news 2024

A study by the University of Fribourg suggests that turtles' shells are a major hindrance to their evolutionary development, which would explain the low number of species compared with other animal groups .

The Aztec skull whistle produces a piercing, scream-like sound. According to a study by the University of Zurich, this sound has a strong frightening effect on the human brain. It is assumed that the Aztecs used this effect specifically in their sacrificial rituals in order to influence the participants emotionally.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have discovered a mechanism behind the yo-yo effect: fat cells have a memory that is based on epigenetics. Anyone who has ever tried to get rid of a few extra kilos knows the frustration: the weight drops initially, only to be back within a matter of weeks - the yo-yo effect has struck.

In Sumatra, Indonesia, an international team of researchers has found an innovative way to restore native trees in oil palm plantations. Their method? Create small islands of trees within the plantation. In just six years, some of the local trees have grown to over 15 metres in height. Clara Zemp, Professor of Conservation Biology at the University of Neuchâtel, co-authored a study describing these results, published in the journal Science .

A UNIGE study has uncovered an unexpected mechanism used by the protein interleukin-38 to form condensates, major drivers of skin renewal. The mechanisms underlying skin renewal are still poorly understood. Interleukin-38 (IL-38), a protein involved in regulating inflammatory responses, could be a game changer.

Fampridine is currently used to improve walking ability in multiple sclerosis. A new study shows that it could also help individuals with reduced working memory, as seen in mental health conditions like schizophrenia or depression. Remembering a code for long enough to type it in; holding a conversation and reacting appropriately to what is being said: in everyday situations like these, we use our working memory.

The importance of cryptocurrencies has increased significantly in recent years. In Switzerland, 11 percent of the population invest in crypto assets.

Robots that can sense touch and perceive temperature differences' An unexpected material might just make this a reality. At Empa's Laboratory for High-Performance Ceramics, researchers are developing soft and intelligent sensor materials based on ceramic particles. Most people think of coffee cups, bathroom tiles or flower pots when they hear the word "ceramic".

Researchers at ETH Zurich are utilising artificial intelligence to analyse the behaviour of laboratory mice more efficiently and reduce the number of animals in experiments. There is one specific task that stress researchers who conduct animal experiments need to be particularly skilled at. This also applies to researchers who want to improve the conditions in which laboratory animals are kept.

Scientists at EPFL have advanced their NeuroMechFly model, simulating fruit fly movement in the real world. With integrated vision and smell, it helps us understand brain-body coordination, setting a path for neuroengineering's role in robotics and AI. All animals, large or small, have to move at an incredible precision to interact with the world.

An international team led by the University of Geneva has discovered three ultra-massive galaxies in the early Universe forming at unexpected speeds, challenging current models of galaxy formation. An international team led by the University of Geneva has identified three ultra-massive galaxies - nearly as massive as the Milky Way - already in place within the first billion years after the Big Bang.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have combined two gene editing methods. This enables them to quickly investigate the significance of many genetic mutations involved in the development and treatment of cancer. In recent years, scientists have created a range of new methods based on CRISPR-Cas technology for precisely editing the genetic material of living organisms.

Using new wearable devices, a team from UNIGE, CHUV, HUG, UNIL and EPFL identifies persistent dysfunctions in glucose regulation in women who have had gestational diabetes. A common complication linked with pregnancy, gestational diabetes increases the risk of developing metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes.

A research team from the University of Basel has succeeded in synthesizing simple, environmentally sensitive cells complete with artificial organelles. For the first time, the researchers have also been able to emulate natural cell-cell communication using these protocells - based on the model of photoreceptors in the eye.

Glioblastoma is the most common kind of malignant brain tumor in adults. So far, no treatment has been able to make this aggressive tumor permanently disappear. The tumor cells are too varied, and the microenvironment is too tumor-friendly. Researchers at the University of Basel and University Hospital Basel have now developed an immunotherapy that not only attacks the tumor-it also turns its microenvironment against it.

A French-Swiss team tests the famous physicist's predictions by calculating the distortion of time and space. Gravitational lensing of distant galaxies by the galaxy cluster Abell 2390, observed by the Euclid satellite . ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre (CEA Paris-Saclay), G. Anselmi Why is the expansion of our Universe accelerating' Twenty-five years after its discovery, this phenomenon remains one of the greatest scientific mysteries.

Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) contributes to research on sleep and related issues through the work and publications of Prof. Emiliano Albanese, Full Professor at the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences at USI, and Prof. Mauro Manconi, Full Professor of the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences at USI.

The olive colobus, a discreet primate found in the forests of Côte d'Ivoire, is surprisingly proficient in vocal communication. According to a study by the University of Neuchâtel, despite its limited vocal repertoire, this little monkey is able to convey a variety of information by combining its calls according to precise rules.

The right to vote is an important part of a democracy. But not everyone makes use of it. A researcher at the University of Basel has investigated the possible causes of this.

Women earn more if they mostly went to school with other girls as children, report researchers at the University of Basel and Durham University. Their findings are based on data from 750,000 schoolchildren. Men and women should earn the same amount of money. But they do not; women tend to have different professions than men and also earn less.