research - Swisstamil

St. Gallen Launches Large-Scale Cannabis Research Project

The canton of St. Gallen has launched one of Switzerland’s largest cannabis research projects, allowing approximately 3,300 participants to legally purchase cannabis over the next five years. The initiative forms part of a nationwide effort to better understand the effects of regulated cannabis use and future policy options.

The study was officially presented by the Swiss Cannabis Research association and will be conducted in partnership with the University of Zurich and the KOF Economic Institute at ETH Zurich.

Researchers say the project aims to create a strong scientific foundation for evaluating the potential regulation of recreational cannabis in Switzerland. By studying consumer behaviour under controlled conditions, experts hope to provide policymakers with reliable data for future decisions.

A key objective of the study is to examine how regulated access to cannabis affects users, public health, and broader social trends. Researchers will also investigate whether legal access can reduce reliance on the illegal cannabis market.

According to the project organisers, the study will analyse the consequences and dynamics of a regulated cannabis system while gathering evidence on effective strategies to combat black-market sales.

The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) has approved the project, highlighting Switzerland’s growing interest in evidence-based approaches to cannabis policy. Similar pilot programmes have already been introduced in other parts of the country, including the canton of Zurich.

Supporters argue that such research is essential for understanding the real-world impacts of cannabis regulation before any nationwide legislative changes are considered. They believe the findings could help shape future public health and drug policy decisions.

Critics, however, continue to express concerns about the long-term health effects of cannabis use and the potential social implications of broader legalisation. The study is expected to provide valuable data that can inform both sides of the debate.

As Switzerland continues to explore new approaches to cannabis regulation, the St. Gallen project represents another significant step in the country’s effort to develop science-based policies that balance public health, safety, and consumer behaviour.

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Swiss Researchers Develop Saliva Test to Detect Driver Fatigue

Swiss scientists have developed a promising new method that could one day detect fatigue in drivers using a simple saliva test, potentially improving road safety and workplace security.

Researchers at the University of Zurich (UZH) have identified a metabolic “fingerprint” in saliva that can reliably indicate acute sleep deprivation. The findings suggest that fatigue affects measurable biological changes in the body that can be detected through advanced analysis techniques.

Study Shows Clear Biological Markers of Fatigue

The research team, led by scientists at the Institute of Forensic Medicine at UZH, conducted controlled sleep experiments involving twenty young male participants. Their saliva samples were collected under three conditions: after a sleepless night, after four nights of restricted sleep (six hours per night), and after a full eight-hour sleep.

Using high-resolution mass spectrometry combined with machine learning, the researchers analyzed tens of thousands of molecules to identify patterns linked to sleep deprivation.

Ten Biomarkers Identified

The study found that severe fatigue affects around 10% of all biomolecules present in saliva. After filtering complex molecular data, the team successfully identified ten specific biomarkers that consistently indicate acute sleep deprivation.

Lead researcher Michael Scholz explained that the main challenge was isolating reliable indicators from a vast number of molecular signals. The results demonstrate that fatigue leaves a detectable biological signature in saliva.

Potential Applications in Road Safety and Forensics

The researchers believe the discovery could have major practical applications in improving road safety, particularly by identifying tired drivers before accidents occur. It may also support workplace safety in high-risk professions where alertness is critical.

Thomas Krämer from UZH described the study as a “milestone for forensic research,” noting its potential use in accident investigations and legal assessments involving fatigue.

Toward a Rapid On-Site Test

The long-term goal is to develop a quick and practical test that could be used directly at roadside checks or in workplace safety controls. However, researchers emphasize that the current findings are still part of basic research.

Further studies involving larger and more diverse population groups will be required before the method can be applied in real-world settings.

If successful, the innovation could become a key tool in reducing fatigue-related accidents and enhancing public safety.

Swiss Scientists Discover New Target for Treating Blindness.

Researchers led by the University of Fribourg in Switzerland have identified a promising new biological target that could lead to improved treatments for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide.

