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University of Geneva
Results 61 - 80 of 372.
Life Sciences - 19.12.2023
Can we decode the language of our primate cousins?
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.
Chemistry - Agronomy / Food Science - 05.12.2023
How to identify vintage wines by their chemical signature
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.
Health - Pharmacology - 04.12.2023
Lipids and diabetes are closely linked
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.
Environment - Psychology - 30.11.2023
Climate: why disinformation is so persistent
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.
Environment - 14.11.2023
The quagga mussel threatens to upset Lake Geneva ecosystem
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.
Health - 09.11.2023
The risk of thrombosis decreases rapidly when hormonal contraception is discontinued.
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.
Environment - Innovation - 06.11.2023
Energy transition: a super-model to guide policy makers
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.
Health - Environment - 01.11.2023
Mobile phone use may affect semen quality
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.
History / Archeology - Life Sciences - 18.10.2023
The encounter between Neanderthals and Sapiens as told by their genomes
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.
Social Sciences - Psychology - 16.10.2023
The emotional function of dreams is not the same everywhere
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.
Chemistry - Physics - 12.10.2023
An electrical switch to control chemical reactions
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.
Life Sciences - Health - 28.09.2023
Parkinson’s: are our neurons more vulnerable at night?
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.
Life Sciences - Health - 25.09.2023
Marker for brain inflammation finally decoded
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.
Health - Pharmacology - 20.09.2023
Strengthening artificial immune cells to fight cancer
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.
Pedagogy - 19.09.2023
Breaking in the black box of pedagogical authority
A team from the University of Geneva and HEP Vaud has developed an innovative method for studying teaching authority and assessing its effectiveness. How does pedagogical authority operate in the classroom? A team from the University of Geneva and the University of Teacher Education, State of Vaud (HEP Vaud) has produced one of the first in-depth field studies on this subject.
Health - Pharmacology - 15.09.2023
Understanding the ’’dance’’ of signalling proteins to stop inflammation
Inflammation is a normal response of our cells to fight stress, but too much of it can lead to a ''cytokine storm'' that can endanger life. A chain reaction of kinases activates the inflammatory response, like sequential switches. These enzymes have been heavily studied but little is known about their interactions, making it difficult to develop efficient drugs to target them.
Health - Pharmacology - 12.09.2023
Immunity to COVID-19 reduces contagiousness
A team from the University of Geneva and the HUG analysed the contacts of 50,000 COVID-19 positive cases. Immunity following vaccination provides better protection for those around you. Nearly one in three people exposed to SARS-CoV2 is infected, and as many as two in five with the Omicron variant. In the case of immunity — conferred by vaccination, infection or a combination of the two — this rate drops to one in ten.
Life Sciences - Health - 05.09.2023
Deciphering the ’highway code’ of our cells
A team from the University of Geneva has identified a key mechanism in the regulation of microtubules, the internal communication pathways of our cells. Cancers, degenerative diseases: deregulation of our cells' internal communication pathways is at the root of many conditions. Microtubules - microscopic protein filaments - play a crucial role in controlling these exchanges.
Earth Sciences - 31.08.2023
Two out of three volcanoes are little-known. How to predict their eruptions?
A team from the University of Geneva reveals how three easily measurable parameters provide valuable information about the structure of volcanoes. A step forward in risk assessment and preventive measures. What is the risk of a volcano erupting? To answer this question, scientists need information about its underlying internal structure.
Health - 22.08.2023
Cold air reduces croup symptoms in children
A study by UNIGE and HUG scientifically demonstrates that exposure to cold outside air is beneficial in reducing the symptoms of croup. For the first time, a scientific study shows that exposure to outdoor cold air is beneficial in reducing the severity of croup symptoms in children, particularly when symptoms are moderate.