Cluster: Science

New pollution sources put lives at risk

This content was published on Oct 22, 2008 Two environmental groups, including Green Cross Switzerland, presented a list of the ten worst pollution problems in the world that primarily put children at risk of death, disability and chronic illnesses. The list includes new sources of toxins such as lead acid from battery recycling carried out in many developed countries to supplement meagre incomes.…

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Sauropods were big survivors

This content was published on Oct 9, 2008 Scientists think that the fact that these herbivores had many offspring, did not chew their food, had bird-like lungs and a flexible metabolic rate helped them dominate the earth for 100 million years. The results of a study by a multidisciplinary team which includes Marcus Clauss, a veterinarian from Zurich University, are published in the…

Salmon sighting kindles hopes of its return

This content was published on Oct 8, 2008 The 91 centimetre-long female salmon was reeled in from the Birs, a tributary of the River Rhine, photographed and then released, the Federal Environment Office said on Wednesday. Switzerland’s salmon population was wiped out in the 1950s after hydroelectric plants were built on the River Rhine, preventing the fish from reaching spawning zones. The size…

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Bird watch nets rare sightings

This content was published on Oct 6, 2008 Unusual sightings in Swiss skies included several osprey birds of prey, a young golden eagle and 78 woodlarks. The barn swallow, the chaffinch and the wood pigeon were the most common of the 149,316 birds spotted. Around 5,100 people joined in the bird count at 50 observation points over the weekend of October 4-5, according…

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Trees can keep up chatter all night long

This content was published on Oct 4, 2008 How they actually create a continuous hum is still mystery, although the most plausible theory is that carbon dioxide plays a major role. Trees have been known to emit so-called ultrasonic sounds since the end of the 1960s, when Scottish researcher John Milburn stuck a record player needle into a branch, hooked it up to…

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Take your pick

This content was published on Sep 30, 2008 As the last grapes are gathered on the steep vine terraces above Lake Geneva, the Dubois brothers in Cully are celebrating a bumper harvest. Their 25 grape pickers have come from all over Europe to get their hands dirty in beautiful Lavaux, a Unesco heritage site. But it hasn’t all been sweat and toil. (archive…

Swiss propose climate funding scheme

This content was published on Sep 25, 2008 Proposed on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the idea met with great interest. Since the Bali Climate Change Conference at the end of last year, negotiations have focussed on stabilising greenhouse gas emissions as well as measures to adapt to the effects of global warming, and how to finance them.…

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Minister presents climate plan at UN

This content was published on Sep 24, 2008 The money from the tax would enable the poorest countries to finance measures to deal with climate change. On Wednesday Swiss Environment Minister, Moritz Leuenberger, presented the idea to a forum on climate held in the framework of the UN General Assembly. Under the plan, each country would be allowed to produce 1.5 tonnes of…

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Flood defence system still has cracks

This content was published on Sep 18, 2008 Three years after a deluge killed six people and caused SFr3 billion ($2.7 billion) in damage, the Federal Environment Office and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research have said the country needs more warning systems, protective structures and emergency teams at the ready. The government in May 2007 had resolved to…

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Spotlight returns to ozone hole

This content was published on Sep 17, 2008 However, the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica has already surpassed its 2007 size this year and is set to keep growing for another few weeks, according to the United Nations’ weather agency. The Antarctic ozone hole appears every year and normally stretches to about the size of North America, reaching its maximum size…

Cluster: Science

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Cluster: Science

More

New pollution sources put lives at risk

More

Sauropods were big survivors

More

Salmon sighting kindles hopes of its return

More

Bird watch nets rare sightings

More

Trees can keep up chatter all night long

More

Take your pick

More

Swiss propose climate funding scheme

More

Minister presents climate plan at UN

More

Flood defence system still has cracks

More

Spotlight returns to ozone hole

Popular Stories

Most Discussed