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A team from the University of Geneva and UNIBE reveals that the distribution of planets can be organised in four different ways around a star. Astronomers have long been aware that planetary systems are not necessarily structured like our solar system. Researchers from the Universities of Bern and Geneva, as well as from the National Centre of Competence in Research PlanetS, have now shown for the first time that there are in fact four types of planetary systems.

A team from the University of Geneva reveals the eventful migration history of planets bordering the Hot Neptune Desert, these extrasolar planets that orbit very close to their star. All kinds of exoplanets orbit very close to their star. Some look like the Earth, others like Jupiter. Very few, however, are similar to Neptune.

A European consortium led by UNIGE, école Polytechnique (Paris), EPFL, hes-so and TRUMPF has managed to guide lightning using a high-power laser installed at the top of Mount Säntis in Switzerland. Forest fires, power cuts and damaged infrastructure..lightning fascinates and destroys in equal measure, causing as many as 24,000 deaths a year worldwide not to mention widespread destruction.

By identifying a key regulator of cell identity, a team from the University of Geneva and the FMI has succeeded in modifying the structure and function of tentacle cells in hydra. Humans, animals, plants: all multicellular organisms are made up of specialized cells called differentiated cells. Thus, the cells that make up the epidermis do not have the same identity - nor the same function - as those that line the digestive system, for example.

A team from the University of Geneva deciphers how negative emotions durably modify brain activity in the older adults . Negative emotions, anxiety and depression are thought to promote the onset of neurodegenerative diseases and dementia. But what is their impact on the brain and can their deleterious effects be limited? Neuroscientists at the University of Geneva observed the activation of the brains of young and older adults when confronted with the psychological suffering of others.

By identifying a key regulator of cell identity, a team from the University of Geneva and the FMI has succeeded in modifying the structure and function of tentacle cells in hydra. Humans, animals, plants: all multicellular organisms are made up of specialized cells called differentiated cells. Thus, the cells that make up the epidermis do not have the same identity - nor the same function - as those that line the digestive system, for example.

Scientists from the UNIGE and LMU show that the anti-tumour activity of the immune system - and the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapies - depends on the time of day. The ability of tumours to take hold and grow depends, among other things, on the effectiveness of the immune system in fighting them.

A team from the University of Geneva shows that using different points of view on a problem helps improve students'proportional reasoning.

A research team reveals a hidden cavity on a key SARS-CoV-2 protein to which drugs could bind. With the continuous emergence of new variants and the risk of new strains of the virus, the development of innovative therapies against SARS-CoV-2 remains a major public health challenge. Currently, the proteins that are on the surface of the virus and/or are involved in its replication are the preferred therapeutic targets, like the Spike protein targeted by vaccines.

Thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope, an international team including scientists is building a complete picture of the atmosphere of the planet WASP-39b. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and its unparalleled images of our Universe offer us a new first: by combining several instruments, it draws a molecular and chemical portrait of the atmosphere of the exoplanet WASP-39b.

A team from the University of Geneva and LMU developed a transport nanoparticle to make an anti-inflammatory drug much more effective and less toxic. How can a drug be delivered exactly where it is needed, while limiting the risk of side effects? The use of nanoparticles to encapsulate a drug to protect it and the body until it reaches its point of action is being increasingly studied.

A team from the University of Geneva shows that participating in camps helps develop valuable socio-emotional skills. Be able to control oneself, cooperate or help others: having socio-emotional abilities is essential for those who wish to interact positively with their peers. These skills are largely acquired during childhood and can be trained in different contexts, such as school, family or leisure.

A team from the University of Geneva reveals that a drug used against herpes can fight a bacterium that is resistant to most antibiotics by weakening its defence mechanisms. The unreasonable use of antibiotics has pushed bacteria to develop resistance mechanisms to this type of treatment. This phenomenon, known as antibiotic resistance, is now considered by the WHO as one of the greatest threats to health.

A research team supported by the SNSF and including scientists from the UNIGE has studied the particular properties of the star Gamma Columbae. It is believed to be a binary star whose core has been exposed. A bright star visible to the naked eye, but until recently a star that was of no particular interest to scientists.

A team from the HUG, the UNIGE and Endotelix has developed a new test to detect antiphospholipids. This new test could detect antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), which causes clots that lead to thrombosis and disrupts pregnancy. Endotelix The Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), the University of Geneva and their spin-off Endotelix have created the best possible target molecule for the antibodies responsible for antiphospholipid syndrome.

A team from the UNIGE and the HUG has developed a promising method for treating people whose negative dreams are pathological. Oppressive, frightening, nerve-wracking: nightmares are particularly disturbing dreams. They are considered pathological when they occur frequently (>1 episode per week) and cause daytime fatigue, mood alteration and anxiety.

A team from the University of Geneva has identified the structure of a protein complex controlling the activity of the major regulator of cell growth. The mTOR protein plays a central role in cell growth, proliferation and survival. Its activity varies according to the availability of nutrients and some growth factors, including hormones.

A team from the University of Geneva, in collaboration with the UZH, has developed an innovative strategy for studying membrane proteins, the targets of many drugs. Membrane proteins are key targets for many drugs. They are located between the outside and inside of our cells. Some of them, called ''transporters'', move certain substances in and out of the cellular environment.

The spectrograph developed by the UNIGE has enabled the discovery of the heaviest element ever detected in the atmosphere of a planet outside the solar system. An international team including researchers from the University of Geneva and the National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) PlanetS has detected the heaviest element ever found in the atmosphere of an exoplanet: barium.

A team of scientists makes the case for reevaluating maligned non-native species. Awareness of non-native species - often called ''invasive'' - has vastly increased over the past fifty years, to the point where anyone with green conscience has heard of them and their negative effects, whether it is the zebra mussel or ragweed.