Send us a textCities tend to get hotter than the countryside when a heatwave hits. What can be done about these urban heat traps? How can hot summers be made more tolerable for city dwellers? SWI swissinfo.ch asked an expert at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich.If you are interested in reading about this story or other science stories from Switzerland please visit www.swissinfo.ch/science.Jounalist: Luigi JorioHost: Jo FahyAudio editor/video journalist: Michele AndinaDistribution an...
Send us a textThis episode explores a groundbreaking Swiss innovation that could revolutionise the construction industry. Join us as we delve into Neustark's pioneering method of turning concrete waste into a carbon sink, permanently removing CO2 from the atmosphere. Discover how this technology not only helps decarbonise the concrete industry but also increases the strength of concrete. We'll discuss the science behind the mineralisation process, the impact of Neustark's 22 operational plant...
Send us a textSwiss students are propelling the future of space travel with innovative reusable rocket technology, putting Switzerland on the map in the global space race. SWI swissinfo.ch took a closer look at their projects in northern and western Switzerland. Visit SWI swissinfo.ch for more on these exciting rocket projects and a video on this story. Please come to SWI swissinfo.ch for more of our science stories from Switzerland.Jounalist: Christian RaaflaubHost: Jo FahyAudio editor/video...
Send us a textUsing a new type of instrument, two astrophysicists from the University of Bern hope to get a little closer to unravelling the mystery of the solar system's origins. They believe the key to this lies in the ice that can occur in a dust layer on comets.Please visit SWI swissinfo.ch for more information about this research and a video about ice on comets. Please come to SWI swissinfo.ch for more of our science stories from Switzerland.Jounalist: Christian Raaflaub Host: Jo FahyAud...
Send us a textSwissinfo talks to Herwig Schopper, former CERN director, the grandfather of the world’s most powerful particle accelerator, who helped promote peace through a Middle Eastern science hub and has his qualms about the Nobel Prize. If Herwig Schopper has learned anything during his 100 years on Earth, it’s that breakthroughs only happen when we work together. Please read here this interview and the full biography of Herwig Schopper, and please come to Swissinfo.ch for m...
Send us a textFor artist and researcher Şerife (Sherry) Wong the popular image of visionary geniuses who change the world from their garages is an illusion. “We are idealising the myth of the inventor, the American dream of the man who, from nothing, becomes super rich and changes the world for the better, but...for whom?” asks Wong, who studies the social implications of emerging technologies. She is also an affiliate research scientist at the University of California, Berkeley.You can find ...
Send us a textIn this episode, we talk to Stanford University professor Fred Turner, who’s been studying the impact of new media technologies on American culture for decades. Turner is also among those most vocal in denouncing the injustices faced by people living and working in Silicon Valley.You can find more written content about this story on SWI swissinfo.ch: in English in Italian (original) in German Journalist: Sara IbrahimHost: Jo Fahy Audio editor / Video jou...
Send us a textPamela Munster, a world-renowned oncologist, has been working in San Francisco for 15 years. In this episode, she recounts her battle against breast cancer. You can find more written and video content about this story on SWI swissinfo.ch: in English in French (original) in German Journalist: Marc-André Miserez Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor/Video: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang SWI swissinfo.ch is a public serv...
Send us a textIn this episode, SWI swissinfo.ch sat down with Claude Zellweger, Google's in-house design guru. We discussed the role of designers in tech innovation, AI, and the future of education. He also shared his thoughts on the challenges facing the tech industry and how we can overcome them by putting people first. You can find more written and video content about this story on SWI swissinfo.ch: in English in French (original) in German Journalist: Marc-André M...
Send us a textMore than 150 Swiss start-ups have received a boost from California entrepreneurship, and three of them are already worth $1 billion. This is a source of pride for Swissnex in San Francisco and its CEO, Emilia Pasquier. Hear what she has to say about Swiss innovation in this episode. You can find more written and video content about this story on SWI swissinfo.ch: in English in French (original) in German Journalist: Marc-André Miserez Host: Jo Fah...
