Swiss Stories

Ursula Keller

Ursula Keller has seen the light at the end of the laser

Science & Education
Ursula Keller, the well-known Swiss physicist, has more than one string to her bow: as the first woman to obtain a professorship in physics at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, this inventor specialised in ultra-fast laser technology won the 2018 European Inventor Award and was awarded a gold medal in 2020 by the international society for optics and photonics (SPIE). She is also committed to encouraging women to pursue careers in science or engineering.
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Nestlé to cure peanut allergies

Science & Education
The Swiss multinational has just been given the go-ahead from Brussels for a drug that desensitises people with peanut intolerance, and the head of its health science division says this is just the start. How will things change for allergy sufferers?
Why Switzerland

Why Switzerland has no capital and other questions you have about Switzerland

Science & Education
On one of the recent warm spring evenings, we sat on the balcony and wondered what the world thought about Switzerland. But how should we find out? A flash of inspiration: Google knows everything! Let’s take a look at the most common search queries people have about Switzerland.
Hansjorg Wyss

The Swiss entrepreneur and philanthropist who wants to save the planet

Science & Education
Hansjörg Wyss's announcement to donate USD 1 billion to conservation projects caused a sensation. Portrait of a discreet man from Bern who made his fortune in the United States.
Moderna

Moderna, the coronavirus vaccine made in Switzerland

Science & Education
The Moderna vaccine against COVID-19 was one of the first vaccines available worldwide. All doses supplied to Europe are manufactured by Swiss firm Lonza. Read more…

by Lea Huszno

Community feedback at the Yii Adult Basic Education Centre in Moyen-Chari Region (run by PADI) © Enfants du Monde (Florent Dupertuis)

Multilingualism in Swiss schools inspires international cooperation

Science & Education
For students in Switzerland, being taught in their regional language – French, German, Italian or Romansh – is the norm. Many children around the world, however, attend school in a language they don't understand. Plurilingualism and teaching languages in schools have long been important values in Switzerland – and this strength of the Swiss school system serves as a blueprint for the country's international cooperation in its programmes to support education.
Some six million tonnes of goods are transhipped annually at the Port of Switzerland alone. © Patrik Walde

Full speed ahead thanks to Swiss batteries

Science & Education
ll aboard Ellen, the world's largest fully electric-powered ferry. As it makes its regular crossing, there is none of the noise or the fumes and smoke of a diesel engine. Without a single drop of heavy fuel oil, Ellen has paved the way for further advances in electric maritime mobility. The electrification of shipping is gaining ground, making an important contribution to emissions-free transport. Among the global leaders in innovative e-transport solutions are Swiss companies such as Leclanché.