Cluster: Science

Tranquil spots

This content was published on Jan 26, 2011 In his photographs and texts, Heinz Storrer catches the magic of the moment. They invite us to stop, take a deep breath, open our ears and discover Switzerland afresh. (Pictures and text: Heinz Storrer, Picture editor: Rolf Amiet, swissinfo.ch)

PICOFDAY24012011

This content was published on Jan 24, 2011 Une bise tempetueuse a cree de somptueuses sculptures de glace au bord du lac Leman dans la region de Versoix pres de Geneve, ce dimanche 23 janvier 2011. La glace est formee par la bise et les embruns du lac et suite a des temperatures en dessous de zero, qui ont forme des sculptures sur…

Parkland in rural areas set to grow further

This content was published on Jan 7, 2011 The Federal Environment Office said on Friday that the requests would be examined and decisions be taken by September to open the new parks next year. There are already four regional nature parks dotted across the country – covering about 5,800km2. Regional parks are partly populated rural areas that have both high natural and cultural…

Climate solutions

Solar fuel invention seeks industrial partner

This content was published on Jan 6, 2011 Scientists at two Swiss universities have come up with a new way of making carbon neutral fuel alongside American counterparts. They hope it can become commercially viable by the end of the decade. The technique involves splitting water and carbon dioxide inside a reactor by concentrating the power of the sun into the thermochemical cycle.…

Climate solutions

Swiss look forward to Year of Forests

This content was published on Jan 6, 2011 The new site, www.wald2011.ch, in German, French and Italian, describes different ways in which forests are important. It also has a calendar of events being held during the year. Almost a third of Swiss territory is covered by forest. A third of this acts as protection against natural hazards for settlements, the transport network and…

Climate solutions

Wind energy gathers force in Switzerland

This content was published on Jan 4, 2011 Suisse Eole, the Swiss association for the promotion of wind power, said that production capacity rose by 150 per cent to 42 megawatts. This means a potential 74 million kilowatt hours of electricity, enough for 21,000 households, the organisation said in a statement. New wind farms at Mont-Crosin in canton Bern, Gütsch in canton Uri…

Climate solutions

Nature organisation celebrates the earthworm

This content was published on Jan 4, 2011 The particular species of worm is lumbricus terrestris, the largest naturally occurring species of earthworm in Europe, known by different names, including the common earthworm, the nightcrawler or the dew worm. Pro Natura said in a press release on Tuesday that it wanted to draw attention to the dangers threatening the soil, which is a…

Climate solutions

Skygazers await partial eclipse

This content was published on Jan 3, 2011 Although not as spectacular as a total eclipse – when the sun is completely obscured by the moon – this degree of partial eclipse is relatively rare in Switzerland. The eclipse will be visible in Switzerland – where 67 per cent of the sun will disappear – most of Europe, North Africa and central Asia.…

Climate solutions

Switzerland enjoys white Christmas

This content was published on Dec 26, 2010 More snow arrived on Christmas day and is expected to remain on the ground at least until Wednesday when temperatures will rise above the freezing point. The private weather service, Meteomedia, reported snow cover between five and ten centimetres in the plains between Geneva in the southwest and Lake Constance in the northeast. Some parts…

Climate solutions

Record cold hits as more snow falls

This content was published on Dec 18, 2010 The mercury dropped to -13.9 Celsius in Grenchen, canton Solothurn, and to -14.4-degrees Celsius in Aigle, canton Vaud, after a cold air mass settled in behind storms that left many European flights grounded. The coldest temperature of the year still belongs to La Brévine in the Jura Mountains, where the thermometer has fallen to -31.4…

Cluster: Science

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