Press Centre
Official releases of the Institute. Media accreditation is handled by the Secretariat.
22 June 2026 Press release IIMBM-PR-2026/14
Institute announces the XII International Thaumometric Symposium
The IIMBM announces that the XII International Thaumometric Symposium will be held in Bern on 14–17 September 2026. The agenda includes the results of half a century of operation of the BET-3 standard, the prospects of the TALOS-3 mission and the draft revision of verification protocol VP-9. Abstract submission is open until 1 August; the working languages of the symposium are English, German and Russian.
30 April 2026 Press release IIMBM-PR-2026/09
Statement by the Institute on the rate of background decline in the Northern Hemisphere
The Institute expresses concern at the results of the first quarter of the 2026 observation year: the background decline in the Northern Hemisphere amounted to 0.017 GMBI points, exceeding the median forecast trajectory by 23 %. The inter-agency working group has begun an extraordinary data reconciliation; pending its completion, the Institute refrains from revising the annual forecast. States Parties are advised to strengthen monitoring of compliance with Annex III of the Bern Protocol.
12 March 2026 Press release IIMBM-PR-2026/05
Annual Report on the State of the Global Magical Background for 2025 published
According to the report, the annual mean GMBI stood at 2.74 points (−0.054 on 2024). Of the network's 214 stations, 209 operated in regular mode throughout the year. The highest regional background values were recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (35.7 µTh), the lowest in East Asia (12.6 µTh). The full text of the report is available to States Parties; the summary for policymakers is published in open access.
19 November 2025 Press release IIMBM-PR-2025/31
Station TMS-214 (Kerguelen archipelago) commissioned
Acceptance tests of the network's 214th ground-based thaumometric station have been completed. Station TMS-214 closes the last significant coverage gap in the southern Indian Ocean and is equipped with a TK-7M thaumometer in Antarctic configuration. The first readings (31.2 µTh) are within expectations for an area with zero permanent population density.
3 September 2025 Press release IIMBM-PR-2025/24
On the verification of reports of an anomalous surge in the canton of Valais
Following a field visit by the mobile team of the Department of Thaumometry, reports by residents of the commune of Evolène of a "spontaneously glowing mountain lake" were not confirmed instrumentally: the recorded background values (25.1 µTh) correspond to the seasonal norm. The observed phenomenon has been attributed to bioluminescence. The Institute thanks the reporters for their vigilance and reminds the public of the 24-hour hotline number.
14 July 2025 Press release IIMBM-PR-2025/19
Volunteer observer programme extended to 11 more countries
The Board of Governors has approved the extension of the certified volunteer observer programme: by the end of 2025, applicants in 11 further member states will receive T-domo class household thaumometers. Data from the volunteer subnetwork are auxiliary in nature and are not included in GMBI calculations until a station completes its two-year probationary period.