Swiss Stories

Montréal Avudo © Compagnia Finzi Pasca

“Avudo” – or how Swiss magic is bringing the Saint Lawrence River to life

Society
Before creating the pageant for the next Winegrowers' Festival in Vevey in 2019, Lugano-born Daniele Finzi Pasca has been invited by Montreal to direct a spectacular show celebrating the city's 375th anniversary.
Julien Gremaud

by Julien Gremaud

Swissloop gives concrete shape to the ultra-fast train of the future

Swissloop gives concrete shape to the ultra-fast train of the future

Science & Education
A team of students from the ETH Zurich is revolutionising land transport with the development of carriages for a subsonic levitation train capable of speeds of up to 1,200 km/hour, travelling through vacuum tunnels.

by Mehdi Atmani

Data provided by the pedometer attached to the halter enables the behaviour of cows to be monitored on a tablet. ©Agroscope, Gabriela Brändle

Swiss Agriculture 4.0

Economics
Smart farming: digitalisation is about to revolutionise farming in Switzerland
Lugernsee

Swiss public transport: a masterpiece of innovation

Environment
Travelling by public transport in Switzerland is easy and convenient. Trains, buses, boats and mountain railways whisk passengers to their destination swiftly, on time and in style. Switzerland's public transport system has literally blazed a trail marked by improvements and innovations and is now among the best in the world.
Velo Stromer © Stromer

Swiss pioneering spirit on two wheels

Society
The bicycle is the most practical means of day-to-day transport and is constantly being reinvented: as a piece of sports equipment, as an accessory or even as a vehicle with electrical assistance. Swiss manufacturers have played a key role in the history of the modern bicycle: let’s take a look at their contributions.
swiss flag

The Swiss flag – a plus for the country

History
The Swiss flag rarely goes unnoticed. Square in shape, this striking flag composed of a white cross of strictly defined proportions on a red background is not just a distinctive visual icon – it also happens to have a fascinating story.
Matthias Vauthier

by Matthias Vauthier

Rocket body explosion: In addition to satellite collisions, the space environment can also compromise the integrity of a rocket’s mechanical parts. Wear and tear can trigger auto-ignition or an explosion generating thousands of pieces of debris. (ESA) RemoveDEBRIS 3: More than 7,600 tonnes of space debris are floating in or near the Earth's orbit at an altitude of 2,000 kilometres.

Swiss tech cleans up space

Science & Education
Since humans first conquered space, it has become a dumping ground for fragments of rockets and obsolete satellites. These millions of pieces of debris scattered in orbit pose a considerable risk. To tackle this serious problem, Switzerland has positioned itself at the forefront of the clean-up of space.

by Mehdi Atmani