Swiss Stories

The 2019 Women's World Floorball Championships will take place in Neuchâtel

Floorball, one of the most popular sports in Switzerland

Society
Floorball attracts relatively little coverage from the leading media, but in Switzerland this young sport is becoming one of the most popular sports. With over 33,000 licensed players, floorball is already the second biggest team sport in the country.
Joseph Favre

Joseph Favre, Swiss pioneer in culinary excellence

History
The Swiss chef and culinary writer Joseph Favre died unknown to the general public. It was nearly a century before his important place in culinary history came to be acknowledged.

by Prof. Albert Mudry

Self-driving shuttle operated by PostBus. © PostBus

Swiss tech for autonomous cars

Science & Education
Wide use of self-driving shuttles to complement public transport – this is the vision of Anne Mellano. The young Swiss engineer is the co-founder of Bestmile, a successful start-up that creates innovative software for the management of autonomous and human-driven vehicles.
The Ocean Mapping Expedition_ Swiss sailing boat Fleur de Passion

Tracing Magellan's route

Environment
In April 2015, the Fleur de Passion, a 33-metre ketch, embarked on a four-year circumnavigation of the globe, following the route taken by famous Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.
Red Divico grapes

Swiss wine without pesticides

Science & Education
Switzerland's centre of excellence for agricultural research Agroscope has been creating new grape varieties for 50 years. Their goals are ambitious – particularly the targets for disease resistance. Several generations of resistant varieties have emerged, helping to gradually reduce the impact of diseases and the use of pesticides. Fungal diseases – a major concern for winegrowers Swiss winegrowers face considerable difficulties with fungal diseases, two of which are particularly entrenched in Switzerland: downy and powdery mildew. It is very hard to cultivate grapes without pesticides today – both in conventional and organic vineyards. To help avoid this, Agroscope's viticulture research team focuses its efforts on creating resistant grapevines.
Iris Bohnet

Iris Bohnet, the Swiss woman who conquered Harvard

Science & Education
Iris Bohnet, a 52-year-old native of Lucerne, is the first Swiss woman to teach at Harvard University and at the same time a world-renowned economist specialised in the issue of gender. Portrait of a woman fighting for equality.

by Lea Huszno

Eiger Ultra Trail

Switzerland's mountain trails

Society
Thanks to its varied mountainous territory, Switzerland offers an impressive number of mountain trails.