CSH Past Events

Wednesday, 22 October 2025, 08:30-12:30

When Space Science Meets Medicine Symposium

As humanity prepares for exploration beyond low Eatrh orbit, clear parallels emerge with the challenges of an ageing society: sustaining physical and cognitive function, and delivering health support in remote, resource-limited settings. This interfaculty symposium brings space science and medicine together to exchange expertise, explore collaborations, and discuss educational pathways that could carry innovations seamlessly from orbit to patients' home—and back again.

Wednesday, 15 October 2025

Bern Physics Colloquium: Prof. Robert Wald

As part of the Bern Physics Colloquium, Prof. Robert Wald from the University of Chicago will give the Albert Einstein-Medal Lecture on Black Holes and Thermodynamics.

Wednesday, 08 October 2025, 13:00-16:00

©University of Bern

Ferienpass Fäger: Experience Space Research first hand! - In German

Space researchers at the University of Bern show you, how they develop, build and test high-tech instruments, which fly to space with rockets and probes. You can even try it yourself - Poly-mechanics apprentices teach you how to build a small, technical surprise! - For children who live outside the city of Bern, please register via E-Mail (sophie.krummenacher@unibe.ch).

Thursday, 02 October 2025, 18:15-20:30

©European Space Agency (ESA)

Meet ESA! - European Space Agency

ESA's mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability, leading peaceful exploration, and use of the space for the benefit of everyone on earth. It offers several entry-level programs targeting students, recent graduates, and young professionals. ESA career coordinator Andrew Kane would love to meet you and share ESA career opportunities with you.

Wednesday, 24 September 2025, 19:00-22:00

©Astronomy on Tap Bern

Astronomy on Tap - On a Quest to the Red Planet

For our September event, we're setting course for the Red Planet! Join us for an evening of Martian landscapes, interplanetary missions, and planetary science with three brilliant speakers: Marie Azevedo (WP), Haruna Toyoshima (Kobe University) and Dr. Tatiana Keller (CSH). From dusty plains to data pipelines, they'll take us on a journey through the science and storytelling behind our quest to explore Mars.

Wednesday, 24 September 2025, 17:30-19:00

Science Roundtable: What’s in a picture? Explanation, enhancement, deception

A scientific article is unimaginable without visual elements. The potential of visualization seems boundless, but what are its drawbacks? How can we make the best use of visual elements in different disciplines without risking deception? Can they depict data precisely enough? Discussion of these and other questions will be kicked off by short expert inputs from different disciplines.

Saturday, 6 September 2025

©University of Bern

Nacht der Forschung 2025: To Space! - From Solar Systems to Exoplanets

The Center for Space and Habitability invites you to join us at the University of Bern's fifth «Nacht der Forschung» research night on September 6, 2025, 16.00 - 23.00h and explore the fields of astronomy, space science research and planetology through entertaining activities and interesting talks.

2025/03/14

Physics on Fridays: Extrasolar Planets

As part of the Physics on Fridays series, PD Dr. Daniel Kitzmann talks about extrasolar planets and the search for alien worlds outside the solar system.

2024/12/11

Unveiling the birth of planets

Talk on japanese bernese collaborations in space research by Dr. Yuhito Shibaike, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and Audrey Vorburger, University of Bern. The public event was part of the 160th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and Switzerland. The 150 guests have been welcomed by Yoshinori Fujiyama, Ambassador of Japan to Switzerland. After the talk they enjoyed a Japanese aperitif prepared by the chef cook of the Embassy of Japan.

Flyer - Unveiling the birth of planets (PDF, 2.1 MB)

2024/11/05

À la recherche de mondes habitables dans notre système solaire

Conférence publique en français d’Athéna Coustenis, directrice de recherche au Laboratoire de Recherches Spatiales et d’Instrumentation en Astrophysique (LESIA), à l’Observatoire de Paris | PSL. La soirée placée sous le signe de la coopération scientifique franco-suisse a été organisée avec l'Ambassade de France en Suisse et la chargée des affaires francophones de l'Université de Berne.

