Consulate General of Switzerland in New York

Researchers at ETH Zürich have developed a new carbon capture method using from cheese and tofu production! Proteins from these byproducts are formed into porous beads that absorb CO₂ from the air at rates 10–50% higher than conventional methods. Unlike existing techniques, releasing the CO₂ requires only mild acids and bases at room temperature, with no heat or pressure, making it far less energy-intensive and potentially much cheaper. 🧀🌱🌍

Turning food waste into carbon captors The removal of CO₂ from the atmosphere is considered an important tool in the fight against climate change – but has so far been an energy-intensive and expensive process. Now, researchers have developed a new method that efficiently binds carbon dioxide and releases it again using only a small ...

🎾 He’s coming back to New York. 🇺🇸

Roger Federer will return to on August 25 and return to the court one more time alongside fellow legends Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and John McEnroe during an event titled "Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York".

It will be the Swiss icon’s first match at Flushing Meadows since 2019, just days before his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on August 29. A five-time consecutive US Open champion (2004–2008), Federer famously dominated Arthur Ashe Stadium in a way no player before or since has matched.

"So many unforgettable moments of my career happened in New York, and Arthur Ashe Stadium is a place that means a great deal to me," Federer said. 🇨🇭❤️

💡More infos & tickets here: https://ow.ly/MxqH50Z9YbX

🪐 A breakthrough in exoplanet research — with Swiss scientists at the heart of it.

An international team including researchers from the University of Bern has found the strongest evidence yet for magnetic fields on planets outside our solar system. Analysing wind speeds on seven hot, Jupiter-like exoplanets using the ESO's Very Large Telescope and the Gemini North Observatory, they discovered something unexpected: the hotter the planet, the slower its winds.

Wind speeds ranged from 7,200 to over 25,000 km/h — up to 17 times faster than the fastest winds on Jupiter. Yet the hottest planets had the slowest winds. The conclusion: magnetic fields are acting as a brake on charged particles in the atmosphere.

💡Learn more here: https://ow.ly/x4ta50Z9XvK

⚛️ A Swiss first in quantum computing.

EPFL has become the first Swiss academic institution to give its researchers direct cloud access to a real, state-of-the-art quantum computer — through a new partnership with quantum computing leader Quantinuum, integrated into EPFL's own high-performance computing infrastructure.

The move puts Swiss researchers at the cutting edge of quantum algorithms and digital quantum simulation, and brings Richard Feynman's vision of using quantum systems to model the complexities of nature one step closer to reality. Students in EPFL's Quantum Science and Engineering master's program will also gain hands-on access.

“The reason why EPFL is a world leading university for nuclear engineering is because we have a nuclear reactor on campus for training,” says academic director Vincenzo Savona. “Offering students access to a real quantum computer will bring that same level of excellence to quantum computing.” 🇨🇭🔬

💡Learn more here: https://ow.ly/U5Ir50Z9Xe4

👁️ Swiss AI research could one day give sight back to the blind.

Researchers at EPFL NeuroAI Lab are developing AI models that predict exactly where to stimulate the brain to evoke images of faces and objects — not just flashes of light. In live trials with monkeys in Amsterdam, their model successfully shaped object perception in the brain.

The next step: making someone see something meaningful even when their eyes aren't delivering a usable image. The same approach could also improve cochlear implants for hearing. 🇨🇭🔬

💡Read more here: https://ow.ly/Mo7350Z9YBF

Summer is almost here — but hear us out: have you started thinking about a Switzerland winter getaway yet? ❄️⛰️

Last winter was one for the books. Swiss hotels recorded 18.7 million overnight stays between November and April — a new record — with December, January and February all posting strong growth. Domestic travellers led the surge, but international guests from around the world made Switzerland their winter destination of choice too.

The Alps are calling. Maybe it’s time to start planning. 🇨🇭✨

More info here: https://ow.ly/cLVm50Z9WqB

🐺 Switzerland's wolf population is on the rise.

According to the Kora Foundation's annual report, 43 wolf packs were confirmed across Switzerland in 2025 — with an estimated 350 wolves total. New packs have established themselves for the first time in the cantons of Obwalden and Neuchâtel.

Researchers also recorded a historic first: a pregnant female from the Central European population — distinct from the Alpine population that makes up the majority of Swiss wolves — was registered in Switzerland for the first time. In canton Valais, two females in the same pack reproduced simultaneously, another first. 🇨🇭🌲

💡Learn more here: https://ow.ly/IFE950Z9Wl0

🤔 Do all AI systems ultimately learn to see the world the same way?

In 2024, MIT researchers proposed the “Platonic Representation Hypothesis” — the idea that as AI models grow more powerful, they converge toward a shared understanding of reality, regardless of whether they were trained on text, images, or audio.

Now, researchers at EPFL have shown the picture is more nuanced. Their new study, to be presented at the International Conference on Machine Learning, found that the apparent convergence was partly a mathematical artefact of how similarity between models was measured.

Their alternative: the “Aristotelian Representation Hypothesis” — AI systems share local relational structures (cats cluster near cats, cars near cars), but their overall view of the world can still differ significantly. 🇨🇭🔬

Learn more here: https://ow.ly/bcke50Z9We8

⚽🎶 The FIFA World Cup has officially begun! Kick off the games with a celebration of sport, culture, and music at the American Museum of Natural History!

Tomorrow, June 13, they will be hosting the World Cup World Cultures Celebration, an all-day, all-ages event featuring soccer clinics, cultural activities, a watch party for the Switzerland vs. Qatar match, and a special performance by the New Jersey Workshop for the Arts Alphorn Ensemble.

🏆 While you're there, explore For the Win: Objects of Sports Excellence, the Museum’s newest exhibition showcasing more than 70 iconic objects that define athletic greatness.

🦖 The event is free with Museum admission. New York State residents with ID can enjoy pay-what-you-wish admission.

We’re excited to share the tradition and sound of the alphorn at one of New York City’s most iconic museums!

More info here: https://ow.ly/13aF50ZaI5Y

🧠 A potential breakthrough in Alzheimer's research — from Switzerland.

Researchers at ETH Zürich have developed a compound called "Compound 10" that significantly slows the progression of Alzheimer's symptoms in mice. The substance targets a self-perpetuating cycle of cell stress and nerve cell death driven by an enzyme called GRK2 — a mechanism distinct from any existing Alzheimer's medication.

In treated mice, nerve cell degeneration was considerably slower, and the animals survived longer. As a bonus, the compound also showed anti-ageing effects.

ETH Zurich has filed a patent and is now seeking a pharmaceutical partner to take the research to the next stage. 🇨🇭🔬

💡Read more here: https://ow.ly/7kyI50Z9TNW