ETH Zurich Oct 16 2025 More than half of all premature babies born before the 28th week of pregnancy develop respiratory distress syndrome shortly after birth. As their lungs are not yet fully developed, they produce too little of the seemingly magical fluid that reduces surface tension in the lungs. As a result, some alveoli collapse – and the lungs are unable to get enough oxygen.   Lungs become more deformable Until 40 years ago, this usually spelled death. But then, in the late 1980s,