Bern’s Astronomy on Tap event sponsored for the first time by ISSI lit up the Stellwerk on November 18, 2025, and not just because nearly 100 people packed into the venue beneath the Grosse Schanze. With every seat filled and glasses raised, the atmosphere was primed for an evening where cutting-edge space science met tasty drinks and great company.
In her engaging TEDxVitosha presentation, Dr. Rosita Kokotanekova, Planetary Science Discipline Scientist at ISSI, poses a compelling question: Could we catch a comet before it hits Earth? She frames this not as science fiction, but as a bold, plausible scientific mission with transformative potential.
If you’ve recently had a coffee in ISSI’s common area and felt the Moon watching you—or spotted an alien contemplating a galaxy—you’re not imagining things. You’ve encountered the latest addition to our institute: a stunning, wall-sized space science mural, hand-painted by our very own C. Baier and Fabio Crameri.
In March 2025, the International Space Science Institute (ISSI) in Bern hosted an inspiring week-long workshop titled “What’s under the H₀od? Towards Consensus on the Local Value of the Hubble Constant”, bringing together some of the world’s leading cosmologists to tackle one of astronomy’s most puzzling problems: the rate at which the universe is expanding. Among them was Prof. Dr. Adam Riess, Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist from Johns Hopkins University, who co-convened the workshop and also gave a widely attended public lecture as part of ISSI’s outreach series.
The Surprising Expansion History of the Universe
March 25, 2025
18:30 CET
University of Bern,
Institute für exakte Wissenschaften,
Hörsaal A 006,
Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern
‼️ Due to the speaker’s request, the talk will not be live-streamed or recorded. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to your participation in person.
The world of astronomy assembled in South Africa🇿🇦, for the first time.
ISSI was there, too.
