Archive – Science

Helping children to cope with the tsunami

This content was published on Dec 25, 2005 The play centre, which was set up by Swiss non-governmental organisation Terre des hommes, is trying to help children come to terms with the tsunami. Last December’s tidal wave caused widespread destruction in the coastal town of Batticaloa and its environs. In all, 3,000 people died and a further 56,000 were left homeless. The area…

Edelweiss blooms in the test tube

This content was published on Dec 22, 2005 The Agroscope research station in Changins said on Thursday that the plant’s properties are in high demand by the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. The scientists said the laboratory technique they had developed provided the breeders in a short space of time with the parent material necessary to grow the flower. It involves placing sterile new…

Spanish sun lures Swiss pensioners

This content was published on Dec 18, 2005 The coastal area has a similar appeal to Switzerland’s southern Ticino region. But it also has some drawbacks: an unrelenting construction boom, rubbish mountains and water shortages. As part of a research project, Huber spent 15 months interviewing Swiss expatriates on the Costa Blanca, the 200km of coastline on the eastern Spanish coast which includes…

Swiss authorities content with tsunami response

This content was published on Dec 16, 2005 Official says 107 Swiss were killed in the tidal wave and a further five are still missing. In all, 226,000 people were killed in the disaster. Foreign minister Micheline Calmy-Rey said Switzerland had overcome “one of the greatest catastrophes in human history” very well. Speaking at a press conference in Bern, Calmy-Rey said the management…

Embryo screening needs tight controls

This content was published on Dec 14, 2005 Luc Recordon, who is himself disabled, welcomed this week’s vote in the Senate which calls on the government to allow such screening under strict conditions. The House of Representatives, the country’s other parliamentary chamber, has already voted in favour of allowing genetic screening – also known as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. During an emotional speech to…

Senate votes in favour of embryo screening

This content was published on Dec 13, 2005 Senators voted on Tuesday by 24 to 18 to permit pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) under strict conditions. The cabinet will now have to draw up new legislation to be submitted to parliament. The vote comes a week after Switzerland’s National Advisory Commission on Biomedical Ethics issued a report recommending that the wholesale ban be replaced…

Climate treaty gets second wind

This content was published on Dec 10, 2005 More than 150 nations, including Switzerland, agreed early on Saturday to launch formal talks on mandatory post-2012 reductions in greenhouse gases. These talks will include Kyoto outsiders such as the United States and developing nations. Washington had long resisted taking part in the talks. However, days of backroom bargaining at the United Nations conference had…

Options tabled to improve Swiss image abroad

This content was published on Dec 9, 2005 These could go as far as merging organisations including Presence Switzerland, Switzerland Tourism, Location Switzerland and swissinfo – the internet platform that informs Swiss abroad. Economics Minister Joseph Deiss said that because of increasing competition from abroad, promotion of Switzerland was more important than ever. The government last year spent SFr88 million ($67.6 million) on…

Swiss space programme reaches for Mars

This content was published on Dec 5, 2005 The SSO will bid SFr116-139 million ($88-105 million) for new missions, including an unmanned trip to Mars, at the European Space Agency (ESA) Minister Conference in Berlin on Monday. Switzerland also wants to be involved in the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) satellite system and the launch of satellites carrying commercial telecoms technology.…

Ogi maps out sporting vision for the future

This content was published on Dec 4, 2005 The UN special adviser on sport for development and peace says a major challenge now lies ahead to ensure that sport is universally used as an instrument to create a better world. His comments come as the 2nd Magglingen Conference on Sport and Development, which aims to take stock of the past 12 months and…

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