The study focuses on restoring the eye’s natural cellular recycling system, which plays a critical role in maintaining retinal health. Scientists believe that failure in this system is a key driver of vision loss as people age.

AMD primarily damages photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelial cells, which are essential for clear central vision. When these cells deteriorate, patients gradually lose the ability to see fine details, significantly affecting daily life.

The Swiss research team, led by experts in cellular biology, investigated a process known as chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA). This system normally helps cells remove damaged proteins and maintain internal balance, but it becomes less effective with age.

According to the findings, CMA activity is crucial for retinal health, and its breakdown may directly contribute to the development of AMD. By identifying this mechanism, researchers have uncovered a potential “control point” for future therapies.

The study also explored an experimental molecule known as CA77.1, which was designed to reactivate the cell’s waste-clearing system. In laboratory models, activation of this pathway reduced inflammation and slowed cellular degeneration linked to vision loss.

Tests on cells derived from AMD patients showed improved cellular stability when the recycling mechanism was strengthened. Scientists say this suggests a new direction in treatment strategies that focus on restoring natural cell function rather than only managing symptoms.

Age-related macular degeneration affects millions globally, with risk increasing significantly after the age of 50. In older populations, the disease becomes a major cause of irreversible central vision loss, creating an urgent need for innovative therapies.

Researchers believe that targeting cellular aging mechanisms could open the door to future treatments that preserve or even restore vision. While the findings are still in early stages, they represent a significant step forward in ophthalmology research.

Switzerland continues to strengthen its position as a leading hub for medical and life sciences innovation, with this study offering new hope for addressing age-related blindness in the future.

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Swiss Parliament Approves Funding for EU Research Programmes.

Switzerland has taken another important step in strengthening its position in international research and innovation. The Swiss Parliament approved CHF58.3 million in funding for European Union research programmes as part of a supplementary 2026 budget package worth nearly CHF90 million.

The funding will support Switzerland’s participation in major European research initiatives, including Horizon Europe and Euratom. Lawmakers emphasized that maintaining access to these programmes is crucial for Swiss universities, researchers, scientists, and technology companies that rely on international collaboration and advanced research networks.

Parliament reduced the government’s original request of CHF67.3 million by removing a reserve fund that was no longer necessary. Despite the reduction, the approved funding ensures Switzerland can continue contributing to and benefiting from some of the world’s largest research and innovation projects.

Supporters of the measure argued that Switzerland must remain connected to global scientific developments and avoid another period of exclusion from key European research platforms. They stressed that research cooperation plays a vital role in driving innovation, economic growth, technological advancement, and international competitiveness.

The budget supplement also includes additional funding for the European Space Agency, Swiss rail cargo services, and transportation infrastructure projects. The decision highlights Switzerland’s continued commitment to science, technology, and international research partnerships.

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Swiss Research Calls for Strong Action on AI and Digital Transformation Across Society

Swiss researchers are urging policymakers, businesses, and society to work together to manage the rapid rise of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI), according to findings from a major national research programme.

Digital Transformation Requires Coordination

The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) emphasizes that Switzerland can only fully benefit from digital transformation if all sectors—government, industry, and society—coordinate their efforts. Without collaboration, both opportunities and risks linked to AI could increase significantly.

Large-Scale National Research Programme

The findings come from the National Research Programme “Digital Transformation” (NRP 77), which was commissioned by the Swiss government. Over five years, researchers completed 46 separate projects with a total budget of CHF 30 million.

Key Finding: Technology Alone Is Not the Deciding Factor

Researchers concluded that the impact of AI and digital tools is not determined by the technology itself, but by how people choose to use it. This highlights the importance of policy, education, and training in shaping outcomes.

Challenges in Education

One of the major findings shows that digital tools are often underused in Swiss schools. The main reasons include a lack of structured implementation strategies and insufficient training for teachers.

Labour Market Skills Gap

The report also warns that companies must invest more consistently in employee digital skills. Without continuous upskilling, workers may struggle to adapt to AI-driven changes in the labour market.

