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S U B S C R I B E
WRS stories about “science”
On the path towards creating synthetic life
Tuesday, 13 October, 2009
“Know thyself”—words of wisdom from the Delphi Oracle in ancient Greece. Over 2,000 years later, few men can boast having followed that timeless advice as literally as Craig Venter. This American scientist has mapped his own genome, or hereditary information in the DNA, and made it available online. He has since been creating life from scratch. Some see in him as menace that must be stopped. Others hail him as a pioneer who could make tremendous contributions to medicine and green energy supplies. Craig Venter is in Geneva to give a talk on synthetic biology—the science of making life—and reporter Lucas Chambers caught up with him yesterday:
Tuesday, 13 October, 2009
“Know thyself”—words of wisdom from the Delphi Oracle in ancient Greece. Over 2,000 years later, few men can boast having followed that timeless advice as literally as Craig Venter. This American scientist has mapped his own genome, or hereditary information in the DNA, and made it available online. He has since been creating life from scratch. Some see in him as menace that must be stopped. Others hail him as a pioneer who could make tremendous contributions to medicine and green energy supplies. Craig Venter is in Geneva to give a talk on synthetic biology—the science of making life—and reporter Lucas Chambers caught up with him yesterday:
Thursday, 14 May, 2009
An Ariane-5 rocket is expected to blast off from French Guiana later today, putting into orbit the largest ever infrared space observatory, the Herschel observatory. The project is a mission of the European Space Agency (ESA), of which Switzerland is a member. One element of the observatory is the Herschel telescope, which aims to discover how galaxies formed and evolved in the early Universe. After a four-month journey, Herschel will spend three years in orbit about 1,500,000 km from Earth. Well one of those attending the launch—scheduled for 3.24pm Central European Summer Time - is Arnold Benz, professor of physics at ETH Zurich and the head of the Swiss team for Herschel. WRS’s Vincent Landon, caught up with Benz before his departure and began by asking him about the significance of the mission.
Monday, 23 February, 2009
Swiss research could save the world a wheat shortage. A new study from the Institute of Plant Biology in Zurich has pinpointed a gene that protects wheat from a worldwide disease that can destroy massive amounts of harvests.
Epidemics of wheat rust, a fungal disease, have broken out before in the world causing harvest issues and the loss of millions of hectares of wheat each year, but the new research identifies the gene that may help farmers breed heartier crops.
Reporter Alex Helmick spoke to the top researcher on the project, Simon Krattinger. He started off by asking him about the importance of the finding of the gene LR-34.
Starry-eyed Swiss mark Year of Astronomy
Friday, 13 February, 2009
It is exactly 400 years since Galileo turned a telescope to the night sky and made discoveries that changed our understanding of our position in the Universe. In the same year, 1609, Johannes Kepler published Astronomia Nova, a work which laid out laws governing the movement of the planets. To commemorate the double whammy, the United Nations has designated 2009 International Year of Astronomy. Events are planned around the globe. Not least here in Switzerland, which despite its small size, has an enviable record in astronomy and astrophysics. Vincent Landon reports.
Friday, 13 February, 2009
It is exactly 400 years since Galileo turned a telescope to the night sky and made discoveries that changed our understanding of our position in the Universe. In the same year, 1609, Johannes Kepler published Astronomia Nova, a work which laid out laws governing the movement of the planets. To commemorate the double whammy, the United Nations has designated 2009 International Year of Astronomy. Events are planned around the globe. Not least here in Switzerland, which despite its small size, has an enviable record in astronomy and astrophysics. Vincent Landon reports.
Swiss protein portal goes live
Wednesday, 24 September, 2008
Switzerland is a leader in the field of bioinformatics. This is a relatively new area of research where scientists use computers to quantify and classify huge amounts of biological data, and it’s proving to be extremely useful in speeding up medical research, as well as many other disciplines. Today, the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB) celebrates its 10th anniversary and to celebrate, they are releasing the the first comprehensive Human Protein Encyclopedia. All 20,325 human proteins known to humankind are listed in this online database, which is freely available to the public. WRS speaks to Professor Amos Bairoch, the project leader and one of the founders of SIB.
Wednesday, 24 September, 2008
Switzerland is a leader in the field of bioinformatics. This is a relatively new area of research where scientists use computers to quantify and classify huge amounts of biological data, and it’s proving to be extremely useful in speeding up medical research, as well as many other disciplines. Today, the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB) celebrates its 10th anniversary and to celebrate, they are releasing the the first comprehensive Human Protein Encyclopedia. All 20,325 human proteins known to humankind are listed in this online database, which is freely available to the public. WRS speaks to Professor Amos Bairoch, the project leader and one of the founders of SIB.
