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Category Archive: 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy

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A microbiome backup for our health

2022-03-15

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The microbial diversity that is crucial for our health is threatened worldwide by urbanisation. The project "The Microbiota Vault" aims to create a biobank for the whole world. The microbiome is part of our metabolic system and has a significant influence on human health. The gut microbiome is thought to have many important functions in addition to processing ingested food, including synthesising essential vitamins, fighting inflammation...

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A visit to the AI lab

2022-03-09

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Taking high-quality images with our smartphones, translating texts from one language to another in just a few seconds, streaming services that make suggestions for music and films – these are some of the many tasks that are performed by algorithms. It takes a lot of data and training for these algorithms to perform well, which in turn, require a lot of people and computing power. For the average user, it is often not easy to understand what...

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Understanding ESG Bonds and Their Use Cases

2022-02-28

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Interest in ESG bonds has been steadily growing these past years, as investors seek to align their portfolios to climate and social goals like those featured in the Paris Agreement. There are different types of ESG bonds depending on their end goal: either directly support a project, or support a company in reaching general corporate targets. Green bonds, like social and sustainability ones, belong to the first type. Sustainability-linked bonds to...

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Empowering linguistic diversity in newsrooms

2022-02-22

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SWI swissinfo.ch is a team of journalists producing content in ten languages for an international audience. This multilingual work environment is inspiring and enriching but also comes with its special challenges. Take a look behind the scenes in our video and hear directly from our staff members about how they work. The employees of SWI swissinfo.ch come from many parts of the world. Around 15 languages are spoken across our departments. Our...

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Swiss women in space

2022-02-11

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Far more men have been to space than women. The European Space Agency is recruiting and would be happy to hire females. To be considered, you need a master’s degree in a STEM subject (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), a medicine degree or a pilot’s license. The problem is that many girls in school consider STEM subjects to be a male domain.⁠ One Swiss woman who may have the right stuff is Deborah Müller, an engineer and manager at...

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Gaming influencer on Twitch

2022-02-02

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Millions of people watch others play games on live streaming portals. One of the biggest gaming platforms is Twitch. It's where you can find Stefanie "Stefy" Holenweg. Under the name "8bitblonde", she is one of the best-known Twitch users in Switzerland. She gives us a glimpse into her world, which is not just about games but also about social encounters. Private topics, such as heartbreak, are also discussed in her community....

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Swiss vote on animal testing ban

2022-01-31

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On February 13, the Swiss will vote for the fourth time on whether to ban animal testing in this country. The people’s initiative calls for a halt to all experiments on humans and animals and a ban on the import of new products developed using such methods. About 556,000 animals were used for experimental purposes in Switzerland last year, according to official statistics. That's a decrease of 18% relative to 2015, when the downhill trend started....

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All you need is a laptop and a backpack

2022-01-19

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Maik Disch works from the most beautiful beaches in Thailand for clients in Switzerland. He sees himself as a typical digital nomad: constantly on the lookout for the next dream destination. Disch's salary is lower than that of colleagues in Switzerland. On the other hand, the cost of living on the island of Ko Phangan is low and the warm, tropical climate allows him to work outdoors. Fast internet also helps. Disch's video portrait is the second...

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Internet campaigner fights for more data awareness

2022-01-11

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Nikki Böhler is a young Swiss internet campaigner who is part of a growing community seeking to shape the digital transformation of society. The 29-year-old wants people to become more aware of the importance of their personal online data and of the traces they leave behind on the internet. But she also wants to improve data transparency so that existing, anonymised data can be used for the common good. Her video portrait is the first in the...

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Swiss ski manufacturer facing global supply chain disruption

2021-12-28

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The pandemic disrupted global supply chains, causing delayed deliveries for raw materials and crucial components. Those affected had to scramble to keep their production chain going. We visited Swiss ski manufacturer Stöckli in Lucerne to see how they adapted to the new situation. --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on...

