Archive – Science

Ant colony marches across Europe

This content was published on Apr 16, 2002 The 5,800-kilometre colony, running along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines, consists of billions of Argentine ants living in millions of nests, which cooperate with one another. “It’s the largest cooperative unit ever recorded,” Laurent Keller, a prize-winning myremecologist from Lausanne University, told swissinfo. Normally, ants from different nests fight. But the researchers concluded that ants…

Stem cell report reveals legal maze

This content was published on Apr 15, 2002 In an interim report published by the Centre for Technology Assessment in Bern, experts have focused on the anomalies in Swiss law. Switzerland has some of the most stringent laws in the world on research into human embryos but these relate principally to fertilisation and reproduction and were drawn up before the concept of stem…

De Botton reflects on Switzerland and success

This content was published on Apr 15, 2002 Alain de Botton, 32, whose five books have been translated into more than 20 languages, exudes charm and modesty. With his British demeanour and dry wit, he shows no trace of his Swiss roots. His high brow, literary “self-help” books have proved a winning formula, and critics have applauded the author for forging a new…

Novartis cancer drug given Swiss approval

This content was published on Apr 15, 2002 The new drug, Glivec, has already been cleared for use in the United States against gastro-intestinal stromal tumours (GISTs). Swissmedic, the Swiss health authority, said on Monday Novartis could market the drug for use against GISTs, making it the first country in Europe to do so. A decision is however currently pending from European Union…

Crèche shortage needs addressing

This content was published on Apr 15, 2002 Attitudes are slowly changing in Switzerland. Where once crèches were seen as a necessary evil, allowing poorer mothers to return to work, they are now regarded as essential not only for women to reassert their identity, but also for the development of the child. As is often the way with Switzerland, it may be the…

Switzerland welcomes plan on ageing

This content was published on Apr 13, 2002 The plan, adopted on Friday by the Second World Assembly on Ageing, encourages governments and societies to ensure the needs of the elderly are taken into account when developing public policy. It also recommends the reinforcement of economic solidarity between generations to maintain social cohesion. Consensus “A consensus was reached on all points,” said Alfons…

Radar may reveal Mayan rituals

This content was published on Apr 12, 2002 Jürg Leckebusch of the cantonal archaeology office is a specialist in the use and interpretation of ground penetrating radar (GPR). He has been asked to take part in a project in Mexico at Chichen Itza, a Unesco World Heritage Site, in Yucatan. Leckebusch will be helping to investigate an area near the Castillo pyramid –…

Long-necked dinosaurs raise their heads

This content was published on Apr 12, 2002 After 150 million years buried under sandstone in the Wyoming desert, and following 25,000 hours digging and painstaking restoration, the Sauropods have been put on display at the Saurier Museum in Aathal, north of Lake Zurich. The long-necked, plant-eating Sauropods were the largest land animals ever known. The smallest were at least ten metres in…

Satellite integral to understanding our origins

This content was published on Apr 12, 2002 The Integral satellite, due to be launched on October 17, is a key element of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) strategy for discovering what lies beyond our solar system. An important element of this project is the Integral Science Data Centre (ISDC), in Versoix in canton Geneva. Here, the information gathered by this four-ton, five-metre-high…

Six researchers share SFr1 million prize

This content was published on Apr 11, 2002 The prestigious Leenaards Foundation handed three projects a SFr350,000 cheque each in an annual prize-giving aimed at encouraging scientific research. First prize The first Leenards Prize of SFr350,000 was awarded to Pierre Maechler from the Medical Faculty of Geneva and Urs Ruegg from Lausanne University for their research into diabetes and muscular dystrophy. Maechler was…

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Archive – Science

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Ant colony marches across Europe

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Stem cell report reveals legal maze

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De Botton reflects on Switzerland and success

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Novartis cancer drug given Swiss approval

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Crèche shortage needs addressing

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Switzerland welcomes plan on ageing

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Radar may reveal Mayan rituals

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Long-necked dinosaurs raise their heads

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Satellite integral to understanding our origins

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Six researchers share SFr1 million prize

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