Cluster: Science

Cloud covers views of lunar eclipse

This content was published on Jun 16, 2011 Eclipse enthusiasts in the French-speaking western regions in cantons Valais and Jura had a clear view of the alignment of the earth’s shadow crossing the moon between 9.20pm and 11pm local time. But cloud cover prevented much of the rest of the country from seeing the eclipse, a spokesman for MeteoSwiss said. The next lunar…

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Green firms rewarded with CO2 tax payout

This content was published on Jun 15, 2011 Around SFr180 million ($212 million) will be distributed among firms in June, with each receiving SFr64.40 per SFr100,000 spent on salaries. The companies must use renewable energy or fossil fuels efficiently. The biggest firms will profit most, says the government. The tax has been collected since 2008 from fossil fuels such as heating oil and…

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Deep-sea submersibles explore Lake Geneva

This content was published on Jun 14, 2011 The Elemo programme, comprising 16 projects, is bringing together researchers from around the world to better understand the largest body of water in Switzerland. This week sees researchers from Geneva University and the Eawag Aquatic Research Institute exploring the mysterious “canyons of the Rhone”, a series of sediment cliffs formed by the River Rhone at the…

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Protesters urge swift closure of nuclear plant

This content was published on Jun 13, 2011 The demonstrators gathering at the site of the plant on Monday said serious safety risks of the reactor were threatening more than half a million residents in the region. Speakers said it was a scandal that the authorities continued to ignore reality and had no emergency evacuation plans in case of a disaster at the…

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Spring was too warm and dry

This content was published on Jun 2, 2011 The national weather service said the first 11 days of April were particularly warm for that time of year, with parts of southern Switzerland setting a record with some days above 31°C. On the whole, temperatures were between three and four degrees warmer than the spring average. MeteoSwiss said March and April, in particular, were…

The Edelweiss – Switzerland’s national flower?

This content was published on May 25, 2011 Everybody knows the Edelweiss, which grows high in the Alps and is regarded in Switzerland as a national symbol. But how much do the Swiss really know about the Edelweiss? For the first time, an exhibition and a book explore the myths and paradoxes of this queen of alpine flowers. Did you know that the…

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Shale gas could remain out of reach in the ground

This content was published on May 23, 2011 The technique for extracting this natural gas, known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has come under scrutiny for causing pollution and adversely affecting water supplies. The concerns are such that one canton, Fribourg, in April suspended all authorisations to prospect for shale gas on its territory for an undetermined period. A u-turn by the government…

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Idyllic River Doubs raises pollution concerns

This content was published on May 21, 2011 Last weekend 1,000 nature-lovers protested at Goumois in canton Jura urging action to save the river, whose fish are dying in growing numbers. The authorities and power firms claim to be addressing the issue, but not fast enough, say activists. “It’s a terrible paradox,” Lucienne Merguin-Rossé, from the local branch of Pro Natura, told swissinfo.ch.…

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River Doubs

This content was published on May 20, 2011 The little-known picturesque region is popular with visitors, especially for walking, kayaking and fishing. Environmental groups say urgent action is needed to protect the future of the river basin. (Pictures: Jean-Paul Luthi)

Winds of reform sweep Swiss weather service

This content was published on May 17, 2011 New MeteoSwiss director Christian Plüss and his deputy Gerhard Müller told swissinfo.ch about the future of the Swiss weather service on the sidelines of the 16th World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Congress in Geneva. In December 2010, the Swiss government announced reforms to MeteoSwiss, which was established in 1881. Under the proposed changes, the weather service,…

Cluster: Science

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Cluster: Science

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Cloud covers views of lunar eclipse

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Green firms rewarded with CO2 tax payout

More

Deep-sea submersibles explore Lake Geneva

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Protesters urge swift closure of nuclear plant

More

Spring was too warm and dry

More

The Edelweiss – Switzerland’s national flower?

More

Shale gas could remain out of reach in the ground

More

Idyllic River Doubs raises pollution concerns

More

River Doubs

More

Winds of reform sweep Swiss weather service

Popular Stories

Most Discussed