Space
Small force, big effect: How the planets could influence the sun
Research
Eawag
A new theory supports the controversial hypothesis that the planets affect solar activity. It puts forward a mechanism by which the very small influence of the planets could exert its rhythm on such a large system as the Sun. If the theory is confirmed, it could possibly be used to predict solar activity more accurately. This would be of great interest, as large solar flares can cripple electronic infrastructure.
The anatomy of a planet
Research
ETH Zurich
Researchers at ETH Zurich working together with an international team have been able to use seismic data to look inside Mars for the first time. They measured the crust, mantle and core and narrowed down their composition. The three resulting articles are being published together as a cover story in the journal Science.
Advancing to the core thanks to marsquakes
Research
ETH Zurich
Researchers at ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich have been able to use seismic data to look inside Mars for the first time. Marsquakes recorded by NASA’s InSight lander provided information about the structure of the planet’s crust, mantle and core.
“A universal definition of space sustainability is hard to find”
Politics
EPFL
Under a new rating system, it will soon be possible to assess the social, economic and environmental impact of space missions. The consortium behind the initiative, which includes the World Economic Forum (WEF), has tasked EPFL’s Space Center (eSpace) with finalizing the assessment criteria and implementing the system in this fast-changing field.
“Mars Mission” attracts more than 700 students from around the world
Teaching
EPFL
The R2T2 Mars Mission is an educational project developed at EPFL for grade-school and high-school classes that use the Thymio robot. A total of 180 teams have signed on to the project, which is teaching the students a variety of new skills.
EPFL works to address debris collision risk
Politics
EPFL
Space debris threatens human safety in space and puts at risk critical space-based infrastructure that supports services such as the internet, global navigation and climate monitoring. A new project from the EPFL International Risk Governance Center (IRGC), in collaboration with the EPFL Space Center (eSpace) and Space Innovation, is studying the governance of risks related to space debris and assessing policy options to ensure the safe and sustainable use of space.
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