(Li) Within the framework of "Worlds of Knowledge" (1), the exhibition "Earth, fire, water and air" opened its doors to the public last Friday in Platzspitz Park (cf. ETH Life, "Graspable research"). This project was initiated by the three ETH departments Agriculture and Food Science (D-AGRL), Earth Sciences (D-ERDW) and Environmental Sciences (D-UWIS), together with the Network for Natural Hazards (HazNETH). The three departments mentioned represent the new school domain Earth, Environment and Natural Resources (S-ENETH, cf. box), established on 1st April. Its grounding was officially celebrated on Friday, and the new school domain introduced to a wider audience. This new research and teaching unit is devoted to how the Earth functions, its natural systems, sustainability, the production and transformation of natural resources, and environmental management and restoration.

A "Birth Celebration" and the exhibition’s opening

The public celebration marking the advent of S-ENETH began at 17.00 and coincided with the opening of the exhibition "Earth fire water air". Both were held on the events stage in the courtyard of the Swiss National Museum. President of the ETH Board, Alexander Zehnder, and ETH President Olaf Kübler addressed the crowd. An opening aperitif for invited guests followed their speeches marking the "birth" of the new unit and the opening of the exhibition (2). Scientists from S-ENETH prepared 45 projects for this exhibition, to introduce the general public to their fields in an understandable and entertaining way. At 20.15 the Music and Dance Academy presented “Earth”, the first of four dramatisations, on the elements earth, fire, water and air in music, images, dance and texts .