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Plants and water can mitigate heat in cities. Using Zurich as a case study, researchers tested a climate model which indicates how large the effect of green and blue spaces is. The model supports urban planning and shows where improvements would be particularly effective. As a result of climate change, heatwaves are becoming more frequent - with particularly harmful effects on human health, livelihoods and infrastructure in cities.

Rats release trapped companions, subsequently enabling them to collaborate for acquiring food. Experiments conducted at the University of Bern established this connection between obliging liberation behaviour and coordinated cooperation. These results may point towards a biological basis for empathy, presenting new perspectives on the evolutionary origins of compassionate behaviour.

A UNIGE study reveals how mechanics, linked to tissue growth, help generate the diversity of biological structures. How can we explain the morphological diversity of living organisms? Although genetics is the answer that typically springs to mind, it is not the only explanation. By combining observations of embryonic development, advanced microscopy, and cutting-edge computer modelling, a multi-disciplinary team from the University of Geneva demonstrate that the crocodile head scales emerge from the mechanics of growing tissues, rather than molecular genetics.

An international team of researchers involving the University of Bern has investigated the consequences of deforestation and degradation of tropical forests. They were able to show that there are "winner" and "loser" species, whereby the displacement of the "losers" can lead to a decline in the ecological functions of tropical forests.

These small particles are reminiscent of paper flowers or desert roses. Physicians can use them to guide medicines to a precise destination within the body. Better yet, the particles can easily be tracked using ultrasound as they scatter sound waves. How can medicines be directed to the precise location within the body where they need to act? Scientists have been researching this question for a long time.

A study by the University of Geneva and the United Nations suggests that we should focus on citizen participation processes to achieve sustainability and strengthen multilateralism Using collective intelligence to solve a problem: that's what hackathons are all'about. Historically dedicated to developing IT solutions, these events now also focus on global issues, particularly those related to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

An interdisciplinary study from the University of Bern reveals that gut bacteria play a crucial role in converting arsenobetaine into toxic arsenic compounds. Results show that arsenobetaine, commonly found in seafood and previously considered harmless, is partly transformed into toxic arsenic compounds by the action of gut bacteria in the mammalian body.

Researchers have built a drone that can walk, hop, and jump into flight with the aid of birdlike legs, greatly expanding the range of potential environments accessible to unmanned aerial vehicles. "As the crow flies" is a common idiom referring to the shortest distance between two points, but the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems , led by Dario Floreano, in EPFL's School of Engineering has taken the phrase literally with RAVEN (Robotic Avian-inspired Vehicle for multiple ENvironments).

Earthworms are the "master builders" of the soil. They make nutrients available and sequester the greenhouse gas CO2 in the form of leaves in deep soil layers. A Swiss-German research team is investigating their work in Rendzina soils, the Swiss soil of the year 2025, which was chosen by the Swiss Soil Science Society on Soil Day, December 5.

For millennia humans have been inspired by the stars but this may soon be a thing of the past due to a significant increase in the numbers of satellites, potentially limiting our view of the night sky.

A new generation of wearable sensors will fundamentally change medicine. Researchers at ETH Zurich have now published an overview showing what is possible with such sensors and what questions their developers should consider to ensure their successful future use. Using a smartwatch to measure pulse, and a smartphone app to monitor blood pressure: wearable sensors already track some of the body's vital functions fairly reliably, and some of these devices can already be used in clinical diagnostics.

In a paper published today in the journal Nature , the CLOUD collaboration at CERN reveals a new source of atmospheric aerosol particles that could help scientists to refine climate models. Aerosols are microscopic particles suspended in the atmosphere that arise from both natural sources and human activities.

Researchers have uncovered a serious side effect of using the CRISPR-Cas gene scissors. A molecule designed to make the process more efficient destroys parts of the genome. Genome editing with various CRISPR-Cas molecule complexes has progressed rapidly in recent years. Hundreds of labs around the world are now working to put these tools to clinical use and are continuously advancing them.

Understanding how proteins interact is essential to decoding cellular processes and communication. In a groundbreaking study, researchers at the Friedrich Miescher Institute (FMI) have explored how every possible mutation in a protein affects its ability to bind with its partners, shedding light on how mutations influence cellular functions and the evolution of proteins.

From smart textiles to self-driving cars: researchers are developing new types of detectors for infrared radiation that are more sustainable, flexible and cost-effective than conventional technologies. The key to success is not (only) the composition of the material, but also its size. The ubiquity of infrared detectors What do motion detectors, self-driving cars, chemical analyzers and satellites have in common' They all contain detectors for infrared (IR) light.

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How do people evaluate the performance of an AI system? New research results from a group of sociologists at the University of Lucerne show that even non-human actors are subject to social prejudices. Imagine two doctors with identical skills and impeccable performance: Would your judgment of their actions change if one worked in a world-class hospital or was male or female?

Study reveals differences between ratings among the population Discrepancies in restaurant ratings investigated: A new study by the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden shows how strongly ratings of restaurants differ among the population. While cleanliness, value for money and service quality are generally appreciated, other criteria such as vegan dishes, accessibility and portion sizes vary greatly.

The discovery that an unexpected brain region is crucial for walking recovery in mice with spinal cord injuries has led a deep brain stimulation therapy in humans. The approach restored enough leg control in two individuals with partial spinal injuries to walk unaided and even climb stairs. Researchers at EPFL and Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), led by professors Grégoire Courtine and Jocelyne Bloch, have achieved a major milestone in the treatment of spinal cord injuries (SCI).

Since more and more deciduous trees are being planted in Swiss forests, whose wood is often burned directly, innovative ideas for a cascade use are in high demand in order to utilize Swiss hardwood more sustainably.