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Oldest Diagnosis of Bone Infection in a Dinosaur A severe bone infection most likely caused the dinosaur whose skeleton graces the entrance of UZH's Natural History Museum to meet a sticky end in the mud. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2025-06-15, Barbara Simpson |
Fungal Resistance in Wheat: Preserving Biodiversity for Food Security Wheat production is threatened by a major fungal disease: yellow rust. UZH researchers have found traditional wheat varieties from Asia that harbor several resistance-conferring genes. They may serve as a durable source of yellow rust resistance in commercial varieties in the future. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2025-06-04, |
Live View: Stress-Induced Changes in Generations of Cancer Cells Drugs that affect DNA replication, or radiation that causes direct DNA damage, lead to increasingly diverse offspring over multiple cell generations. This increases the tumor’s genetic complexity and facilitates the development of resistance to therapy. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2025-05-20, |
Dual Associations with Two Fungi Improve Tree Fitness When trees and soil fungi form associations with each other, both partners benefit. Many tree species even form symbioses with two different types of mycorrhizal fungi at the same time. They cope better with water and nutrient scarcity, which is an important trait for forestry in the face of climate warming. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2025-05-14, |
Bonobos Combine Calls in Similar Ways to Human Language Bonobos – our closest living relatives – create complex and meaningful combinations of calls resembling the word combinations of humans. This study, conducted by researchers at the University of Zurich and Harvard University, challenges long-held assumptions about what makes human communication unique and suggests that key aspects of language are evolutionary ancient. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2025-04-02, |
Sex and evolution: lessons from the plant kingdom Researchers have uncovered new insights into the evolution of cosexuality in plants by studying the genome of the liverwort Marchantia quadrata. Their findings reveal how sex chromosomes are reshaped when plants transition from separate sexes to cosexuality, providing a window into the broader mechanisms of sex chromosome evolution in plants. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2025-04-04, Peter Szovenyi |
The Devastating Human Impact on Biodiversity Humans are having a highly detrimental impact on biodiversity worldwide. Not only is the number of species declining, but the composition of species communities is also changing. These are the findings of one of the largest studies ever conducted on this topic. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2025-03-25, |
Young Star Clusters Give Birth to Rogue Planetary-Mass Objects How do rogue planetary-mass objects – celestial bodies with masses between stars and planets – form? An international team of astronomers has used advanced simulations to show that these enigmatic objects are linked to the chaotic dynamics of young star clusters. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2025-02-26, |
Melting Glaciers Increase Loss of Freshwater Resources and Rise Global Sea Levels The melting ice from glaciers worldwide is leading to an increased loss of regional freshwater resources. Since the year 2000, glaciers have been losing 273 billion tons of ice annually. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2025-02-18, |
Climate Change Increases Risk of Successive Natural Hazards in the Himalayas An international research team has concluded that the Sikkim flood disaster in the Himalayas in October 2023 was caused by some 14.7 million cubic meters of frozen moraine material collapsing into South Lhonak Lake, triggering a 20-meter flood wave. The event is a striking example of the increasing dangers of climate change in high mountain regions. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2025-01-29, |
“Genetic Time Machine” Reveals Complex Chimpanzee Cultures Chimpanzees are known for their remarkable intelligence and use of tools, but could their cultures also evolve over time like human cultures? A new study suggests that some of their most advanced behaviors may have been passed down and refined through generations. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-11-20, |
The calming side of glutamate: retinal inhibition through a classic excitatory neurotransmitter In textbooks glutamate is described as the quintessential excitatory neurotransmitter of the brain. Now an inhibitory action of glutamate, mediated by a coupled transporter/anion channel protein, has been revealed in the retina with an impact on vision. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-11-06, Prof. Stephan Neuhauss |
Similarities in Brain Development Between Marmosets and Humans In common marmosets, the brain regions that process social interactions develop very slowly, extending until early adulthood, like in humans. During this time, all group members are involved in raising the infants, which contributes to the species’ strong socio-cognitive skills. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-10-29, |
