Swiss Stories

The tunnel of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

CERN, in search of the secrets of the universe

Science & Education
The physicists of the European Organization for Nuclear Research, near Geneva, probe the fundamental building blocks of matter. This is the third instalment of our series of articles on Swiss universities and research institutes.
The EnviCoPal team presenting its water filters to trainers during a visit to Palestine. © Cewas

Entrepreneurial innovation in the water sector

Environment
Social entrepreneurship offers an innovative approach to tackling the lack of universal access to drinking water and high-quality sanitation services. Social enterprises are economic entities that mainly pursue social and environmental goals. Their innovation potential has been recognised around the world for several years now.
Petra

The Swiss discoverer of Petra

History
Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, the scion of a wealthy Basel family, converted to Islam to facilitate his work as an explorer. In 1812, travelling almost alone, he discovered the lost red sandstone city of Petra in the Jordanian desert.
The World Economic Forum: A Swiss success story

The World Economic Forum: A Swiss success story

Society
Established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation headquartered in Geneva, the World Economic Forum has evolved into a global platform where leaders from diverse sectors address pressing challenges. In all its activities, the Forum seeks to demonstrate entrepreneurship in the public interest while upholding the highest standards of governance. From facilitating historic agreements helping to end conflicts, the Forum has had a considerable impact on global and local concerns over the years.
Bee in comb – copyright Barbara Hess

Safeguarding bees for a sustainable agriculture

Environment
Biodiversity is essential to preserving biospheres and preventing climate change. Bees and other pollinators play a key role in preserving this biodiversity and keeping our natural ecosystem intact. Read about this Swiss start-up providing eco-positive solutions to help bees flourish.
© Ticino Tourism, photo by Enrico Pescantini

Italian-speaking Switzerland, a land of literary inspiration

Society
Did you know that Italian-speaking Switzerland, with its lakes and mountains, features in the works of three giants of world literature? Join us on a literary tour of Italian-speaking Switzerland, stopping in three of the region's most iconic places: Lake Maggiore, Lake Lugano and the Gotthard Pass.
Lag da Claus Surrein

When rock from the Gotthard Base Tunnel heads to the beach

Environment
After lying dormant in the heart of the mountain for several million years, a portion of the 28 million tonnes of material excavated to build the Gotthard Base Tunnel has been given a new and somewhat more exotic lease of life.