Media and Democracy Concerns

Researchers further stress the importance of maintaining a strong and independent media landscape. They argue that digital transformation can only support democracy if reliable information systems are protected.

Conclusion

The study highlights that AI and digital transformation are not just technological issues but societal challenges. Switzerland is encouraged to strengthen education, workforce training, and media independence to fully benefit from the digital future.

Study Finds Women Rated More Attractive.

A major international study has found that women’s faces are consistently rated as more attractive than men’s faces, even by other women. Researchers say the finding confirms the existence of a global “gender attractiveness gap.”

Scientists analysed more than 1.5 million facial attractiveness ratings collected from 52 studies across 76 countries. The research included nearly 30,000 participants who rated around 17,000 faces from different cultures and age groups.

According to the study, female faces received higher attractiveness scores across almost every category. Researchers found that women themselves gave the highest ratings to other women, while male faces generally received lower ratings.

The study also discovered that the attractiveness gap becomes smaller with age. By around 80 years old, the difference between how male and female faces are perceived almost completely disappears.

Researchers believe facial structure may partly explain the results. On average, women tend to have rounder facial features, while men often have more rectangular face shapes. Both male and female participants showed a preference for rounder faces.

Charles Darwin previously argued that sexual selection shaped physical appearance differently across species. However, scientists continue debating why humans show such strong preferences for female facial features.

The research team, led by Eugen Wassiliwizky, says the findings appear across cultures and sexual orientations, suggesting the effect may extend beyond social or cultural influences.

Experts caution that the study does not fully explain why female faces are generally rated more attractive. However, researchers believe both biology and long-term evolutionary factors may contribute to the pattern.

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Swiss Study Shows Wars Can Alter Groundwater and Water Systems

A new Swiss academic study has revealed that armed conflicts can significantly alter underground water systems and groundwater dynamics, reshaping how water resources behave in war-affected regions.

Research conducted at the University of Neuchâtel shows that large-scale population displacement and abandoned agricultural activity can directly influence groundwater recharge patterns.

Doctoral researcher Saeed Mhanna observed unexpected changes in an underground water system in a Syrian river basin, using satellite-based InSAR technology to study areas that are otherwise inaccessible due to ongoing conflict.

The findings suggest that when populations are forced to leave farmland during war, the cessation of irrigation allows groundwater levels to partially recover. In some locations, the soil surface even rose by up to 4 cm per year due to changes in underground pressure.

The study highlights how the invisible nature of aquifers makes wartime water assessment extremely difficult, especially when field access is restricted. Satellite data and indirect measurement techniques were therefore combined to analyze changes in water storage and recharge.

Beyond Syria, the research also examined the impact of the Kakhovka dam collapse in Ukraine in 2023. The study found that the destruction of the dam drastically disrupted the regional hydrological system along the Dnieper River.

Researchers estimate that the volume of water lost to the Black Sea after the dam’s collapse was roughly equivalent to the capacity of Lake Geneva, though with a significant margin of uncertainty.

The study demonstrates that modern satellite monitoring can play a crucial role in identifying damaged water infrastructure, tracking groundwater depletion, and detecting unexpected water recovery in conflict zones.

Experts say these insights could help governments and aid organizations prioritize emergency repairs, protect critical water infrastructure such as wells and pipelines, and improve humanitarian response in war-affected regions.

The research highlights the growing importance of space-based environmental monitoring in understanding how human conflicts reshape natural water systems over time.

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Switzerland Ranks 3rd Globally in R&D Intensity

Switzerland continues to strengthen its position as a global innovation hub, with major companies ranking among the world’s top investors in research and development (R&D), according to a new EY study published on Tuesday.

The analysis of the world’s 500 largest corporate R&D spenders shows that Swiss firms achieved the third-highest research intensity globally in 2025, measured by the ratio of R&D spending to revenue. Only companies in the United States and the Netherlands ranked higher.

