Science

In our science coverage, we look at where Swiss inno-vation touches the world. We focus especially on solutions to climate change and other areas where Swiss research contributes to global understanding and solutions.

Swiss state ownership of Beyond Gravity to be formalised

Federal Council creates law for continued ownership of Beyond Gravity

This content was published on Jun 20, 2025 Swiss government to create legal basis for retaining ownership of the space company Beyond Gravity.

Listen to our science podcast

The Swiss Connection Podcast: Hear Swiss science stories for the world

Why is Switzerland so sweet on cryptocurrency? What’s it like to be a Swiss expat in America? Swiss women couldn’t vote until when?!

Community corner: latest debates and surveys on science

What do you think about advanced health technologies such as freezing cord blood?

Do you have any experience with such solutions? Do you think more or less regulation is needed and why?

Join the discussion

Feb 11, 2025

15 Likes

8 Comments

View the discussion

External Content

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Almost finished… We need to confirm your email address. To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you.

Science and technology: Insights from Switzerland

Our monthly newsletter helps you understand how developments in science and technology out of Switzerland are shaping our lives.

Monthly

The SBC Privacy Policy provides additional information on how your data is processed.

I consent to the use of my data for the SWI swissinfo.ch newsletter.

Our videos on science

Sara Pisano talks to students about how AI could change their futures.

Is AI making young people rethink their careers?

This content was published on Dec 16, 2024 We spoke with vocational school students in Bern to hear their thoughts on AI and discuss the potential risks it poses to their careers.

Lift off! Swiss students build next-gen reusable rockets

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 Rocket-building used to be the sole preserve of space-faring nations like the United States or Russia. Now many other players are getting involved from private companies to young researchers, even from Switzerland.

Fish stocks hit by warming lakes. Climate change seems partly to blame.

Fish species are disappearing as Swiss lakes warm up

This content was published on Sep 26, 2024 As temperatures climb in Switzerland, Swiss lakes, fish species and their natural habitat are also suffering. A look at the impact on Lake Geneva.

The first major project under the federal government’s “Solar Express” scheme is being built near the village of Sedrun in southeast Switzerland.

Construction starts on first large-scale solar park in Swiss Alps

This content was published on Sep 13, 2024 Construction starts on first large-scale solar park in Swiss Alps

What’s inside a comet?

This content was published on Jul 24, 2024 Watch how two Bern astrophysicists are hoping to dig beneath the surface of a comet to find out more about the origins of the solar system.

Swiss farms make space for beans and lentils

This content was published on Jul 22, 2024 Plant breeders, scientists and farmers in Zurich’s countryside try to make the case for legume cultivation.

More on science

Mühleberg power plant decommissioning at the halfway stage

Swiss nuclear power plant decommissioning reaches halfway mark

This content was published on Jun 20, 2025 The first decommissioning of a nuclear power plant in Switzerland, at Mühleberg, is halfway complete.

tpg unveils its first new-generation e-bus

First 100% electric bus unveiled in Geneva

This content was published on Jun 20, 2025 First new-generation 100% electric e-bus unveiled by the Geneva public transport authorities.

Heatwaves are getting hotter and hotter - temperature extremes are increasing

Swiss heatwaves getting more extreme

This content was published on Jun 20, 2025 Temperatures in Switzerland have risen at a faster pace in the last 50 years, with heatwaves warming significantly more than the average temperature.

BKW drops project for Alpine solar power plant

Alpine solar power project abandoned after opposition

This content was published on Jun 20, 2025 Swiss energy provider BKW Group abandons planned photovoltaic energy plant, partly due to opposition from environmentalists.

Climate study warns of an increase in heavy summer storms in the Alps

Climate study warns of more heavy summer storms in the Alps

This content was published on Jun 19, 2025 Heavy summer storms in the Alps may double in frequency due to warming according to study.

Research team from the Tropical Institute discovers new parasitic worm species

Swiss Tropical Institute discovers new parasitic worm species

This content was published on Jun 19, 2025 Swiss Tropical Institute uncovers Trichuris incognita, a drug-resistant parasitic worm.

ETH Zurich is still the best university in continental Europe

ETH Zurich remains best university in continental Europe

This content was published on Jun 19, 2025 Swiss universities have once again fallen slightly behind in international comparison. In the annual university rankings, they recorded slightly more losses than gains overall. However, three Swiss universities are among the 100 best in Europe.

Switzerland and Norway want to push ahead with CO2 storage together

Switzerland and Norway sign CO2 storage deal

This content was published on Jun 18, 2025 Switzerland and Norway have signed a bilateral agreement for the future storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) under the North Sea.

The permafrost in Switzerland has thawed further

Permafrost in Switzerland continues to thaw

This content was published on Jun 17, 2025 The permafrost in the Swiss Alps is thawing faster and faster. The thawed top layers of permafrost have never been as thick as they were last year. This is shown by the latest data from the Swiss permafrost monitoring network Permos.

