The University of Bern is represented in the Swiss Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, which
officially opened yesterday. As part of the “AUGMENTED HUMAN” exhibition, two Bernese
space instruments that are flying on international missions into space can be seen in the
Swiss Pavilion. And the public has the opportunity to learn what comets really smell like.
Bern, April 14, 2025.- The motto of Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, is “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”. The theme of the Swiss Pavilion, “From Heidi to High-Tech”, reflects Switzerland’s development from its iconic Alpine heritage to a globally recognized center of cutting-edge technology.
The University of Bern is showcasing its latest space instruments at Expo 2025 in Osaka. On display
are two mass spectrometers developed for major missions of the European Space Agency (ESA) and
the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Virginia Richter, rector of the University of Bern, will travel to Osaka as part of the official Swiss delegation. “Since its participation in NASA’s Apollo
missions to the moon, the University of Bern has been a global leader in space research,” says
Richter. “I am proud that we have now been invited to present the latest achievements of Bernese
space research to a broad international public.” A total of around 1.5 million visitors are expected at
the Swiss Pavilion during the six-month Expo. Calculated over the two-month duration of the
“AUGMENTED HUMAN” exhibition, that makes 500,000.
The scent of space
The University of Bern’s presentation is themed “The Scent of Space”. The mass spectrometers on
display work in a similar way to human noses and can “sniff out” the chemical composition in the
atmospheres of distant worlds that they visit in our solar system. These high-precision instruments can detect a single atom or molecule in just one cubic centimeter of space and identify gases based on their composition. This study of gases and particles in space is providing valuable insights into the origins of our solar system, planetary evolution and the potential for extraterrestrial life.
The Bernese mass spectrometers on display at the Swiss Pavilion are invaluable because each
instrument is specially customized for its mission. The Neutral and Ion Mass Spectrometer (NIM) on the ESA/JAXA Juice Mission will be exposed to extreme temperatures from -230°C to +250°C while exploring Jupiter and its icy moons. The ESA/JAXA Comet Interceptor Mission, on the other hand, has no predetermined target yet. The spacecraft will start and wait in space until an exciting comet is identified. The Bernese mass spectrometer MANiaC (Mass Analyzer for Neutrals in a Coma) must therefore be able to function under extreme conditions, including a flyby speed at the comet that is up to 70 times faster than a bullet.
In addition to the two high-tech instruments, the public will have the opportunity to learn what comets really smell like. Between 2014 and 2016, the Bernese mass spectrometer ROSINA, on board the ESA space probe Rosetta, collected data about the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, also known as Chury. Based on these data, the “scent” of Chury was reconstructed: in the exhibition, visitors get a sensual experience of what space – or more precisely: a comet – might smell like. Sulfur, ammonia and other molecules make for a quite striking experience.
The University of Bern will host a series of events at the Swiss Pavilion, including:
• Public event: “Visiting an ancient world: ESA/JAXA space mission Comet Interceptor” on April
15, 2025 at 11 am. Hands-on activity: “How to build a comet with dry ice, water, dust and soy
sauce?” on April 15, 2025 from 2 to 4 pm. This activity will be offered in Japanese and
English.
• “Official Osaka Prefecture program for elementary school students»: on April 25, 2025 at 11:30
a.m., astrophysicists Audrey Vorburger and Yuhito Shibaike will answer children’s questions
about space.
• Networking event by invitation: “University of Bern Day” on April 25, 2025 at 2 p.m. Masaki
Fujimoto, Director General of ISAS/JAXA, is expected as a guest of honor. Virginia Richter,
Rector of the University of Bern, will welcome him and other Japanese guests from the
scientific community. Marco Sieber, ESA astronaut and alumnus of the University of Bern, will
join the panel discussion “Exploring Space, Advancing Human Health: How Space Research,
Medicine and AI Shape Our Future”.
• Public event on June 7, 2025 about the ESA/JAXA Comet Interceptor Mission with Japanese
researchers and Martin Rubin, lead scientist of the MANiaC instrument.