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Remote villages show effects of inbreeding

This content was published on Jul 8, 2010 The findings by a team led by evolutionary biologist Erik Postma from Zurich University revealed that, contrary to popular belief, parents who are closely related to each other do not have fewer children. Rather, the effects of inbreeding can be seen one generation later, when their children have children. Previous studies have looked at societies…

Solar “lab” flies through the night

This content was published on Jul 8, 2010 The revolutionary new plane conceals a wealth of state-of-the-art technology and innovative design. Some 80 partners, including many Swiss companies, have helped conceive, build, test and fly the prototype. A jubilant and exhausted André Borschberg, the Swiss pilot and CEO of Solar Impulse, touched down at Payerne airfield north of Lausanne at 9am after a…

German newcomers struggle with Swiss German

This content was published on Jul 7, 2010 On the other hand, Germans who have been here for a while say dialect opens up the secret places of the Swiss heart. Recently, there has been a wave of German immigration to Switzerland, mainly because of the EU-Swiss agreement allowing free movement of people to take up jobs. One now meets Germans everywhere in…

Swiss Post “must not cut” services

This content was published on Jul 7, 2010 Presenting his annual report for 2009, Marc Furrer said that although more letters had arrived more punctually last year, ongoing cuts were alienating customers. “Service to citizens should not be subject to more savings,” Furrer told the media on Wednesday. Examples from abroad have shown that opening up the market should not mean cuts at…

Banks snub ombudsman’s Lehman complaints

This content was published on Jul 7, 2010 The 14 per cent increase in gripes to 4,757 was dominated by the sale and subsequent failure of products linked to failed banks Lehman Brothers and Kaupthing. But a quarter of complaints sent on to banks were met with a brick wall. Banking ombudsman Hanspeter Häni told a conference in Zurich on Tuesday that most…

Solar Impulse takes off on first night flight

This content was published on Jul 7, 2010 The plane took off shortly before 7am on Wednesday from Payerne airbase in western Switzerland. The inaugural night flight, powered by solar energy, was supposed to have taken place last week but was postponed because of a technical problem. During the day the plane should capture enough solar energy to keep it flying through the…

Swiss remain top rail users

This content was published on Jul 6, 2010 Each Swiss resident travelled 2,291 kilometres, equivalent to the distance from Bern to Moscow, said the public transport umbrella organisation Litra. The Japanese, who came second, covered only 1,995km. The next best placed in Europe were the French, who each travelled 1,370km. However, the Japanese took the train more often than the Swiss, with each…

Prices fall further in June

This content was published on Jul 6, 2010 The drop affected mainly costs for clothing, shoes and transport. the Federal Statistics Office said on Tuesday. The beginning of the summer sales and the weakening of the cost of fuel oils brought the index down. Year-on-year the inflation rate was 0.5 per cent, compared with annualised rates of 1.1 per cent in May 2010.…

Travellers told not to import plants

This content was published on Jul 6, 2010 The Plant Protection Inspectorate of the Agroscope research institute reminded travellers in a statement on Tuesday that to prevent the spread of disease and pests, the import of many plants is either banned or restricted. If banned plants are discovered in a passenger’s luggage when checked at customs, they are destroyed. Other plants may not…

Colour me creative: synaesthetes see more

This content was published on Jul 6, 2010 They may also have better memories, according to studies by psychologists at Bern University. Imagine having a psychedelic experience whenever someone introduced himself or gave you his phone number. That’s business-as-usual for people who have synaesthesia. A synaesthete might also find that certain flavours or music will trigger a strong impression of a scent or…

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Remote villages show effects of inbreeding

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Solar “lab” flies through the night

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German newcomers struggle with Swiss German

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Swiss Post “must not cut” services

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Banks snub ombudsman’s Lehman complaints

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Solar Impulse takes off on first night flight

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Swiss remain top rail users

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Prices fall further in June

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Travellers told not to import plants

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Colour me creative: synaesthetes see more

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