Archive – Science

Swiss scientists use firefly’s light for medical use

This content was published on Jul 23, 2015 Swiss researchers have harnessed the enzyme that makes fireflies glow to diagnose medical conditions. This technique is cheaper, simpler and more accurate than other methods.

Drop in Swiss R&D spending due to immigration vote

This content was published on Jul 23, 2015 R&D spending by the federal government fell below the CHF2 billion mark in 2014 (CHF1.96 billion) a significant drop compared to the previous expenditure reporting year in 2012 (CHF2.12 billion). However, the drop was in large part due to a cutback on external research contributions, mainly to the European Union. Public sector R&D spending increased…

How to be a beach bum in a landlocked country

This content was published on Jul 18, 2015 From Lake Geneva to Lake Constance, from the Rhone to the Rhine – the summer heat is driving the Swiss into the water.

How robots improve surgery

This content was published on Jul 17, 2015

Solar Impulse 2 grounded in Hawaii until April 2016

This content was published on Jul 15, 2015 The most difficult leg of the journey from Nagoya to Hawaii which lasted five days and nights have taken their toll on Solar Impulse’s batteries. “Irreversible damage to certain parts of the batteries will require repairs which will take several months,” said a statement from the Solar Impulse team. For optimal energy management the plane…

CERN discovers pentaquarks after 50-year hunt

This content was published on Jul 14, 2015 Quarks are the tiny ingredients of sub-atomic particles such as protons and neutrons, which are made of three quarks. The less common and more unstable mesons, particles found in cosmic rays, have four. A five-quark version, or pentaquark, has been sought, but never found, ever since Murray Gell-Mann and George Zweig theorised the existence of…

The lifeline

This content was published on Jul 13, 2015 At the dawn of mountaineering in the second half of the 19th century, climbers were driven by adventure and risk-taking but accompanied by little else. At least as far as equipment was concerned. Climbing ropes used at that time were borrowed from sailing and agriculture. They were made out of natural fibres like hemp, manila…

The flying postman

This content was published on Jul 8, 2015 Swiss Post, in collaboration with Swiss WorldCargo (the air freight division of Swiss International Air Lines) and Matternet (a drone manufacturer from California), has started testing unmanned flying drones for logistical purposes. The aim of the tests is to develop and pinpoint the technical possibilities that the use of flying drones could offer. At the…

More animals used for behavioural studies

This content was published on Jul 8, 2015 The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office said more than 606,000 animals, mainly rodents, were experimented on in 2014, an increase of 2.8% on 2013. Behavioural studies conducted on poultry and fish were largely responsible for the rise. Nearly half the laboratory animals were used for basic research purposes at universities and hospitals. The industry…

Why is weather so important to Solar Impulse?

This content was published on Jul 7, 2015 The plane’s journey so far has shown that the right weather conditions are rare. Wind and cold fronts have, in the past, played havoc with the Swiss solar-powered plane’s attempt to go around the world. By the time pilot André Borschberg started the first Pacific crossing from Japan to Hawaii on June 28, the…

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