Landslide in Blatten VS causes 320 million francs in damage

Landslide in Blatten causes CHF320 million in damage

This content was published on Jun 17, 2025 The landslide in Blatten VS and the resulting floods caused damage totalling CHF 320 million. Around CHF 260 million of this was due to damage to buildings and household contents, according to estimates by Swiss private insurers.

AI investigates the secret lives of foxes and co. in the Alps

Swiss National Park snoops on secret lives of wildlife with AI

This content was published on Jun 16, 2025 Swiss National Park uses AI to snoop on the behaviour of wild animals when no-one is looking.

Blatten: Swiss help, Swiss Solidarity raises 17 million

Swiss Solidarity raises CHF17 million for landslide-hit Blatten

This content was published on Jun 15, 2025 The fundraiser Swiss Solidarity has received donations of CHF17 million for the Valais village buried by a landslide on May 28.

Solar panels on the Muttsee dam in the Glarus Alps, August 2021.

Five unusual places to install solar panels in Switzerland

This content was published on Jun 15, 2025 Solar energy is essential for achieving a zero-emission society. But where to produce it in large quantities? Here are the most curious and promising Swiss ideas.

A view on June 6 of the millions of tonnes of rock, ice and other debris that engulfed the mountain village of Blatten in the Lötschental valley after a local glacier collapsed on May 28.

The devastating glacier collapse in Blatten: what next?

This content was published on Jun 13, 2025 Two weeks after a landslide wiped out most of the Alpine village of Blatten, talk of reconstruction is picking up, but huge challenges remain.

Blatten VS to be rebuilt in three to five years

Landslide-hit Swiss village to be rebuilt within five years

This content was published on Jun 13, 2025 The Swiss village of Blatten, which was decimated by a landslide, is to be rebuilt in three to five years.

FHNW simulates the Martian landscape for Mars rover "Hufi"

Swiss university simulates Martian landscape for Mars rover tests

This content was published on Jun 13, 2025 A Swiss university has created a Martian landscape testing zone to test and train its own Mars rover, called Hufi.

Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?

Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?

Join the discussion

Jun 13, 2025

9 Likes

3 Comments

View the discussion

Swiss Re experts warn of growing risks from heatwaves

This content was published on Jun 12, 2025 Up to half a million people worldwide die every year as a result of extreme heat, according to a report by Swiss Re.

Switzerland in the bottom quarter of the ranking for renewable energies

Switzerland lags behind European peers in renewable energy ranking

This content was published on Jun 12, 2025 Switzerland ranks 22nd out of 28 countries in Europe in terms of solar and wind energy production.

Swiss Reddit study on fake news stirs ethics debate

This content was published on Jun 11, 2025 A controversial fake news study on the social media platform Reddit, has highlighted the ethical challenges of conducting research on society.

In Blatten, in the Lötschental valley in Valais, an estimated nine million cubic metres of ice, mud and rock crashed down a nearby mountain on May 28, wiping out the village. The few houses that remained intact were later flooded.

Blatten: what price for preserving Swiss mountain life?

This content was published on Jun 11, 2025 Swiss debates on preserving Alpine life have intensified following the Blatten glacier collapse. Discover the discussion shaping mountain village futures.

Opinion

Swiss climate scientist: CO2 removal is tricky but essential

This content was published on Jun 11, 2025 Initiatives to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air are faltering – not because they don’t work, but because we fail to see opportunities and lack vision, says Swiss climate scientist Cyril Brunner.

The fake news study on Reddit failed to inform particpants in advance

How a fake news study tested ethical research boundaries

This content was published on Jun 10, 2025 A controversial fake news study on Reddit has highlighted the ethical responsibilities of conducting studies on society.

Considerable landslide risk prevails in many Grisons valleys

Many Swiss valleys face considerable landslide risk

This content was published on Jun 7, 2025 There is a considerable risk of landslides in many valleys in Switzerland, particularly in canton Graubünden.

How does your country prepare for and respond to natural disasters?

Have you experienced natural disasters in your country of residence? How are these events predicted and responded to?

Join the discussion

Jun 6, 2025

4 Likes

2 Comments

View the discussion

Data centres use four times more electricity than the average

Data centres use four times more electricity than average

This content was published on Jun 5, 2025 The power consumption of data centres, used in particular for AI, is four times higher than average, warns the International Telecommunication Union.

Heat is the greatest climate risk for Switzerland, according to the federal government

Drought is greatest climate risk for Switzerland

This content was published on Jun 5, 2025 Increasing heat and droughts have become the greatest climate-related risks to human health in Switzerland.

Valais Council of State: 10 million for the people of Blatten

Canton Valais gives CHF10 million to Blatten after devastating landslide

This content was published on Jun 4, 2025 Canton Valais is releasing CHF10 million ($12.1 million) in emergency funds for the mountain village of Blatten, which was wiped out by a devastating glacier collapse last week.

Cassis: "almost a miracle" that Blatten was only one of the missing

Swiss minister highlights Blatten ‘miracle’ at disaster reduction meeting

This content was published on Jun 4, 2025 The fact that only one person is missing after the huge glacier collapse that engulfed the Swiss mountain village of Blatten last week is “almost a miracle”, according to Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.

