Dec 18, 2024 | Making Switzerland more competitive
Innosuisse, the Swiss innovation promotion agency, supports research-based innovation to strengthen the international competitiveness of Swiss industry. In Innosuisse-funded projects, companies work together with...
Dec 16, 2024 | Comprehensive material flow analysis of Switzerland's wood
Sustainable, renewable and good for the climate: Wood is the material of the future. But how much of it do we actually have and how do we make best use of it? Researchers from Empa and WSL have now analyzed the material...
Dec 12, 2024 | ICOS Cities
To achieve net zero, we need to reduce our CO₂ emissions quickly and efficiently. An EU project involving Empa has selected Zurich as one of three pilot cities in Europe to accurately measure and model their carbon...
Dec 9, 2024 | Sustainable building technologies
Traditional building materials such as wood and clay are climate-friendly and perfectly complement each other. To ensure they can also be used on a large scale in the construction industry in the future, Empa is teaming...
Dec 5, 2024 | How research creates products
Research is essential, it enables progress and expands our ability to respond to new challenges. However, the direct benefits are not always immediately apparent. Sometimes, however, it is – for instance, when an...
Dec 3, 2024 | Infrared detectors made from quantum dots
From smart textiles to self-driving cars: Empa researchers are developing new types of detectors for infrared radiation that are more sustainable, flexible and cost-effective than conventional technologies. The key to...
Nov 28, 2024 | Refining hardwood by bioluminescence
Since more and more deciduous trees are being planted in Swiss forests, whose wood is often burned directly, innovative ideas are in high demand in order to utilize Swiss hardwood more sustainably. Empa researchers are...
Nov 25, 2024 | Launch of EU project on sustainable timber construction
A new European research project, TIMBERHAUS, aiming at promoting timber construction in Europe, was launched in Copenhagen in early November. The goal is to significantly reduce CO2 emissions in the construction sector...
Nov 22, 2024 | "Highly Cited Researchers" 2024
The Empa scientists Maksym Kovalenko and Zhanyun Wang are among the world's most frequently cited researchers in their fields. Their influential work has earned them a place on the list of "Highly Cited Researchers".
Nov 20, 2024 | NEST-Unit «DroneHub» inaugurated
Flying robots capable of inspecting and repairing building envelopes, interacting with natural ecosystems, and monitoring climate change and biodiversity are being developed and tested at the DroneHub at Empa's NEST....
Nov 14, 2024 | Soft robotics
Robots that can sense touch and perceive temperature differences? An unexpected material might just make this a reality. At Empa's Laboratory for High-Performance Ceramics, researchers are developing soft and intelligent...
Nov 12, 2024 | NEST-Unit «STEP2»: Empa and BASF team up
In addition to individual research projects with companies, Empa also enters into strategic, long-term industrial partnerships. The cooperation with BASF is an excellent example of this: Starting with a project on the...
Nov 11, 2024 | Falling Walls 2024
With the annual interdisciplinary science festival Falling Walls, the international research elite is fostering the dialog between science and society on the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9. This...
Nov 7, 2024 | From science to industry
How do innovations get out of the lab and into the wider world? There are different ways, summarized under the term technology transfer. In this interview, Marlen Müller, Head of Knowledge and Technology Transfer at...
Nov 4, 2024 | Empa Innovation Award 2024
The Empa Innovation Award recognizes outstanding projects that bridge the gap between the laboratory and industry. This year, a team of researchers from Empa and ETH Zurich is being honored for an innovative sensor...
Oct 31, 2024 | One step closer to quantum technologies
Quantum technologies exploit the unusual properties of the most fundamental building blocks of matter. They promise breakthroughs in communication, computing, sensors and much more. However, quantum states are fragile,...
Oct 28, 2024 | Alzheimer's research
In dementia diseases such as Alzheimer's, incorrectly folded proteins accumulate in the brain. Empa researchers have now resolved a particularly active species of protein fibrils with unprecedented precision. The...
Oct 24, 2024 | Salt batteries
Originally developed for electric cars, nowadays they supply mobile phone antennas with electricity, and tomorrow perhaps entire districts: The salt battery is a safe and long-lasting battery technology with huge...
Oct 22, 2024 | A walk in the park – almost
The newly completed expansion of the Empa and Eawag research campus, co-operate, was proudly presented to the public at an open lab day in mid-September. Shortly beforehand, we went on a walk to highlight what makes the...
Oct 17, 2024 | Energy Days at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne
How can we successfully shape the energy transition? Where do we stand today, and how do children envision a sustainable future? Answers to these and many more questions can be found during the Energy Days at the Swiss...