The SETI Institute and ETH Zurich join forces to search for the origin of life

September 1, 2026, Mountain View, CA --The question of how life originated and whether it exists elsewhere in the universe has fascinated humanity for centuries. Now, ETH Zurich and the SETI Institute in California are joining forces to seek answers. The two institutions have agreed on a strategic partnership and signed a corresponding agreement.

At the heart of the collaboration is a new assistant professorship, to be called ‘Earth and Planetary Evolution’, which will be based in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at ETH Zurich. The professorship will play a key role at ETH’s Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life (COPL).

A shared interest in one of science’s great questions

Both the SETI Institute and COPL are investigating how life arises and how widespread it might be in the universe. The new ETH professorship, advertised on August 28, 2026, is intended to strengthen this research and establish closer links between complementary scientific disciplines. Topics may include biosignatures – measurable indications of life – habitability and habitable environments, as well as the co-evolution of life and the environment on Earth and on planets outside our solar system.

Through the professorship and the associated research activities, ETH Zurich aims to bring together complementary approaches from Earth and planetary sciences and related fields, opening up new perspectives on the origin and evolution of life.

New interdisciplinary and international connections

The SETI Institute will provide start-up funding for the professorship over a ten-year period, with a total contribution of 8.5 million US dollars. The contribution will support the establishment phase of the ETH professorship and associated research activities, including a research scientist and postdoctoral research positions.

“Many of today’s major scientific questions can only be answered through collaboration,” said ETH President Joël Mesot. “By teaming up with the SETI Institute, we are gaining a renowned partner that enhances our academic expertise and fosters new interdisciplinary and international connections.”

For COPL, which was founded in 2022, the partnership opens up new opportunities, says the center’s director, Nobel Laureate in Physics Didier Queloz. “The partnership with the SETI Institute is an exciting opportunity to build a strong and enduring connection between our institutions. It leverages our complementary expertise and a shared ambition to address one of science’s most fundamental questions: the origin and prevalence of life in the Universe.”

First international research partnership of its kind

For the SETI Institute, this marks the first international research partnership of its kind. “Our collaboration with ETH Zurich represents a new chapter for us – one in which the search for life beyond Earth is recognized as a truly global endeavor,” said SETI Institute President and CEO Bill Diamond. “By supporting research capacity at one of Europe’s premier technical universities, we are not simply expanding our research internationally but also helping to create a new model for international scientific collaboration.

Together we are building enduring scientific capacity and opening new avenues for research into one of humanity’s most profound questions,” adds Diamond.

Mesot also emphasises the importance of international collaboration. The partnership will enable ETH Zurich to expand its network beyond Europe and work more closely with a long-established, renowned institution. “We are always looking for outstanding partners, and the SETI Institute is such a partner,” said Mesot. “We are very much looking forward to this collaboration.”

Diamond added: “International collaboration in the sciences creates powerful synergies through the integration of diverse perspectives, which can accelerate discovery and enhance understanding.”

About the SETI Institute
Founded in 1984 in Mountain View, California, USA, the SETI Institute is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary research and education organisation whose mission is to lead humanity’s quest to understand the origin and prevalence of life and intelligence in the Universe and to share that knowledge with the world. SETI’s research encompasses the physical and biological sciences and leverages expertise in data analytics, machine learning and advanced signal detection technologies. The SETI Institute is a distinguished research partner for industry, academia and government agencies, including NASA and NSF.

Contact information
Rebecca McDonald
Director of Communications
SETI Institute
[email protected]

About ETH Zurich
Freedom and individual responsibility, entrepreneurial spirit and open-mindedness: ETH Zurich stands on a bedrock of true Swiss values. The university for science and technology dates back to the year 1855, when the founders of modern-day Switzerland created it as a centre of innovation and knowledge. At ETH Zurich, students discover an ideal environment for independent thinking, researchers a climate which inspires top performance. Situated in the heart of Europe, yet forging connections all over the world, ETH Zurich is pioneering effective solutions to the global challenges of today and tomorrow.

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