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Scientists show that our mental representations of mathematical problems influence our strategies for solving them. Solving arithmetic problems, even simple subtractions, involves mental representations whose influence remains to be clarified. Visualizing these representations would enable us to better understand our reasoning and adapt our teaching methods.

A team from the University of Geneva shows that our ability to produce dopamine - the 'happiness hormone' - is not correlated with increased vulnerability to drugs. Why do some people who try drugs struggle with substance abuse while others don't? This question has long puzzled scientists. A team from the University of Geneva explored the complex interplay between personality traits and brain chemistry.

Exoplanets with a radius twice that of the Earth are rare. A team from MPIA, UNIGE and UNIBE has come up with new explanations. Why are so few exoplanets about twice the size of Earth detected? On the basis of computer simulations, a team from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA) and the Universities of Geneva (UNIGE) and Bern (UNIBE) has confirmed that the migration of sub-Neptunes planets - water-worlds - could explain this absence.

Based on data from Geneva, Switzerland, a team from the University of Geneva and the HUG assessed the effectiveness of contact tracing in controlling the pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Switzerland, like many other countries, relied on contact tracing to identify people likely to have been contaminated by an infected acquaintance.

A team from the University of Geneva shows how visual social skills develop in a unique way in children with autistic disorders. As they grow, children increasingly focus their attention on social elements in their environment, such as faces or social interactions. However, children with autism are often more interested in non-social stimuli, such as textures or geometric shapes.

A team from the University of Geneva and HUG has described, for the first time, a precise methodology for developing lung tumor spheroids. A team from the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) and the University of Geneva has described, for the first time, a precise methodology for developing lung tumor spheroids.

A team from the University of Geneva shows that the human brain is capable of identifying the vocalisations of certain primate species, if they are close to us and if the frequencies used are also close to our own. Are we able to differentiate between the vocal emissions of certain primates? A team from the University of Geneva asked volunteers to categorise the vocalisations of three species of great apes ( Hominidae ) and humans.

A team of researchers has revealed how to find the exact origin of a wine based solely on its chemical components. Does every wine carry its own chemical signature and, if so, can this be used to identify its origin? Many specialists have tried to solve this mystery, without fully succeeding.

By analysing the lipid profiles of dozens of people, UNIGE and HUG scientists have highlighted the importance of fat in the detection and treatment of type 2 diabetes. While sugar is the most frequently named culprit in the development of type 2 diabetes, a better understanding of the role of fats is also essential.

A team from the University of Geneva has tested six psychological interventions to combat climate misinformation. It shows how difficult it is to combat these messages, which are resistant to scientific information. Melting of glaciers, rising sea levels, extreme heat waves: the consequences of climate change are more visible than ever, and the scientific community has confirmed that humans are responsible.

A team from UNIGE, Eawag and the University of Konstanz has compared the spread of this invasive species in Switzerland and the United States. The result is a better understanding of the threats facing Lake Geneva. Invasive species are one of the main causes of human induced changes to ecosystems. The quagga mussel ( Dreissena rostriformis ) is one of them.

A team of researchers has shown that the risk of thrombosis largely disappears within two to four weeks of stopping the use of hormonal contraceptives. The use of the contraceptive pill and other combined hormonal contraceptives (CHC) triples the risk of blood clots. However, a prospective study by the University of Geneva and the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG), published in the journal Blood , shows that this risk largely disappears within two to four weeks of stopping use of these contraceptives.

A team from the University of Geneva has modelled projections for the spread of green energy at local level. Switzerland will have to step up its efforts to achieve zero net carbon emissions by 2050. How can we ensure that an energy policy will achieve its objectives? To find out, scientists and public authorities can rely on computer models of varying degrees of accuracy.

A team from the University of Geneva and Swiss TPH has published a large study covering more than a decade of data on the effects of mobile phones on semen quality of young men. Does electromagnetic radiation emitted by mobile phones affect semen quality? While various environmental and lifestyle factors have been proposed to explain the decline in semen quality observed over the last fifty years, the role of mobile phones has yet to be demonstrated.

By analyzing genomes up to 40,000 years old, a team from the University of Geneva has traced the history of migrations between Sapiens and Neanderthals. About 40,000 years ago, Neanderthals, who had lived for hundreds of thousands of years in the western part of the Eurasian continent, gave way to Homo sapiens, who had arrived from Africa.

By comparing the dreams of Western and non-Western populations, a study by the University of Geneva and the University of Toronto shows that dreams can have a variable emotional function. Why do we dream? A product of our brain's neurophysiology, dreaming is a complex experience that can take on many emotional tones and simulate reality to varying degrees.

A team from the University of Geneva has developed an electrical device that makes it easy to activate chemical reactions in a 'greener' way. New pharmaceuticals, cleaner fuels, biodegradable plastics: in order to meet society's needs, chemists have to develop new synthesis methods to obtain new products that do not exist in their natural state.

A team from the University of Geneva shows that disruptions to the circadian clock increase the risk of developing a neurodegenerative disease. Disturbances in sleep patterns and the internal biological clock are frequently associated with Parkinson's disease. However, the link between biological rhythm and neuronal degeneration remains unclear.

An international team co-led by UNIGE and HUG has decoded the only protein that can be used to ''see'' neuroinflammation. This discovery will improve the understanding of neurological and psychiatric disease mechanisms. Inflammation is the sign that our body is defending itself against an aggression.

Scientists in Western Switzerland have discovered how to improve the anti-tumour power of CAR-T cells, artificial immune ''super-cells'' used against blood cancers. Among available immunotherapies, the use of 'CAR-T' cells is proving extremely effective against certain blood cancers, but only in half of patients.