Climate refugees left in legal limbo

This content was published on Jun 3, 2025 “Climate refugees” are not recognised by international law. Should a new status be created to protect them?

The seven worst landslides in Swiss history

This content was published on Jun 2, 2025 A photo essay looking at some of the biggest landslide disasters in Swiss history.

Microsoft invests 400 million dollars in Swiss AI expansion

Microsoft invests $400 million in Swiss AI expansion

This content was published on Jun 2, 2025 Among other things, the existing data centres in the Geneva and Zurich regions are being expanded as part of this investment.

Blatten (VS): Karin Keller-Sutter, 'devastating'.

Swiss president visits region affected by glacier collapse

This content was published on May 31, 2025 Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter spoke with communities affected by the Birch glacier collapse, which buried the village of Blatten.

Interventions in the landslide area are not possible due to danger

Situation in Swiss landslide valley remains unstable

This content was published on May 29, 2025 Authorities in Valais said on Thursday that it was still too dangerous to begin clear-up activities around the village of Blatten.

Communities downstream of Blatten VS spared so far

Further villages in Swiss landslide area avoid damage for now

This content was published on May 29, 2025 Due to the build-up of a lake behind the debris in Blatten, canton Valais, parts of neighbouring villages have been evacuated as a precaution.

Fibre keeps blood vessels young, according to Zurich study

Zurich study finds fibre keeps blood vessels young

This content was published on May 28, 2025 Certain gut bacteria cause blood vessels to age more quickly according to a study by the University of Zurich.

A smartphone displays the SWIplus app with news for Swiss citizens abroad. Next to it, a red banner with the text: ‘Stay connected with Switzerland’ and a call to download the app.

Aging society

Is Switzerland repeating England’s housing mistakes?

Property in Switzerland is expensive - and the debt burden is also high.

Demographics

Mortgages in Switzerland: how the system works

Cats climbing the cat ladders erected on the façade of a house in Bern

Swiss oddities

What a love of cat ladders says about the Swiss

Switzerland leapfrpogs Singapore and Hong Kong in the new ranking

Switzerland regains crown as world’s most competitive nation

The terms of the new agreement gives the US Securities and Exchange Commission direct access to client information from Swiss firms.

Foreign Affairs

US and Switzerland end stalemate over client information

What are your experiences with housing shortages and rising property prices?

Switzerland is steering towards a housing crisis. Are there solutions?

Join the discussion

Apr 25, 2025

47 Likes

56 Comments

View the discussion

Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?

Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?

Join the discussion

Jun 13, 2025

9 Likes

3 Comments

View the discussion

Is there a future for the humanitarian sector? What should it look like?

With key donors cutting aid budgets, the humanitarian sector faces a crisis. What strategies can organisations adopt to navigate this challenge?

Join the discussion

May 14, 2025

18 Likes

15 Comments

View the discussion

Science

More

Swiss state ownership of Beyond Gravity to be formalised

Listen to our science podcast

More

The Swiss Connection Podcast: Hear Swiss science stories for the world

Community corner: latest debates and surveys on science

More

What do you think about advanced health technologies such as freezing cord blood?

Don’t miss out on the newest stories! Sign up to our science and technology newsletter

Our videos on science

More

Is AI making young people rethink their careers?

More

Lift off! Swiss students build next-gen reusable rockets

More

Fish species are disappearing as Swiss lakes warm up

More

Construction starts on first large-scale solar park in Swiss Alps

More

What’s inside a comet?

More

Swiss farms make space for beans and lentils

More on science

More

Swiss nuclear power plant decommissioning reaches halfway mark

More

First 100% electric bus unveiled in Geneva

More

Swiss heatwaves getting more extreme

More

Alpine solar power project abandoned after opposition

More

Climate study warns of more heavy summer storms in the Alps

More

Swiss Tropical Institute discovers new parasitic worm species

More

ETH Zurich remains best university in continental Europe

More

Switzerland and Norway sign CO2 storage deal

More

Permafrost in Switzerland continues to thaw

More

Landslide in Blatten causes CHF320 million in damage

More

Swiss National Park snoops on secret lives of wildlife with AI

More

Swiss Solidarity raises CHF17 million for landslide-hit Blatten

More

Five unusual places to install solar panels in Switzerland

More

The devastating glacier collapse in Blatten: what next?

More

Landslide-hit Swiss village to be rebuilt within five years

More

Swiss university simulates Martian landscape for Mars rover tests

More

Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?

More

Swiss Re experts warn of growing risks from heatwaves

More

Switzerland lags behind European peers in renewable energy ranking

More

Swiss Reddit study on fake news stirs ethics debate

More

Blatten: what price for preserving Swiss mountain life?

More

Swiss climate scientist: CO2 removal is tricky but essential

More

How a fake news study tested ethical research boundaries

More

Many Swiss valleys face considerable landslide risk

More

How does your country prepare for and respond to natural disasters?

More

Data centres use four times more electricity than average

More

Drought is greatest climate risk for Switzerland

More

Canton Valais gives CHF10 million to Blatten after devastating landslide