Flyer | à la recherche de mondes habitables dans notre système solaire (PDF, 116KB)

2023/11/06

Image: Adrian Moser

International Business Cocktail 2023

The Bern Economic Development Agency of the canton of Bern has chosen the Center for Space and Habitability as partner to host their yearly International Business Cocktail. 150 guests from politics, international enterprises and embassies attended the event. The guest has been welcomed by Christoph Ammann, Member of the Government Bern and Minister of Economic Affairs, Energy and the Environment, Virginia Richter, Vice Rector for Development at the University of Bern and Sebastian Friess, Head of Bern Economic Development Agency. Audrey Vorburger, Senior Scientist at the Physics Institute of the University of Bern, and Susanne Wampfler, Co-director of the Center for Space and Habitability gave a very appreciated talk about "Bernese space research as key driver of innovation" and the attendees became an overview of Space research made in Bern on booth and guided tours.

2023/05/09 - 2023/05/11

Cosplayer at the PlanetS booth
Photo: © University of Bern / Sylviane Blum

Fantasy Basel 2023

The discovery in 1995 of the first giant planet outside our solar system by Swiss astronomers spawned a revolution in modern astronomy. At FANTASY BASEL – The Swiss Comic Con met young researchers from the National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) PlanetS. They are working to find out more about the origin and evolution of planets, their composition and atmospheres – and perhaps they will discover signs of life.

2023/02/11

500 Women Scientists

International Day of Women and Girls in Science

For the International Day of Women and Girls in Science the Bern-Fribourg Pod of 500 Women Scientist organised an event at the ONO Bar in Bern. Susanne Wampfler, CSH Co-Director & Eccellenza Professorial Fellow (Astrochemistry), participated with following talk: Building blocks of life in space. The CSH is sponsoring the event called: 500 Women Scientist – in the PUB.

2021/11/03

Photo: © University of Bern / Sylviane Blum

Looking for distant planets

The French-Swiss scientific cooperation was under the spotlight at the University of Bern, during an event organised in collaboration with the French Embassy in Switzerland and Lichtenstein. Professor Magali Deleuil from the Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille (LAM) was the special guest of this evening.

2021/10/08 - 2021/10/10

Cosplayer at the PlanetS booth
Photo: © University of Bern / Sylviane Blum

Fantasy Basel 2021

Fantasy Basel is Switzerland’s largest convention for comic culture, science fiction, cosplay and more. Around 45,000 visitors from near and far flocked to the big event to read the latest comics, meet their favourite artists – or to learn about exoplanets and space history at the NCCR PlanetS exhibition, which was part of the Swiss Space Museum booth.

2019/12/18

Many interested people are watching the launch of CHEOPS with fascination.
Photo: © University of Bern / Sylviane Blum

CHEOPS successfully launched

The relief was huge when the Soyuz Fregat rocket with CHEOPS on board took off shortly before 10 a.m. MEZ on Wednesday, 18 December 2019. The spectators at the University of Bern followed the ESA live coverage from Kourou, French Guiana, with great applause.

2019/11/19

Photo: © ESA/Roscosmos/CaSSIS, CCBY-SA 3.0 IGO

The Red Planet: 50 years of Mars exploration / La planète rouge : 50 ans d'exploration de Mars

Conférence publique en français avec Nicolas Mangold, Directeur-Adjoint du Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géodynamique de Nantes. Introduction par Nicolas Thomas et Antoine Pommerol, Institut de physique, département recherche spatiale et planétologie de l’Université de Berne. Événement en collaboration avec l'ambassade de France en Suisse.

2019/12/17

Thomas Beck, System Engineer CHEOPS talking about the many tests the space telescope had to pass.
Photo: © University of Bern / Vera Knöpfel

CHEOPS launch postponed

This morning the CHEOPS satellite should have started its journey into space. Less than an hour and a half before lift-off, the launch system was stopped. Despite everything, this event was celebrated in a well-attended event and short presentations provided insights into current exoplanet research. The launch is currently scheduled for Wednesday, 18 December 2019 at 9:54:20 CET.

2017/03/09

Event Trappist
Photo: © University of Bern / Sylviane Blum

Dreams of another world

Public reading with science fiction author Laurence Suhner at the CSH. Science fiction author Laurence Suhner and Brice-Olivier Demory, professor at the CSH of the University of Bern and part of the discovery team of the TRAPPIST-1 system.