Send us a textIn his 50 years in the USA, St. Gallen psychologist and consultant Herman Gyr has never lost faith in human ingenuity, the ability to learn and adapt to even the most adverse circumstances. This is despite the fact that climate change is his biggest concern.In this exclusive interview with SWI swissinfo.ch, Gyr shared his insight into what he thinks are the key influences that drive innovation in Silicon Valley.An article and a video about this interview can be found here on SWI...
Send us a textPharmaceutical giant Novartis invested billions in Slovenia, helping turn the country into a global player in generic drug production. Now, as cheap Asian competitors increasingly dominate the market, Swiss drug companies see the tiny Balkan nation playing a key role in their shift to more complex, expensive medicines.Articles and videos on Switzerland's investment in Slovenia are available on swissinfo.ch. For other science stories from Switzerland please go to www.swissi...
Send us a textForensic science is critical in the search for justice and the fight against impunity. Africa suffers from a dearth of forensic pathologists and Switzerland is helping to boost their numbers with training. In Mexico, forensic scientists need support to help identify the tens of thousands of victims of Mexico's drugs war. The University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva (CURML) is developing tools to find graves. Articles and videos on forensic training in African co...
Send us a textOver the past two years, experts have unearthed thousands of Roman military artefacts littering a hillside in southeast Switzerland. The first Roman battle site ever discovered in the Alpine country offers clues about what happened there over 2,000 years ago.The article related to this episode and the video interview is available on swissinfo.ch. For other science stories from Switzerland please go to www.swissinfo.ch/science.Journalist: Simon BradleyHost: Jo FahyAudio editor/vi...
Send us a textIt’s 20 years since Concorde made its final commercial flight, ending the first era of supersonic travel. A Swiss start-up is part of a new generation of aviation pioneers trying to re-introduce high-speed travel using clean hydrogen. But the road ahead is long and expensive.The article related to this episode and the video interview is available on swissinfo.ch. For other science stories from Switzerland please go to www.swissinfo.ch/science.Video journalist: Julie HuntAudio ed...
Send us a textResearchers in Zurich are using drones to collect environmental DNA (eDNA) in a technique combining robotics and genetics that could change our understanding of Earth’s biodiversity.The article related to this episode and the video interview is available on swissinfo.ch. For other science stories from Switzerland please go to www.swissinfo.ch/science.Jounalist: Zeno ZoccatelliAudio editor/video journalist: Michele AndinaDistribution and Marketing: Xin ZhangSWI swissinfo.ch is a ...
Send us a textScientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) near Geneva are taking the next steps towards creating a huge particle collider. With the Future Circular Collider (FCC), they want to search for new physics and answer fundamental questions about our universe. We visited the CERN sites to learn more about particle physics and their plans.The video version of this episode and other science stories from Switzerland is available at www.swissinfo.ch/science. Jounal...
Send us a textThis episode takes listeners to the Rhone glacier in the Alps, which is rapidly melting and releasing ancient microorganisms. These microorganisms, which have been trapped in the ice for thousands of years, are now being studied by scientists from the Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape (WSL).Journalists Céline Stegmüller and Luigi Jorio join the researchers on the glacier to observe their methods of collecting and analyzing these microorganisms. The ...
Send us a textArtificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT generate remarkably human-like results. But how intelligent is it really? SWI swissinfo.ch visits Lab42, a new AI lab in Davos, which is deploying playful techniques to better understand the fundamentals of human intelligence.In addition to the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) gathering, Davos is home to several leading research institutes. The newest is Lab 42, which opened its doors in July 2022, an AI lab that aims to better unde...
Send us a textWhen and where the next avalanche will happen is hard to predict. In a special cold laboratory in Davos, researchers simulate the effects of wind on fresh snow to better understand the mechanisms that trigger avalanches.For centuries, avalanches have posed a threat to mountain farmers and their livestock. With the development of winter tourism, roads, railways and hydropower plants, the interest in avalanche research and protective measures has grown.The origins of the WSL Insti...