Swiss Stories

Riverside bar scene, Lucerne (hi-res). Credit: © Simon Conway

Swiss Craft Beer Boom

History
Switzerland is famous for many things and now its burgeoning beer scene is beginning to gain recognition. The demise of the beer cartel at the end of the twentieth century opened up the industry and provided the space for Swiss brewers to create and flourish. They have responded by establishing breweries and microbreweries in unprecedented numbers and Switzerland has emerged as a major contributor to the ever-swelling European craft beer wave.
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.
Saype - ONU

Saype and his giant paintings for solidarity

Environment
Saype, the most Swiss of French graffiti artists, has a message that is both humanistic and ecological. Through his work, he aims to "make an impact on people, without impacting nature."
© Évéquoz Ferreira architectes

Energypolis: the Swiss ecosystem for sustainable development

Science & Education
Since 2015, the city of Sion has been home to a global training and research hub in the field of sustainable development.Recent events have shaken the entire world, causing us to rethink our future. One of the approaches to safeguarding our future on this planet is sustainable development. Back in 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development defined sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." It was on this premise that the campus in Sion was born. Since 2015, Energypolis has brought together EPFL Valais Wallis, HES-SO Valais-Wallis and The Ark Foundation under one roof. Thanks to the combined skills of these three partners, Energypolis is training tomorrow's thinkers – in energy, health and the environment.
SwissCovid App

SwissCovid Keeps Your Secrets

Science & Education
A conversation with Carmela Troncoso, who designed Swisscovid together with a team of Swiss and European experts.
Avengers © Keystone

Five Swiss super talents in the Marvel Universe

History
Where would Stan Lee's superheroes be without Switzerland? The 2019 blockbuster 'Avengers: Endgame' called for no end of Swiss prowess. Indeed, even the heroes in tights seem drawn to our country...
Smixin © Smixin

The Swiss tap that can meet the world's water challenges

Science & Education
Freshwater is an essential resource and global needs keep rising, particularly because of population growth, agricultural development and industrial demand. But the world's water resources haven't changed, nor are they unlimited. The UN estimates there will be a 40% shortfall in the amount of water the planet needs by 2030. The cleantech sector has the potential to develop solutions to reduce how much of this valuable resource we use on a daily basis. Switzerland has extensive experience in the water sector and a network of tech companies that can help meet water-related challenges. One such start-up is Biel-based Smixin, which has come up with a novel type of tap.