Archive – Science

Government learns from heatwave mistakes

This content was published on May 24, 2005 To ensure that there is no repeat, the government has issued guidelines on coping with extreme heat. The advice is aimed mainly at the elderly. On Tuesday officials released a study showing that the number of deaths between June and August 2003 was seven per cent higher than normal. Initially the authorities believed 300 people…

Festival brings science to the people

This content was published on May 20, 2005 More than 500 events are set to take place across the country as part of the second Science and City Festival. Festival organisers stressed that the demonstrations, talks and interactive presentations would not repeat the mistakes made during the first event in 2001, which was criticised in part for being too academic and not accessible…

Swiss equality is less equal than others’

This content was published on May 16, 2005 In the new “Gender Gap Index”, Switzerland comes an unimpressive 34th. The gap between men and women is narrowest in Scandinavia. Entitled Women’s Empowerment: Measuring the Global Gender Gap, the report measures the gap between women and men in five areas. Switzerland does well on health and well-being (7) and relatively well on political empowerment…

Swiss better with numbers than words

This content was published on May 11, 2005 The study also showed that there has been a significant skill loss in adult populations in economically advanced countries. The Adult Literacy and Life Skills (ALL) Survey compares literacy in six countries: Switzerland, Canada, United States, Norway, Italy and Bermuda, as well as the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon. It measured skills in prose and…

Glacier keeps its cool under high-tech blanket

This content was published on May 10, 2005 The reflective high-tech material is designed to stop the Gurschen glacier from melting away beneath the resort’s upper cable-car station. The glacier has dropped 20 metres over the past 15 years, forcing the lift company to construct a snow ramp on top of it to give skiers access to the runs. Resembling giant strips of…

Scientists touch base with the public

This content was published on May 4, 2005 The centrepiece of special events in the anniversary year, it aims to give visitors an understanding of science and to illustrate its impact on people’s everyday lives. World of Knowledge – on show in the park behind the Swiss National Museum in Zurich – has turned a visit to the Platzspitz park into an interactive…

Sober study outlines risks of binge drinking

This content was published on May 3, 2005 The Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and other Drug-Related Problems says binge drinking does not just affect youngsters, as widely believed, but a broad cross-section of the population. The institute says the risks from sporadic excessive drinking have been underestimated for a long time. But occasional over-drinking has serious consequences, causing accidents and…

League table fails to impress teachers

This content was published on May 3, 2005 Rankings based on the performance of schoolchildren in 12 cantons and Liechtenstein were published for the first time on Monday. Top of the charts in mathematics, science and problem-solving was canton Fribourg. However, in reading – the fourth discipline tested – it came third after Liechtenstein and Thurgau. The report, which was compiled by the…

Fribourg students come top of the class

This content was published on May 2, 2005 French-speaking pupils from Fribourg have done best, but Swiss teachers have sharply criticised the rankings. The Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) – run by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development – measures the skills of 15-year-olds in four categories: maths, reading, science and problem-solving. Twelve cantons – as well as the neighbouring…

Quality of Swiss hotels put to the test

This content was published on Apr 28, 2005 It is hoped that feedback from customers will increase competitiveness in the hotel sector and lead to an improvement in the quality of services offered. Guests can award hotels marks or “suns” for everything from location and service through to the quality of their food. Six suns means “excellent”, while one sun equals “unsatisfactory”. Swiss…

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