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The James Webb Space Telescope prepares to launch

2021-12-21

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The James Webb Space Telescope, the biggest, most powerful space telescope in history, is set to launch into space this Christmas. It has been developed by NASA together with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Swiss scientists have been closely involved in the project and some Swiss technology is on board. The orbiting infrared observatory is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. With a much bigger primary...

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Balancing sports and studies in Switzerland: Alina Meier explains

2021-12-14

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Swiss Alina Meier is a 25-year-old cross-country skier, born and raised in canton Graubünden. The three-time Swiss champion decided to start studying in 2020, thanks to the move many universities made towards virtual learning. Even so, the dual career of a top-level athlete and student is particularly challenging for her because her sport has a seasonal focus. The coming semesters will be particularly intense for her, because in addition to her...

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Underwater archaeology reveals buried secrets of a Swiss lake

2021-12-07

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The prehistoric past of the city of Lucerne is still largely unknown. However, the lake that surrounds it could yet harbour some clues. Archaeologists have long suspected that pile dwelling settlements existed around the lake by the city, but it was only during construction work in March 2020 that remains of a settlement were dug up from the bottom for the first time. This autumn, in view of the possible construction of an underground railway...

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Swiss politicians join calls for Beijing Olympic Games boycott

2021-11-30

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Swiss politicians are among those calling for a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in China in February 2022, to protest China’s campaign of repression against Uyghurs and other minority groups, as well as its crackdown on Hong Kong. The alleged abuses against the mainly Muslim minority in Xinjiang include mass detention and torture. The US State Department and several European legislatures have classified the human rights abuses as...

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A just democracy is a robust democracy

2021-11-24

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Polarisation, social divisions, distrust and inequality: How can people in democracies push back against the negative dynamics emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic? At the International Forum Zofingen, SWI swissinfo.ch asked international and Swiss democracy experts for some answers to some fundamental challenges facing today's democracies. This includes perspectives from Matt Qvortrup, Coventry University/UK, Estefania Cuero, diversity...

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Improving conditions for Swiss nurses

2021-11-15

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Swiss nurses are calling for better working conditions in an initiative being put to the vote on November 28. It was launched by the Alliance of Healthcare Professions, grouping more than 10 professional and trade union organisations. The Alliance wants the government and the cantons to beef up nurse training and guarantee certain working conditions and salary rates. The government says the initiative goes too far. --- swissinfo.ch is the...

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Covid certificate – keep it or ditch it?

2021-11-12

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Is the Covid certificate worth keeping? A vote on 28 November 2021 will decide. The Swiss will be asked whether they accept laws passed earlier this year that paved the way for the introduction of the certificate. The system provides proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test. It’s the second time a vote has been organised to challenge the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In summer, voters were given a chance to reverse the...

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How Switzerland is trying to combat climate change

2021-10-29

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The climate strike wave that Greta Thunberg started also swept through Switzerland. While young people from all over the country participate in Fridays for Future events, dozens of start-ups are developing technologies to combat climate change. Part two of our explainer video looks into how the country goes about reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. In the 2019 parliamentary elections, the green parties promising climate action made historic...

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The reality of climate change in Switzerland

2021-10-29

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In landlocked Switzerland temperatures are rising faster than in regions that benefit from the ocean's cooling effect. The first explainer video of our two-part series shows how climate change is affecting the Swiss landscape, the economy and its people. While global average temperatures are 0.85 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, Switzerland has seen an increase of two degrees over the same period. Since 1850, its glaciers have lost 60%...

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Carbon offsetting explained in 2 minutes

2021-10-26

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Countries lower their carbon footprint and become climate neutral by limiting the amount of greenhouse gases they produce and by compensating the emissions that can't be cut. The carbon offsetting market has become increasingly attractive for countries, companies and individuals, who finance projects that will either suck CO2 out of the atmosphere, or reduce the CO2 release. This is done by buying carbon offsets. Carbon offsetting will be a...

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