UNI NOVA – Research Magazine of the University of Basel
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DossierThe woman who never forgets.
Text: Angelika Jacobs / There are only about 60 people in the world who can remember everything they have ever experienced. For many of them, this is a source of considerable suffering. Researchers are now scouring their DNA for an answer to the question of why we are able to forget.
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DossierSeeking support for the working memory.
Text: Santina Russo / We only tend to notice how heavily we rely on our working memory when it is no longer functioning properly, like when we age or if we are affected by mental illness. Researchers are currently looking for ways to improve short-term memory in everyday life.
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DossierWhen the virus returns.
Text: Ori Schipper / Immunological memory is based on complex interactions between different types of cells, and the process involves thousands of genes. Two perspectives on a fascinating phenomenon with which scientists are still struggling to come to grips.
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DossierRisky surgeries.
Text: Sabine Goldhahn / Surgical interventions alleviate suffering and can save lives. For older patients in particular, however, operations are sometimes followed by memory problems. A research group at the University of Basel is studying this phenomenon in the hope of finding ways to keep the symptoms at bay.
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DossierNo statute of limitations on serious crimes.
Interview: Christoph Dieffenbacher / Time is a key factor when investigating and sentencing serious crimes. An interview with criminal law expert Professor Christopher Geth about statutes of limitations and on forgetting in the justice system.
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DossierCan memory be shared?
Text: Samuel Schlaefli / We often hear about a society’s “collective memory”. It is a concept that doesn’t sit well with Basel historian Erik Petry, who enjoys confronting conventional wisdom on the subject – and invokes Jewish history to make his point.
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DossierCatching memory loss before it’s too late.
Text: Yvonne Vahlensieck / The earlier dementia is diagnosed, the more can be done about it. A research team in Basel is working to identify the very first signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
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OpinionCan Switzerland beat COVID-19, Jürg Utzinger?
Text: Jürg Utzinger / Assessing the country’s handling of the pandemic so far – from an epidemiologic and an economic perspective.
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OpinionCan Switzerland beat COVID-19, Sarah Lein?
Text: Sarah Lein / Assessing the country’s handling of the pandemic so far – from an epidemiologic and an economic perspective.
