Archive – Science

Switzerland dropping behind in solar stakes

This content was published on Jun 18, 2001 Only 51,000 square metres of solar panels were sold last year, registering no gains compared with 1999. From 1993 to 1997, solar installation output increased one megawatt per year. And more recently, that figure doubled thanks to federal subsidies from the government’s Energy 2000 action programme. Last year’s lack of enthusiasm is blamed on a…

British experts give Swiss teaching “A-plus”

This content was published on Jun 15, 2001 The Institute’s report is the result of a two-year long programme of visits by English education officials to Swiss schools where they compared students’ language abilities at first hand. Among other things the study compared literacy rates of pupils with “lesser abilities” from both Switzerland and Britain. The results showed that Swiss pupils are four…

Businesses recognise importance of childcare

This content was published on Jun 15, 2001 The main task of this co-operative association is to offer advice and act as an intermediary for a wide selection of childcare arrangements for working parents. It also runs its own nursery called Kids and Co. Andrea Jenzer, who is the co-head of Childcare Services, told swissinfo about the theory behind the association. “We think…

Cabinet calls for paid maternity leave

This content was published on Jun 15, 2001 Under the plan, the cost of maternity leave would be paid for by employers. The government estimates that it would total between SFr465 million ($264 million) and SFr535 million a year. The proposal was mooted in April, but drew widespread criticism from employers and parliamentarians at the time. However, the cabinet does not believe that…

Swiss geologists make important meteorite discovery

This content was published on Jun 15, 2001 The geologists from the University of Bern and the city’s Natural History Museum both characterised the find as very important. Of the 20,000 meteorites discovered on Earth, only 18 have come from Mars. Until the expected return of the Mars probe in 2012, scientists will have to rely on the information provided by meteorites like…

Sulzer Medica says 1,850 affected by implant recall

This content was published on Jun 14, 2001 Medica started the recall last year after it became aware of a fault in its Inter-Op implants. Most patients affected are in the United States. Last month the medical technology group said it was not fully insured to cover the costs of surgery to replace the faulty implants. A Sulzer Medica spokesman said at the…

Petition intensifies alternative medicine debate

This content was published on Jun 12, 2001 Moritz Aebersold, a member of the committee, presented the document, signed by 287,826 people, to Thomas Zeltner, the director of the Federal Health Office. The petition calls for alternative medicines, such as homeopathic remedies, to be given the same recognition as more traditional drugs in order to maintain a “healthy” variety of medicines in Switzerland.…

Divide over gene technology runs deep

This content was published on Jun 12, 2001 Environmental groups, Pro Natura and the Swiss branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature, handed over 30,000 signatures to the Senate, calling for a moratorium on the commercial use of GM plants. Carol Franklin, director of WWF Switzerland said a moratorium would give scientists time to answer some of the fears raised by genetically…

Basel duo in the running for top businesswoman title

This content was published on Jun 12, 2001 Founded in 1997, GetWellness is a medical consultancy firm, which offers specialist advice to companies and healthcare professionals, and provides a 24-hour service via the Internet for executives who need medical advice or treatment when travelling abroad. The two, who both studied biochemistry, and worked for the United States consultancy firm, McKinsey, identified a niche…

Swiss instruments to measure solar activity

This content was published on Jun 11, 2001 The High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (HESSI) satellite is to measure peak solar activity, which happens every 11 years. Scientists hope to find the reasons of some well-known phenomena. “We want to observe solar flares”, says Alex Zehnder, head of the astrophysics laboratory at PSI. “These events produce energy equivalent to millions of atomic bombs.”…

Archive – Science

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

Archive – Science

More

Switzerland dropping behind in solar stakes

More

British experts give Swiss teaching “A-plus”

More

Businesses recognise importance of childcare

More

Cabinet calls for paid maternity leave

More

Swiss geologists make important meteorite discovery

More

Sulzer Medica says 1,850 affected by implant recall

More

Petition intensifies alternative medicine debate

More

Divide over gene technology runs deep

More

Basel duo in the running for top businesswoman title

More

Swiss instruments to measure solar activity

Popular Stories

Most Discussed