When virology meets chemistry – Stepwise viral morphogenesis revealed by dual-color click chemistry Viruses carry nucleic acids and proteins between cells and organisms, and give rise to vast amounts of viral proteins and genomes in infected cells. Yet, it is still largely unknown how viral particles are assemble. Gomez-Gonzalez et al. visualize how viral proteins and genomes coalesce and give rise to adenovirus, an abundant human pathogen and important gene therapy and vaccination vector. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-10-25, Professor Urs Greber |
Plant Diversity Enhances Soil Carbon Retention A new study shows that increasing plant diversity in agriculture can be used to improve the carbon sequestration potential of agricultural soils. As the agricultural sector strives to reduce its carbon footprint, promoting biodiversity in agricultural practices could be the key to more sustainable and climate-friendly food production systems. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-10-23, |
Rapidly Increasing Industrial Activities in the Arctic More than 800,000 km2 of the Arctic were affected by human activity in 2013, according to an analysis of satellite-derived data on artificial light at night. On average, 85% of the light-polluted areas are due to industrial activities rather than urban development. This is crucial for sustainable development and nature conservation. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-10-21, |
Reducing Herbivore Damage Using Biodiversity Instead of Insecticide Pesticides aren’t always necessary: researchers at the University of Zurich have conducted a comprehensive field study showing that damage from herbivores can be reduced by using biodiversity within a plant species. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-10-06, |
Plant diversity enhances ecosystem multifunctionality via multitrophic diversity An international research team has shown that, in both forest and grassland ecosystems, the association between multitrophic diversity and multifunctionality was stronger than the relationship between the diversity of individual trophic groups and multifunctionality. Prof. Bernhard Schmid from the University of Zürich is part of the research team and senior author of the study. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-09-09, Bernhard Schmid |
Ancient Sea Cow Attacked by Multiple Predators Remarkable fossil evidence of an ancient sea cow being preyed upon by a crocodile and a shark offers fresh insights into the predation tactics and food chain dynamics of millions of years ago. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-08-28, |
Colorful Traits in Primates Ease Tensions Between Groups Primate ornamentation plays a crucial role in communication not only within social groups but also between them, according to a new study. The traits may help reduce intergroup aggression by enabling quick assessments of potential rivals. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-08-22, |
Using Small Black Holes To Detect Big Black Holes An international team of astrophysicists with participation of the University of Zurich proposes a novel method to detect pairs of the biggest black holes found at the centers of galaxies by analyzing gravitational waves generated by binaries of nearby small stellar black holes. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-08-04, |
Students Help Shed Light on Prehistoric Marine Giants Paleontology students at UZH had the opportunity to contribute to their professor’s publication on extinct marine megafauna. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-07-08, Text: Nicole Bruggmann, Translation: Philip Isler |
Interaction with Insects Accelerates Plant Evolution A team of researchers at UZH has discovered that plants benefit from a greater variety of interactions with pollinators and herbivores and evolve to be better adapted to different types of soil. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-06-18, |
A High-throughput procedure with light microscopy and machine learning quantifies virus infections A procedure named ‘detection of virus-induced cytopathic effect (DVICE)’ robustly quantifies virus infection-specific features in a perturbation-low manner allowing for dynamic assessment of chemically fixed and live specimens. DVICE is applicable to clinical samples, and laboratory diagnostics. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-06-17, Professor Urs Greber |
Bio-Inspired Cameras and AI Help Drivers Detect Pedestrians and Obstacles Faster Artificial intelligence (AI) combined with a novel bio-inspired camera achieves 100 times faster detection of pedestrians and obstacles than current automotive cameras. The new system can significantly improve the safety of automotive systems and self-driving cars, as UZH researchers show. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-05-27, |
Cultural Networks of Central African Hunter-Gatherers Have Ancient Origin Extensive social networks between hunter-gatherers groups in the Congo Basin existed long before agriculture arrived in the region. This continent-wide interexchange preserved a cultural diversity that evolved thousands of years ago, as UZH researchers show based on musical instruments, vocabulary and genetic data. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-05-26, |
