérôme Chappellaz, environmental scientist and academic director of ALPOLE at EPFL.Permafrost: a ticking time bomb beneath our feetPublished:20.12.23 — Nearly a quarter of the Earth’s land surface is permanently frozen. These areas, known as permafrost, are found in northern polar regions and at high altitudes. But the permafrost is now starting to thaw – with potentially disastrous consequences for the climate. Here, we look at what scientists currently know about this potential threat.AI helps detecting plastic in oceansPublished:22.11.23 — A research team from EPFL and Wageningen University has developed a new artificial intelligence model that recognises floating plastics much more accurately in satellite images than before. This could help to systematically remove plastic litter from the oceans with ships.A summer of intense field-work for the GreenFjord projectPublished:25.10.23 — GreenFjord is a four-year research program intended to investigate how climate change is affecting ecosystems in southern Greenland. The scientists just completed a first intensive field season where they won over the local residents. The next step will be to analyze the millions of datapoints they collected.Flowing fluids shape the social life of gut microbesPublished:04.07.23 — A groundbreaking study reveals that the flow of fluids influences the spatial organization of bacterial communities that inhabit our intestines, revealing an overlooked factor potentially mediating our microbiome and gut health.Belgica 2023 medal for Jérôme ChappellazPublished:20.06.23 — Professor Jérôme Chappellaz has been awarded the Belgica 2023 Medal for polar exploration by the Royal Academy of Belgium.“The polar regions are an utterly fascinating scientific playground”Published:16.05.23 — Joining EPFL to head the Ferring Pharmaceuticals Margaretha Kamprad Chair in Environmental Sciences, Jérôme Chappellaz brings decades of experience studying the evolution of the earth’s climate and sharing his findings with the public.Prof. Tom Battin receives European Geosciences Union awardPublished:27.04.23 — EPFL Prof. Tom Battin has been awarded the 2023 Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky Medal for his pioneering research on biofilms in streams. The awards ceremony was held in Vienna on Wednesday, 26 April 2023.Scientists monitor wildlife to boost preservation effortsPublished:02.03.23 — To mark the tenth annual UN World Wildlife Day, we compiled a sample of EPFL research projects that are using technology to protect and preserve wildlife.Why rivers matter for the global carbon cyclePublished:19.01.23 — In a new journal article, EPFL professor Tom Battin reviews our current understanding of carbon fluxes in the world’s river networks. He demonstrates their central role in the global carbon cycle and argues for the creation of a global River Observation System.EPFL plans new research center in Valais on the energy transitionPublished:19.12.22 — Ten years after signing the agreement to open its Valais Wallis campus in Sion, today EPFL opened a new building on the campus: Alpole, which will serve as a research center on alpine and polar environments. EPFL also took the opportunity to unveil plans to create another research center in Sion – one focused on the energy transition – and has obtained preliminary approval from the Valais cantonal government.All news