University of Bern on the verge of unraveling a climate mystery

In the basement of the exact sciences building of the University of Bern, a few steps from the train station and the Federal Palace, hides a real gateway to Antarctica. Hubertus Fischer, professor of experimental climatic physics, welcomes us. Wearing thick gloves, he opens a heavy door opening onto a storage room where the freezing temperature of -50°C reigns. This biting atmosphere is the sine qua non condition for preserving the scientific treasure that will be hosted there next August: the oldest ice in the world, dating back 1.2 million years.