Archive – Science

Swiss nuclear power stations do well in tests

This content was published on Oct 4, 2012 The EU report called for improvements in most EU nuclear power stations, but did not make any recommendations about the Swiss plants, since Switzerland is not an EU member. However, Ensi said that a comparison of the results of the stress test shows that the stations in Mühleberg, Beznau and Gösgen met all the critical…

The plight of the bee

This content was published on Oct 3, 2012 His film captures the breeding of queen bees in minute detail, ventures to a laboratory to witness a bee brain scan, and discovers the dangerous prospects of a hive facing an infection through mites. It explores issues facing bees today, from the manufacturing of artificial hives to the migration of killer bees from Brazil to…

“Honey is a diamond you can eat”

This content was published on Oct 3, 2012 swissinfo.ch: With More Than Honey you have made a film critical of the bee business. Do you still eat honey? Markus Imhoof: Yes, almost every day. The bees aren’t responsible for the situation. swissinfo.ch: What does honey represent for you? M.I.: It incorporates the best of nature. Like a diamond you can eat. swissinfo.ch: You…

Proposed “Glenstrata” deal clears vital hurdle

This content was published on Oct 1, 2012 Xstrata shareholders will vote in the coming weeks on whether to accept Glencore’s takeover bid, but could yet scupper the fusion by rejecting generous payments aimed at retaining top executives. After months of speculation, the bold strategy of merging the two canton Zug-based commodities giants was unveiled in February, but soon ran into trouble with…

Design helps give technology an edge

This content was published on Sep 30, 2012 “We really take the time to think about innovation,” says Laurent Bolli, the founder and director of Bread and Butter, a visual design consultancy in Lausanne that specialises in new interfaces. Bolli trained as an industrial designer at the renowned Lausanne University of Art and Design. His agency is partnered with OZWE, a software development…

Government energy plan raises costs, cuts usage

This content was published on Sep 28, 2012 Announcing the detailed proposals, Energy Minister Doris Leuthard said that today’s energy costs are very low, making it difficult to motivate people to conserve. The first step of the multi-step reform seeks to reduce the country’s energy usage by 35 per cent by 2035 and intends to cut fuel and heating oil use by half.…

Scientists’ findings don’t satisfy politicians

This content was published on Sep 28, 2012 While they have been grown across the Americas and India for 15 years, GM plants for agriculture continue to be regarded with suspicion in Europe, nowhere more than in Switzerland. In 2005, Swiss voters approved a moratorium of five years on their use in the country. In 2010, parliament extended that ban by another three…

Genetically-modified plants: bane or blessing?

This content was published on Sep 28, 2012 The researchers believe that consumer attitudes could change if GM grain or vegetables became cheaper than traditional varieties, were longer lasting, or could be produced more ecologically and more sustainably. Could this sway your opinion or make you change your mind about GM foods? What do you think are the most important factors in favour…

Farmers say Switzerland isn’t ready for GM plants

This content was published on Sep 28, 2012 GM plants are not harmful – neither for human health nor for the environment: that is the basic finding reached by the Swiss National Science Foundation’s national research programme (NRP) on the risks and benefits of GM plants in agriculture. In the present circumstances, however, the economic benefit of this biotechnology for farmers remains “modest”,…

Biofuels rarely better than petrol

This content was published on Sep 26, 2012 Empa, an interdisciplinary research and services institution for material sciences and technology development within the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, conducted the study in collaboration with the Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon research institute and the Paul Scherrer Institute. The new study updated the ecobalance of numerous biofuels, including their production chains, using a more extensive data…

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