News

From off to on in fractions of a second – researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have investigated a light-switchable drug for high blood pressure: They observed how the molecule transforms from one form to another and how this affects its effectiveness in the body. This could aid in the development of medications whose effects can be precisely controlled, within the body, using light. The study has now been published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will visit Angola, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso from 23 to 27 March 2026. In Angola, Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire, the focus will be on trade, economic relations and scientific cooperation, while the trip to Burkina Faso will centre on international cooperation, humanitarian aid and the security situation in the Sahel region.

What usually ends up in the incinerator today could protect houses from fire tomorrow. Researchers at ETH Zurich and Empa have found a way to press sawdust with a mineral binder to create a robust, flame-retardant material that is even recyclable.

The brochure issued by the Federal Finance Administration (FFA) provides at a glance information on the budgets of the Confederation, cantons, communes and social insurance, as well as an international comparison.

The Federal Government Expert Group on Business Cycles has revised slightly downwards its forecast for economic growth in Switzerland. For 2026, it forecasts below-average growth of 1.0%, followed by 1.7% in 2027 (forecast from December 2025: 1.1% and 1.7% respectively). The war in the Middle East is driving up energy prices and further increasing uncertainty.

The Steering Committee on Energy Security met on 17 March, co-chaired by the head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER), President Guy Parmelin, and the head of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC), Federal Councillor Albert Rösti. The specialist committee confirms that Switzerland’s energy supply is currently secure.

One cessation and one new factual report (aviation) are available on the website of the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB):

During the first Swiss Research and Innovation Summit held on 17 March 2026 in Bern, experts from the scientific community, politics, administration, the business community and civil society discussed the role scientific expertise plays in politics and society. The purpose of this event was to promote and strengthen an understanding of the need for scientific consultation and mutual dialogue between the scientific community and society as a whole.

Instead of using more and more concrete and steel, a European research team including Empa is focusing on intelligent shapes, digital manufacturing, and alternative binders. The aim is to create a climate-friendly building material that is delicate yet stable – and can be custom-made using 3D printing, dismantled, and reused.

On 16 March, the seventh meeting of the Switzerland–Brazil Joint Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation took place in Bern. The aim was to further strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries in these areas and to set future priorities.

The Producer and Import Price Index fell in February 2026 by 0.3% compared with the previous month, reaching 99.5 points (December 2025 = 100). Pharmaceutical products and chemical products in particular saw lower prices. In contrast, petroleum products as well as petroleum and natural gas saw higher prices. Compared with February 2025, the price level of the whole range of domestic and imported products fell by 2.7%. These are the results of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

The war in the Middle East is having a serious impact on the populations of Lebanon, Syria and Iran. In view of this situation, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has set aside a humanitarian support package of CHF 6.5 million, which will focus on Lebanon and includes a regional component for Syria. The SDC will also release emergency aid for Iran.