Archive – Science

Smart bike “reads” road, measures performance

This content was published on Nov 16, 2001 The bicycle’s sensors measure the rate at which the cyclist pedals, heart rate, and ensure an ideal combination of muscular strength and electrical propulsion. The bike must carry its Swiss riders on a trip that is roughly the distance from Madrid to Moscow, across the sun-baked deserts of Australia. Developers at the Biel School of…

Swiss to spend more on space research

This content was published on Nov 16, 2001 The state secretary for research and science, Charles Kleiber, announced at an ESA conference this week in Edinburgh that Switzerland’s share would be increased from SFr120 million ($72 million) to more than SFr148 million in 2006. The Swiss will spend some SFr680 million over the next four years. Some Swiss companies would have preferred to…

New study reveals problems facing refugees

This content was published on Nov 15, 2001 The report by the Federal Office for Refugees and the Swiss Refugee Council is to form the basis of recommendations and measures to be put forward nationally to help refugees become part of the mainstream Swiss society. There are at least 26,000 refugees in Switzerland with around 80 per cent of them between 25 and…

Children learn to keep the peace

This content was published on Nov 14, 2001 In conjunction with the National Coalition Building Institute, (NCBI) 12 children at the Schädrüti primary school have been trained to diffuse difficult situations or conflicts in the schoolyard. The plan aims to diffuse difficult or heated situations, before they lead to bullying or violence. By starting in primary school at an early age, the junior…

More jobs cut at Huber and Suhner

This content was published on Nov 12, 2001 The maker of communications technology and polymer systems says it will cut 450 of its 2,500-strong Swiss workforce and cut 200 jobs at foreign units. The firm had already slashed 440 jobs earlier this month, primarily in the United States, Canada and Britain. Those affected in Switzerland are employed at sites in Kollbrun and Pfäffikon…

An inside look at “outsider art”

This content was published on Nov 12, 2001 Known in French as “Art Brut”, or raw art, the concept dates back to around 1945 and is generally attributed to the French painter Jean Dubuffet – although awareness of it began with research by psychiatrists in the early 20th century. Dubuffet said the term embraced works that were in their raw state, immune from…

Novartis offers reduction for its US customers

This content was published on Nov 10, 2001 Novartis’ CareCard programme comes in response to criticism sustained by the pharmaceutical industry in the United States, after it pressured the US congress to drop a reform plan aimed at cutting the cost of medicine. Other companies, including GlaxoSmithKline and Merck-Medco, have proposed similar membership cards to revive their image. However, reform projects have resurfaced…

Nations cut environment deal in Morocco

This content was published on Nov 10, 2001 The deal, reached after 12 days of tough negotiations, paves the way for the implementation next year of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which is aimed at stemming global warming. “We’re quite confident now that the Kyoto Protocol is saved,” said Olivier Deleuze, the European Union’s chief delegate in Marrakesh. “The Kyoto process is now irreversible.”…

Spas remove autumn chill

This content was published on Nov 10, 2001 Spa guests in Switzerland are spoiled for choice. Thermal baths dot the country, from scenic alpine locations to cities like Zurich. Only a short train ride from Switzerland’s financial capital, Baden has welcomed guests to its thermal baths for about 2,000 years. Its hot springs are believed to contain the highest mineral content of any…

Museum of Ethnography sparks controversy in Geneva

This content was published on Nov 9, 2001 The opponents say the SFr100 million ($60.94 million) building will be “ugly”, “too small” and “not properly financed”. They are particularly opposed to Geneva taking on 70 per cent of the bill for a project whose benefits extend far beyond cantonal boundaries. With regard to the building’s size, the opponents argued in local news reports…

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