Swiss corporations recorded an average R&D intensity of 8.4%, significantly above the European average of 6.7%, although still below the United States, which leads with 9.2%.

In total, Swiss companies invested approximately €34 billion (CHF 31.2 billion) in innovation last year, placing Switzerland sixth worldwide in total R&D expenditure.

The study highlights the strong contribution of Basel-based pharmaceutical giants. Roche remains one of the world’s leading investors in innovation, spending €14.3 billion on R&D. Novartis also plays a key role, investing €9.9 billion and ranking among the top global companies.

According to EY analysts, medicines continue to be the most research-intensive industry worldwide, reflecting the importance of pharmaceutical innovation in Switzerland’s economy.

However, the report also highlights a growing gap between Europe and the United States. While American companies increased R&D spending by 12% in 2025, European firms saw only a 5% increase, with relatively stagnant revenue growth.

At the global level, technology giants dominate absolute R&D spending. Companies such as Amazon, Alphabet (Google), and Meta (Facebook) lead the rankings, with Amazon alone investing more than €96 billion, largely driven by artificial intelligence development.

EY concludes that global companies are prioritising innovation more than ever, with R&D budgets growing faster than overall revenues. This trend reinforces the importance of research investment in maintaining long-term competitiveness.

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WSL Study Outlines Five Possible Futures for Switzerland

Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research have developed five possible future scenarios for Switzerland, exploring how society, the economy, and the climate could evolve by the year 2100.

The study highlights that it is impossible to predict Switzerland’s exact future. However, understanding different development paths is crucial because social, political, and economic changes directly affect resource use, infrastructure, and climate impact.

To build these scenarios, researchers collaborated with around 60 scientists from 20 institutions. A computer model was used to generate consistent projections based on global climate frameworks developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Three of the five scenarios are based on global Shared Socioeconomic Pathways, ranging from a highly technological, renewable-energy-driven society to a fragmented future marked by inequality and weakened state structures.

In the most divided scenario, society splits between a wealthy elite and a disadvantaged majority, while another scenario predicts long-term reliance on fossil fuels, resulting in severe environmental damage and high economic costs later in the century.

Two additional Switzerland-specific scenarios were also developed. One describes a country that prioritizes economic growth through fossil fuels before facing environmental consequences. The other focuses on social cohesion and well-being over pure economic expansion.

Lead researcher Lena Gubler emphasized that none of the scenarios are considered more likely than the others. Instead, they are designed as “if-then” models to explore possible outcomes rather than predict the future.

The National Centre for Climate Services (NCCS) has also released new data showing projected greenhouse gas emissions for each scenario up to 2100, providing a foundation for long-term climate planning and policy decisions.

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Study Links Childhood Bullying to Conspiracy Beliefs

A long-term study in Zurich has found that childhood bullying can significantly increase the likelihood of believing in conspiracy theories later in life. Researchers say early experiences of mistrust and emotional stress can shape how individuals view the world as adults.

The study, known as the Zurich Project on Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood, has followed around 1,500 participants since 2004. Conducted by the University of Zurich and supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation, the research tracks individuals from age seven into adulthood.

According to Hanne Duindam, people who experience bullying during childhood may develop a worldview shaped by fear and mistrust. These individuals are more likely to see the world as dangerous and believe in hidden plots or conspiracies.

The findings show that participants who suffered higher levels of bullying and emotional distress were more prone to conspiracy thinking and even extremist attitudes by the age of 24. The results were published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence.

Researchers emphasize that these beliefs should not be dismissed as irrational without understanding the underlying experiences. Instead, they highlight the importance of empathy and context when addressing such views.

The study also offers hope. Some individuals who lost trust early in life were able to recover over time, showing that intervention and support can make a difference.

Experts recommend strengthening mental health support systems in schools and families to prevent long-term psychological effects. Promoting safe environments and emotional well-being during childhood could help reduce susceptibility to harmful beliefs later in life.

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