A study shows that the earliest human inhabitants of Moxos plains began transforming the tropical savanna eco-region in Bolivia 10,000 years ago, that is 8,000 earlier than previously thought.
The study was conducted by scientists from Bern in cooperation with universities in Britain, Spain and the United States.
The study involved an unprecedented large-scale regional analysis of more than 60 archaeological sites, according to the university statement.
Samples were retrieved from 30 forest islands and archaeological excavations were carried out in four of them.
“Until this recent study, scientists had neither searched for, nor excavated, old archaeological sites in this region that might document the pre-Columbian domestication of these globally important crops,” says Umberto Lombardo from Bern university.
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Swiss scientists identify bowstring used by Ötzi the Iceman
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Swiss scientists have established that a cord found next to the body of Neolithic hunter Ötzi the Iceman was a bowstring.
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The earth shook near Mürren in the Bernese Oberland on Monday afternoon with a magnitude of around 4.2 on the Richter scale.
Public transport in Geneva faces calls for overhaul
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Public transport services in Greater Geneva must better meet needs. The associations Transports et environnement (ATE) and Rail Dauphiné Savoie Léman (ARDSL) have drawn up a review of the situation, calling in particular for the Leman Express timetable to be extended.
Swiss politician who shot at baby Jesus risks fine
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The Zurich public prosecutor's office has brought charges against Zurich city parliamentarian Sanija Ameti for disturbing religious freedom. Ameti had shot at a picture of Jesus and Mary with an air pistol.
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The French-Swiss artist Saype has created a new giant painting on the summit of the Grand Chamossaire above Villars-sur-Ollon VD. The 2500 square metre work depicts a boy with a rucksack on his shoulders.
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According to "Schweizer Illustrierte", Swiss actor Carlos Leal is returning to Switzerland - after 15 years in Los Angeles. "It's become loud there, megalomaniacal and arrogant," he said in the online edition of the magazine.
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A coin collector has filed a criminal complaint with the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland against Swissmint, the federal mint, for fraud in connection with the sale of the limited-edition 100-franc gold Vreneli.
Museum to open devoted to Swiss ski legend Vreni Schneider
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Vreni Schneider is to have a museum in the centre of her home village of Elm. The legendary Swiss ski racer has numerous memorabilia at home, which she is now releasing and exhibiting.
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A shooting range in Wittenbach, northeastern Switzerland, was broken into on Sunday night. The unknown perpetrators stole several antique weapons.
Euro 2025: most of crowd at Germany-France match were women
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For the first time, the majority of the crowd at a football match in Basel's St. Jakob-Park – Saturday's European Championship quarterfinal – was female.
Pilots’ union seeks to end deal with SWISS over working conditions
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The Aeropers pilots’ union is expected to end its collective labour agreement with SWISS, as it pushes for better working conditions for its members.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
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Earliest high mountain settlement identified in Ethiopia
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An international team with Swiss participation discovered the oldest high mountain dwelling at an altitude of almost 3,500 metres in Ethiopia’s Bale mountains. The archaeological find revealed that the hunters made tools from obsidian and fed on giant mole rats, as the scientists reported in the academic journal “Science”. Charcoal remains also came to light during the excavations. The scientists…
Baby teeth reveal previously unknown ancient Siberians
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An international research group has found 31,000-year-old milk teeth – and a previously unknown population group in north-eastern Siberia.
Gene editing leads to faster production of food-friendly cassava
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Zurich researchers have used gene editing to develop a variant of the starchy tuber cassava that is much easier to process for the food industry.
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Herren, the subject of a new biography, tells swissinfo.ch how he managed to naturally control the bug using a method that involved shooting the insect’s natural enemy, a type of wasp, from aeroplanes across huge swathes of Africa. The scientist was only 31 when he took a job in the middle of a crisis: the…
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.