Archive – Science

Swiss unprepared for major earthquakes

This content was published on Nov 8, 2004 The Swiss Seismological Service warns that only a fraction of buildings in the country could survive a major tremor. The service released a new seismic hazard map on Monday, which increases the risk for Basel, the city destroyed by a major earthquake in the 14th century, and has placed the entire canton of Valais in…

Think tanks make their mark on Swiss politics

This content was published on Nov 5, 2004 Increasingly, the job of thinking about the future is being assumed by so-called “think tanks”. But are they any better at the job? That question was the focus of a recent “Ideas Fair”, the first event of its kind, organised by the country’s two think tanks, Avenir Suisse and the Liberal Institute. Think tanks, or…

Vioxx dangers were evident four years ago

This content was published on Nov 4, 2004 A new study shows that the dangers posed by Vioxx were apparent as early as 2000, but the drug was only withdrawn in September. The results, published on Friday in the prestigious medical journal, the Lancet, are based on 29 separate studies, which highlighted the risks for patients using the blockbuster painkiller. Altogether, information from…

Ailing medical profession turns to therapy

This content was published on Nov 1, 2004 Experts say the tradition of focusing on the disease rather than the person needs to change if society is to remain healthy. The Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences says medicine can no longer be content to simply “manage” patients. It has to take a more holistic approach to health, and shift the emphasis from cure…

Women continue to shoulder domestic burden

This content was published on Nov 1, 2004 The Federal Statistics Office reported that women accounted for two-thirds of the estimated eight billion hours of unpaid work by people over the age of 15. Based on estimates from four years ago, unpaid work in Switzerland was worth SFr250 billion ($208 million) and exceeded the amount of paid work (6.7 billion hours). According to…

OECD calls on Switzerland to help working parents

This content was published on Oct 28, 2004 The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says reforms could include improved childcare and changes to the school system. The most recent national census found that for 60 per cent of Swiss families, both husband and wife were going out to work. But many women said they found it hard to combine a career…

Jobs abroad become scarcer for young Swiss

This content was published on Oct 26, 2004 But better recognition of Swiss qualifications and the lifting of restrictions on working in the European Union mean they are no longer at such a disadvantage when it comes to competing for work. “Interest is very high among young people about gaining work experience abroad,” said Béatrice Stucki, head of Intermundo, the association for the…

Associations say no to patenting life

This content was published on Oct 25, 2004 The coalition says that a planned revision of Switzerland’s patent law favours industry and neglects ethical and social issues. At a press conference in Bern on Monday, the groups called on the government to ensure that plants, animals and the human body, including cells and genes, remain out of reach of those who seek to…

New drug could offer stroke victims extra hope

This content was published on Oct 25, 2004 This is the vision of Xigen SA, a Lausanne-based startup biotech firm. The young firm is currently managing the research and development of the new drug, while raising the capital it needs to run human clinical trials. If it is successful jumping the hurdles of testing, trials, approvals, and licensing, Xigen’s new drug could be…

Economics professor scoops Latsis prize

This content was published on Oct 25, 2004 Simon Gächter, who works at the Research Institute for Empirical Economics and Economic Policy, will pick up SFr100,000 ($83,612) for his research on social dilemmas. The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), which presents the annual award, highlighted Gächter’s study of the behaviour of free riders in a group – those who don’t contribute to a…

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Swiss unprepared for major earthquakes

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Think tanks make their mark on Swiss politics

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Vioxx dangers were evident four years ago

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Ailing medical profession turns to therapy

More

Women continue to shoulder domestic burden

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OECD calls on Switzerland to help working parents

More

Jobs abroad become scarcer for young Swiss

More

Associations say no to patenting life

More

New drug could offer stroke victims extra hope

More

Economics professor scoops Latsis prize

Popular Stories

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