Welcome to PSI, the largest research institute for natural and engineering sciences in Switzerland.
Recent highlights from our research
Unlocking the secrets of proteins
This year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to three researchers who have made a decisive contribution to cracking the code of proteins – important building blocks of life. However, developing applications from this knowledge, for example in medicine, requires research institutes such as PSI.
“Magic” element challenges current model of nucleosynthesis
Surprising measurements lead to the discovery of an unknown process.
Uniquely precise: New value for the half-life of samarium-146
Researchers at PSI and the Australian National University have re-determined the half-life of samarium-146 with great precision.
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Current upgrade projects and research initiatives
Together with industry to innovation
ESA comes to Switzerland
The signing of a contract between the European Space Agency ESA and PSI marks the start of the European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre ESDI.
How catalysts remove dangerous nitrogen oxides
In industrial catalysis, iron is not equal to iron.
Fast as a plane, clean as a train
In a collaboration across Switzerland, researchers have evaluated the potential environmental impacts of so-called hyperloop systems.
The people at PSI
Soldering on a big stage
Whoever makes it onto the podium here is one of the world's best professional talents: PSI electronics engineer Melvin Deubelbeiss won the silver medal at WorldSkills 2024.
Master of the flow
Even as a student, Athanasios Mokos was excited by the dynamics of fluids. Today at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, he models complex processes such as the formation of deposits on reactor fuel rods.
Cristina Müller
Developing and redesigning radiopharmaceuticals for tumour therapies
Working at PSI
PSI on social media
Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The day draws attention to the diversity, rights and self-determination of people with different abilities and highlights the importance of an…
Imagine you're playing Minecraft 🎮, but instead of building castles or exploring caves, you're observing bubbles forming in porous deposits on the fuel rods of a nuclear reactor. This isn't just a…
Let the countdown to Christmas begin with a sprinkle of science! ❄️
🎄✨ Resembling wintery pine trees, this #SciencePic reveals the intricate branching patterns on the surface of the van der Waals…
📽 Video update on SLS 2.0 - The installation of the last arc of the #SwissLightSource #SLS was marked by 👏 applause, celebrating this significant milestone of the SLS 2.0 modernization project!
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As the SLS 2.0 upgrade progresses, beamline scientist Federica Marone tells us what this means for X-ray tomography and why she can’t wait for the new light.
At the TOMCAT beamline, X-ray…
Did you guess right? Emiliana is at the #SwissLightSource #SLS at the new Debye beamline! 💡
She plans on using the combination of X-ray absorption spectroscopy and diffraction that will be…
How do you measure radioactivity from the air? air🛫
With a high-tech detector and a Swiss Army Super Puma helicopter 🚁. With this equipment, the NEOC, in collaboration with the PSI, flies over…
Guess where Emiliana is! 🤔 She's at one of our large research facilities… but can you figure out which one? Let us know your guesses in the comments and stay tuned for the reveal! 👀
Our “Where Am I…
In this #SciencePic, we take a detailed look at an X-ray lens under a light microscope 🔬.
This unique type of lens, known as an X-ray condensing beamshaper, was designed and fabricated by the X-ray…
With the SLS 2.0 upgrade at PSI, experiments at the #SwissLightSource #SLS will achieve up to 1,000x the previous performance level 📈, resulting in a substantial increase in data production 💾.
PSI…
Gebhard Schertler and PSI proudly announce the 20th International Conference on Retinal Proteins (ICRP 2024), the premier gathering for experts in #retinal #protein science, on 17–21 November 2024 in…
✨🔬 Noch ein paar Eindrücke vom heutigen #NationalerZukunftstag am PSI! Some more impressions from today’s #NationalZukunftstag at PSI! 👩🏽🔬👨🔬
✨🔬 Spannende Momente vom #NationalZukunftstag am PSI! 👩🏽🔬👨🔬
Heute war die nächste Generation von Fachkräften am PSI und hat einen unvergesslichen #FutureDay #Zukunftstag erlebt!
Von der Arbeit…
As the SLS 2.0 upgrade progresses, Thorsten Schmitt shares his excitement about deeper investigations into quantum materials.
With the increased brightness of SLS 2.0, his team will be able to…
PSI researchers, led by Marco Ranocchiari and Jörg Roth, want to facilitate the industrial- production of sustainable aviation fuel (#SAF) to help the #aviation industry ✈️ achieve carbon neutrality…
🕰️A race against time.
As a result of #climate #change, glaciers 🧊are rapidly disappearing worldwide.
As part of an SNF project, PSI scientists Theo Jenk, Michelle Worek, and Margit…
✨ …and just like that - the last arc is in the tunnel of the Swiss Light Source SLS! ✨
The SLS is currently undergoing a major modernisation programme that will significantly increase the density…
🚀 The European Space Agency - ESA is expanding its collaborative efforts with Swiss innovators through the newly established European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre (#ESDI). As part of the ESA…
🔬 Honoring 60 Years of PSI’s Hotlab – A Milestone in Swiss Nuclear Technology 🔬
Today marks exactly 60 years since the Swiss Federal Institute for Reactor Research (EIR) applied for a license to…
Using muon spin rotation at the #SwissMuonSource #SS, researchers at PSI Paul Scherrer Institute have detected an intriguing quantum phenomena in a Kagome superconductor at a record temperature high…
🌍⚡Erlebt an der Hellen Nacht 2024 live, wie die Bewohner von ESIVille den Umstieg auf erneuerbare Energien wagen. Helft den Bewohnern nach dem Blackout dank der am PSI betriebenen Forschung. Kommt…
After 22 years of brilliant science, at 8am on the 30th of September 2023, the SLS went into temporary 🛑 shutdown. As the SLS 2.0 upgrade progresses, PSI scientist Marianne Liebi looks forward to…
✨Unser Team im PSI Visitor Center freut sich bereits auf eueren Besuch an der Hellen Nacht am 2. November 2024. Es erwarten euch eine spannende Ausstellung rund um die Forschungsthemen des PSI. Um 14…
Do you like your #vegan #meat medium or rare? 🥩🌱 Ever wondered how plant-based meat alternatives get their delicious meat-like texture? It’s all thanks to a process called high-moisture extrusion…
We've reached a major milestone: the 10,000th macromolecular structure 🧬 solved at the Swiss Light Source SLS was released on 31 July 2024. 👏
💎 Many of the macromolecular structures solved at SLS…
PSI in numbers
2300
Employees at PSI are working on the world of tomorrow.
5
PSI operates five particle accelerator-based large research facilities.
64
In a total of 64 centres, labs and groups, we conduct research into pressing societal issues.
3000
Every year, around 3000 researchers from all over the world carry out experiments at our facilities.