Archive News

June 25, 2015When recreational boats are transported overland, they are often accompanied by zebra mussels, attached to the hull. This alien species, which first appeared in Switzerland in 1960, can thus invade other natural waters.

June 25, 2015The use of fracking for gas extraction is widely opposed in Switzerland. Despite the almost complete lack of concrete projects, certain cantons have already imposed bans.

June 25, 2015Chlorination of water in swimming pools leads to the formation of trichloramine, a potentially harmful compound.

June 23, 2015The creation of gravel islands can contribute to the success of river restoration projects, as these structures have positive effects on exchanges between groundwater and surface water.

April 22, 2015Today, invasive animals and plants spread all around the globe. Predicting the dynamics of these invasions is of great ecological and socio-economical interest. Yet studying them is fundamentally challenging because of the large spatial and temporal scales involved. Scientists at Eawag and University of Zurich are now using computer simulations and small artificial laboratory worlds, to study how rapid evolution makes invaders spread even faster.

April 21, 2015Biodiversity in Switzerland has continued to decline sharply in recent decades, and this trend is persisting. This is the result of an analysis by 35 scientific institutions all over Switzerland. Experts spoke today at the Zurich Zoo and the Neuchâtel Natural History Museum about their findings.

April 9, 2015The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has honoured Urs von Gunten, from the Water Resources and Drinking Water department, with a professorship as part of the President’s International Fellowship for Distinguished Scientists initiative.

March 18, 2015In many regions of Asia, Africa and South America, consumption of groundwater contaminated with arsenic or fluoride causes severe health problems.