Inoculation Against Diseased Fields A Swiss research team has now shown that inoculating the soil with mycorrhizal fungi can help maintain or even improve yields without the use of additional fertilizers or pesticides. In a large-scale field trial, harvests increased by up to 40 percent. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2023-12-06, |
Riding Sound Waves in the Brain Researchers from ETH Zurich and University Zurich have shown for the first time that microvehicles can be steered through blood vessels in the brains of mice using ultrasound. They hope that this will eventually lead to treatments capable of delivering drugs with pinpoint precision. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2023-12-06, Fabio Bergamin, ETH Zürich |
Early Primates Likely Lived in Pairs Primate social organization is more flexible than previously assumed. According to a new study led by UZH, the first primates probably lived in pairs, while only around 15 percent of individuals were solitary. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-01-02, |
Asexual Propagation of Crop Plants Gets Closer When the female gametes in plants become fertilized, a signal from the sperm activates cell division, leading to the formation of new plant seeds. This activation can also be deliberately triggered without fertilization, which opens up new avenues for the asexual propagation of crop plants. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-02-14, |
Cracking the Code of Neurodegeneration: New Model Identifies Potential Therapeutic Target Scientists at UZH have developed an innovative neural cell culture model, shedding light on the intricate mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration. Their research revealed a promising therapeutic target in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-02-21, |
Ancient Giant Dolphin Discovered in the Amazon Measuring between 3 to 3.5 meters, 16 million years old: Paleontologists from the University of Zurich have announced the discovery of a new species of freshwater dolphin in the Peruvian Amazon region. Surprisingly, its closest living relatives can be found in the river dolphins of South Asia. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-03-19, |
Limited Adaptability Makes Freshwater Bacteria Vulnerable to Climate Change Freshwater bacteria with small genomes frequently undergo prolonged periods of adaptive stagnation. Based on genomic analyses of samples from European lakes, UZH researchers uncovered the surprising evolutionary strategies. Understanding these evolutionary dynamics is key to safeguarding ecosystem services. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-05-07, |
Invasive species impacts transcend ecosystem boundaries Invasive species have profound impacts on biodiversity. A study led by UZH researchers reveals the impacts of invasive species commonly transcend major ecosystem boundaries, such as the aquatic-terrestrial interface, influencing biodiversity across larger spatial extents than previously recognized. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-04-04, Tianna Peller and Florian Altermatt |
Birds use valleys and passes to cross the Alps A team from GIUZ and the Swiss Ornithological Institute studied how migratory birds cross the Swiss Alps for the first time using year-round radar measurements: migration intensities, flight altitudes, speeds and directions were monitored. It turned out that migratory birds use the Alpine valleys and adjacent passes as passages. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-03-21, Simon Hirschhofer |
Eons in a Blink: Processes in proteins unchanged for a billion years For around four billion years, life on Earth has been developing in a fascinating evolutionary process. But how do proteins, the molecular machines in cells, change over this incredibly long period of time? In a groundbreaking study, researchers at the University of Zurich have unraveled the influence of a billion years of evolution on the pace of these molecular machines. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-02-27, Philipp J. Heckmeier (Postdoctoral Researcher at Hamm Group) |
Can Large Language Models Help Us Combat Online Misinformation? As the quantity of misinformation online eclipses the capacity fact-checkers, LLMs may hold the promise of verifying content automatically. The study investigates into the performance of LLMs in fact-checking tasks. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-02-23, Dorian Quelle |
Nature Communications by Melika Payvand (INI): Neuromorphic Mosaic Despite millions of years of evolution, the fundamental wiring principle of biological brains remains preserved... Mehr Sci. Publication, 2024-01-10, Melika Payvand |
Arthropods in species-rich forests contribute to improved productivity An international team of Chinese, German and Swiss researchers has shown that forests with higher tree species richness tend to have a greater diversity of arthropods. In addition, the study shows that higher tree diversity promotes productivity, due to the suppression of herbivores by enemy arthropods. The results have recently been published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2023-06-27, Bernhard Schmid |
Less fake news but increasing polarization on Twitter Social media is transforming political communication dynamics. Together with an international team of researchers, Alexandre Bovet want to better understand the role of these new dynamics in politics. Mehr Sci. Publication, 2023-06-27, Alexandre Bovet |