Pete Forster speaks to Professor Amos Bairoch.
Wednesday, 10 September, 2008
All eyes were on Geneva this morning as CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, fired up the world’s biggest physics experiment.
WRS’s Catherine Allen gets the lowdown on the LHC from Dr Brian Cox
Fresh court bid to block Big Bang experiment
Thursday, 28 August, 2008
A group of researchers is going to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg to try to stop Geneva’s CERN starting up its huge physics experiment next month.
Thursday, 28 August, 2008
A group of researchers is going to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg to try to stop Geneva’s CERN starting up its huge physics experiment next month.
Friday, 8 August, 2008
It’s been more than a decade and several billion francs in the making… and it will finally get its day in the Sun on September 10. That’s when the world’s biggest particle physics experiment, by the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, CERN, gets underway in a 27-kilometre tunnel deep under the Swiss-French border. Pete Forster spoke to CERN’s Head of Communications, James Gillies.
New X-ray technology designed by Swiss researchers
Monday, 21 January, 2008
Superman’s X-ray vision might be getting even sharper. A team of Swiss scientists say they’ve found a way to take those scanners you see in hospitals and airports to the next level. WRS has more on the next generation of X-ray technology.
Monday, 21 January, 2008
Superman’s X-ray vision might be getting even sharper. A team of Swiss scientists say they’ve found a way to take those scanners you see in hospitals and airports to the next level. WRS has more on the next generation of X-ray technology.
Swiss medical authorities approve LSD study
Thursday, 17 January, 2008
Swiss authorities have approved a medical study involving the well-known psychedelic, LSD. This will be the first government-approved, human study in over 35 years.
Thursday, 17 January, 2008
Swiss authorities have approved a medical study involving the well-known psychedelic, LSD. This will be the first government-approved, human study in over 35 years.
Why do we sleep? Lausanne experts may have an answer
Tuesday, 15 January, 2008
Feel like you got enough sleep last night? According to scientists, how much sleep we need is all down to genetics—and researchers at the University of Lausanne say they’ve isolated a single gene, bringing them closer to answering the burning question: Why do human beings need to sleep at all? Catherine Allen has more.
Tuesday, 15 January, 2008
Feel like you got enough sleep last night? According to scientists, how much sleep we need is all down to genetics—and researchers at the University of Lausanne say they’ve isolated a single gene, bringing them closer to answering the burning question: Why do human beings need to sleep at all? Catherine Allen has more.
Study: Cleaner air equals stronger lungs
Friday, 7 December, 2007
Better air quality leads to better breathing. That may be common sense but Swiss researchers say it is the way they studied it that makes the results so unique.World Radio Switzerland’s Alex Helmick reports.
Friday, 7 December, 2007
Better air quality leads to better breathing. That may be common sense but Swiss researchers say it is the way they studied it that makes the results so unique.World Radio Switzerland’s Alex Helmick reports.
Can donkeys help prisoners through animal therapy?
Wednesday, 5 December, 2007
Experts in criminal behaviour have unveiled a new programme, to be tested among prisoners in the Saxerriet penitentiary in the canton of St Gallen.To help inmates prepare to reintegrate into society, and to reduce the chances of them re-offending, they will undergo animal therapy, working with donkeys. As Catherine Allen reports, it’s a Swiss first.
Wednesday, 5 December, 2007
Experts in criminal behaviour have unveiled a new programme, to be tested among prisoners in the Saxerriet penitentiary in the canton of St Gallen.To help inmates prepare to reintegrate into society, and to reduce the chances of them re-offending, they will undergo animal therapy, working with donkeys. As Catherine Allen reports, it’s a Swiss first.
Ancient ice holds climate change clues
Tuesday, 4 December, 2007
Studying the climates from thousands of years ago could help detail the future of global warming, say researchers at the University of Bern. A group there is leading the world in the study of Antarctic ice cores. World Radio Switzerland’s Alex Helmick reports.
Tuesday, 4 December, 2007
Studying the climates from thousands of years ago could help detail the future of global warming, say researchers at the University of Bern. A group there is leading the world in the study of Antarctic ice cores. World Radio Switzerland’s Alex Helmick reports.
Motion tracking suited for the masses
Thursday, 29 November, 2007
A new motion-sensor jumpsuit may change the way you play video games—and the way doctors treat patients. An international project headed by researchers in Zurich may make the currently expensive technology cheap enough to mass produce for the public. World Radio Switzerland’s Alex Helmick reports.
Thursday, 29 November, 2007
A new motion-sensor jumpsuit may change the way you play video games—and the way doctors treat patients. An international project headed by researchers in Zurich may make the currently expensive technology cheap enough to mass produce for the public. World Radio Switzerland’s Alex Helmick reports.
