Schweizerischer Nationalfonds / Fonds national suisse

Tackling antibiotic resistance by capturing bacteria

Bern (ots) - Rapidly identifying certain bacteria allows antibiotic treatments to be optimised. A team from the University of Zurich, supported by the SNSF, has developed molecules to detect and capture certain species. The discovery of antibiotics revolutionised medicine in the 20th century, saving countless lives. However, the emergence of resistant bacteria has quickly become a new challenge. One key factor in tackling ...

What if we had a third arm?

Bern (ots) - According to a recent study, the brain can adapt to an artificial third arm and use it for simple tasks. This keeps alive the dream of precision mechanics and surgeons deftly using a third arm sometime in the future. About 20 study participants are learning to use an artificial arm in a laboratory setting. The rudimentary limb, equipped with a clamp at its end, is fixed to a table next to the participants who, while seated, control it using a belt placed on the ...

She is reprogramming cells to cure diabetes

Why slower-sinking microorganisms are bad news for the climate

Bern (ots) - Organic particles that settle on the seabed ensure CO2 stays locked. However, natural gel-like substances slow down this process. Such microscale mechanisms play a crucial role in enhancing climate predictions. Divers are familiar with marine snow, tiny particles of dead algae and other microorganisms that slowly sink to the bottom of the ocean. In total, the enormous accumulation of organic particles ...

New SNSF co-directors: bolstering research, shaping change, securing the future

1,800 new research projects generate knowledge for the economy and society

Bern (ots) - The SNSF invested some 1 billion Swiss francs in research in 2024, but it again had to reject many innovative projects. If the federal government cuts the SNSF's budget, hundreds more are likely to be rejected. How can self-driving cars or care robots be made safer? A research project funded by the SNSF is exploring this question, while another project ...

Certificates for palm oil plantations have unintended consequences

Bern (ots) - Analysis of independent satellite data shows a decrease in the efficiency of palm oil plantations in Malaysia after they received sustainability labels. This could have negative repercussions for the environment. Sustainability certificates are inherently beneficial. The label on the packaging ensures that specific environmental and social standards are ...

Twenty prizewinners in the SNSF Scientific Image Competition

When political leaders' personalities threaten democracy

Bern (ots) - By combining electoral data with psychological assessments, political scientists have shown that the polarisation of our societies largely stems from the problematic personalities of some elected representatives. The personalities of politicians seem to directly impact the polarisation of society. With support from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), a team from the University of Lausanne, led by ...

Double knock-out for malaria

More electric cars at lower cost by adapting incentives

Bern (ots) - The Swiss government aims to encourage more people to make the switch to electric vehicles, but current incentive policies are not efficient. Economists supported by the SNSF are proposing improvements. The electrification of the car fleet is one of the solutions proposed to combat greenhouse gas emissions. Economists supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) have assessed the financial ...

Music to support babies in neonatal intensive care units

Bern (ots) - Certain melodies promote brain development in premature infants. For several years, a team of scientists funded by the SNSF observed this phenomenon. They now know more precisely which areas of the brain react over time. Premature infants are more likely to suffer from attention and emotional regulation disorders. For over a decade, a team funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) has been ...

The talent scout for saints in literature

Katrin Milzow and Thomas Werder Schläpfer elected new co-directors of the SNSF

Men who conform to traditional gender roles are at a higher risk of suicide

Bern (ots) - Men commit suicide much more often than women. Those who want to live up to the traditional male image of strength and independence are particularly at risk. Prevention measures should focus more on them in future. The global suicide rate among men is between two and four times that of women, including in Switzerland. One reason for this considerable ...

Animal experiments: SNSF warns of consequences of a ban

Bern (ots) - The popular initiative in favour of banning animal experiments would significantly weaken Switzerland as a centre of research. Furthermore, animal testing could be relocated to countries with much less stringent welfare rules. The popular initiative "Ja zur tierversuchsfreien Zukunft" (Yes to a future without animal testing) aims to ban animal experiments in Switzerland. This would massively restrict human ...

She uses light to modify matter

Preventing GPS-caused traffic chaos

International law with cantonal twists

Prize winner Cristina Murer investigated tomb recycling in late antiquity

Full-time employees face higher risk of cancer

Bern (ots) - Working at 100% is linked to a higher incidence of the disease, according to an SNSF-funded study. Self-employed men and women who stay at home fared best, but the explanation is not as straightforward as it might seem. Some of the risk factors for cancer are well known - smoking, alcohol, a sedentary lifestyle - while others are a bit harder to explain. For example, work. As part of the completed, ...

Breathing and heartbeat influence perception

Bern (ots) - A study funded by the SNSF highlights previously unknown links between the body and the brain. The findings of this research carried out at the University of Fribourg show how our bodily rhythms affect our visual perception. Taking a deep breath to get a clearer picture is perhaps more effective than you might think. Breathing has a physiological impact on the perception of visual stimuli. This is what ...

Nanoplastics put stress on trees and impair photosynthesis

Bern (ots) - Spruce and deciduous trees take up nano-sized microscopic plastic particles via their roots. These can reach the leaves and needles where they have an effect on photosynthesis. The exact mechanism behind this is not yet fully understood. It is well known that more and more plastic waste is ending up in soil and bodies of water. Researchers are particularly concerned about tiny micro- and nano-sized particles. ...

Thawing permafrost in the Alps