3D printer moulds robots without laborious assembly
Microplastics fly particularly far and high

SHORT NEWS

Gentle identification of fish species through their DNA

#DNA #animal observation #biodiversity #fish #research

Identifying fish species in a river using DNA traces: This method was tested in Switzerland. It proved to be simpler and more reliable than the electrofishing method used to date.

A scientist taking a water sample with a bottle

According to the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), electrofishing, which has been used to date to monitor fish populations, involves anaesthetising the fish with electricity and then collecting them. Electrofishing, which is harmful to fish, is only authorised in Switzerland for scientific purposes.

According to the SNSF, fish populations have therefore only been monitored selectively to date, usually every five years. "Meaningful monitoring of biodiversity is not possible in this way," says study leader Florian Altermatt from the University of Zurich and the aquatic research institute Eawag. In addition, the animals were only identified using this method on the basis of their appearance.

Skin scales and faeces

The environmental DNA method involves searching for traces of DNA in the water. Fish leave these behind via skin scales or faeces, for example. The researchers took two litres of water from dozens of bodies of water and collected the environmental DNA from it. By comparing the genetic sequences with a comprehensive database of fish DNA, the species could be identified.

They compared the results with records from the last 30 years at the respective locations, as well as with electrofishing results. The results matched the historical data on the one hand and, on the other, revealed a greater diversity of species than would have been expected from selective electrofishing.

Written by: sda

Photos: Altermatt lab/Eawag

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Pilot plant and founders Jan-Wurzbacher and Christoph Gebald by Climeworks Zev Starr Tambor

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Model of the space igloo "IGLUNA" by Eva Buchs

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July 10th, 2020
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Animation by Enrique Quintero for interview with Pardis Sabeti

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Porsche Taycan on a snow-covered road

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April 19th, 2021
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May 3rd, 2021
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Screenshot of "Understandic the Arctic" (MIT Mechanical Engineering)

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August 16th, 2021
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August 23rd, 2021
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August 30th, 2021
Illustation of Bob Langer

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September 6th, 2021
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September 13th, 2021
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October 4th, 2021
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October 6th, 2021
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October 11th, 2021
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Twelve fans filter the air near Reykjavik

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Artificial nacre takes on a load-bearing role

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November 8th, 2021
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November 15th, 2021
Craig Venter (archive image)

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December 6th, 2021
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December 13th, 2021
Glacier V at Schnapfenkuchl in the Austrian Alps in comparison 1954 and 2020.

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January 3rd, 2022
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January 10th, 2022
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January 25th, 2022
Electric car at the charging station

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January 26th, 2022
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MIT creates new atlas of oxygen-poor waters

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February 7th, 2022
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April 11th, 2022
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April 18th, 2022
Scientist looking at a screen showing a brain

Completely paralysed patient can communicate again

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May 6th, 2022
Sacha Menz sitting and working at his desk

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May 6th, 2022
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May 16th, 2022
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May 23rd, 2022
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June 13th, 2022
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Franz Winter from the TU Vienna

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October 17th, 2022
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November 7th, 2022
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An illustration of the new VR glove designed by scientists

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Peter Wick from Empa's "Particles-Biology Interactions" laboratory in St. Gallen.

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AnimatedGIF_Key

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February 3rd, 2023
an image of broken smartphones about to be recycled

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February 6th, 2023
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February 13th, 2023
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March 6th, 2023
Scientists Jörg Standfuss and Maximilian Wranik

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March 13th, 2023
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New analysis method aims to solve climate puzzle

Researchers have developed a method for analysing 1.5 million-year-old ice. The analysis – which goes back almost twice as far as previously analysed ice cores – should help solve a climate puzzle.
March 20th, 2023
Image of a house being printed

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Open design ideas instead of rectangular geometries: Houses from the 3D printer not only look different from conventional buildings. Suppliers from the industry also promise that the technology is faster and more resource-efficient. But, Is that really true?
March 31st, 2023
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A high-tech honeycomb for bees

A new high-tech honeycomb makes it possible to study bee colonies. The hive robot developed by EPFL researchers should provide new insights into the survival of pollinators.
April 17th, 2023
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Concrete has a huge carbon footprint. Researchers at MIT in the USA have now developed a method to make its production more climate-friendly. The secret ingredient: baking powder.
May 8th, 2023
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Smart bandages with embedded electronics and medicines are designed to help chronic wounds heal better.
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An international research team led by the University of Fribourg has developed a new antibacterial coating. On coated surfaces, the bacterial population is reduced by up to 10,000 times within five minutes.
May 22nd, 2023
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June 5th, 2023
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July 3rd, 2023
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July 13th, 2023
A scientist holding the patch developed by Empa

Swiss patch warns of leaks in the stomach after operations

A patch developed by Swiss researchers provides early warning of leaks at sutures in the gastrointestinal tract. The novel patch should significantly reduce the risk of life-threatening complications after abdominal surgery.
July 24th, 2023
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New tracking system makes food aid more transparent

Until now, food aid operations have been a black box. A new MIT technology is shedding light on the issue, with unique IDs for each individual product.
August 2nd, 2023
a city covered in fog

Drinking water from fog: researchers capture clean water from polluted air

A specially coated metal mesh can extract water from fog and remove environmental pollutants at the same time. With the technology developed in Zurich, drinking water can be extracted from the air even in regions with heavy air pollution.
September 11th, 2023
Carlos Sanchez

A smart path into a sustainable future

Sustainability is no longer a distant dream but a present and pressing reality. Climate change and environmental degradation are forcing companies to take action. They must innovate and implement smart sustainability solutions, says Carlos Sanchez, a renowned sustainability visionary who shared with us the latest sustainability trends that can help build robust, resilient, and sustainable businesses.
September 28th, 2023
Mechanics performing maintenance work on an aircraft

Researchers make non-recyclable plastic recyclable

Swiss researchers have developed a new type of recyclable plastic that could be used in aircraft, cars or wind turbines in the future.
October 2nd, 2023
Recycled asphalt was used on the Lucmanier Pass

More recycled asphalt on Swiss roads

Tests with recycled asphalt on Swiss roads show promising results. In Uster ZH and on the Lukmanier Pass GR, the proportion of recycled asphalt could be increased without any loss of performance, according to Empa.
October 16th, 2023
a photovoltaic system on a house facade

Sun soon to be the most important source of energy

The sun is likely to become the world's most important source of energy before 2050, according to British scientists. This is the result of an analysis of technological and economic data by the University of Exeter and University College London.
November 27th, 2023
A hospital room with two beds divided by a curtain

Germicidal textiles for hospitals

A new process developed by Swiss researchers makes textiles germicidal. In future, this could be used to coat curtains in hospitals.
December 25th, 2023
G.V. Shivashankar arbeitet am PSI und der ETH Zürich

Fountain of youth for cells

Reprogrammed cells allow wounds in older people to heal faster. This could, for example, help burn victims.
January 1st, 2024
pressed plastic bottles

Microplastics fly particularly far and high

Microplastic fibres fly higher and further than previously assumed - even as far as the Arctic.
January 22nd, 2024
A futuristic aircraft with a blended wing body

Aircraft of the future make less noise

In an Empa research project, study participants rated the noise of new types of aircraft as less annoying than the noise of today's aircraft.
April 9th, 2024
the airship flying over a coast

British company produces climate-friendly airship

According to its developers, the British airship Airlander 10 could take off for commercial flights with passengers from 2028.
April 22nd, 2024