The Swiss Connection
The Swiss Connection
SWI swissinfo.ch
Discover science and innovation in Switzerland with the Swiss Connection Podcast! From the tiniest particles to the vastness of space, satisfy your scientific curiosity and join our journalists while they talk to researchers working on projects ranging from rocket building and AI to medicine and climate solutions. This podcast is produced by SWI swissinfo.ch, a multilingual public service media company in Switzerland.
Are court cases a way to tackle climate change?
Send us Fan Mail In this episode host Jo Fahy talks to swissinfo.ch journalist Luigi Jorio about how ordinary people have been using the legal system to hold companies to account over their alleged contributions to climate change. We find out how islanders from an Indonesian archipelago have challenged Swiss cement company Holcim in a court in Switzerland. Christina Voigt, one of the world’s leading experts in environmental law and climate litigation, joins us to explain why the courts are be...
Jul 7
20 min
Building a Swiss FabLab: the future of Switzerland’s semiconductor strategy
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Swiss Connection science podcast, we're digging into the push to create a Swiss FabLab, a shared chip fabrication laboratory that brings public research and private industry together under the Swiss Chip Alliance. Our host Jo Fahy is joined by swissinfo.ch's business and tech specialist Matthew Allen to unpack what’s being proposed near Zurich, why it’s still at the conceptual phase, and what it could mean for Switzerland's semiconductor industry as glo...
Mar 24
17 min
How Bangladesh adapts to erosion, floods, and rising seas
Send us Fan Mail Where do people go when the water takes their land? Guided by a three-year ETH Zurich study and first-hand voices, we trace a pattern that defies the headlines: most climate migration is short and local, driven by community ties, scarce resources, and the will to stay near what remains. If you would like to find out more about the climate challenges in Bangladesh and read the collection on climate solutions, and more stories, please visit Swissinfo Science. Journalist: Gian...
Mar 17
23 min
How does Switzerland deal with the food waste problem?
Send us Fan Mail A bin bag can tell you a lot about a country. We follow the trail of rubbish from Swiss kitchen cupboards and discover why one of Europe’s wealthiest nations still throws away so much edible food. With fresh data, on‑the‑ground auditing, and candid insights from practitioners, we break down the gap between lofty goals and everyday habits, and why households remain the biggest lever for climate impact. If you would like to see a video and read about the topic of the food waste...
Mar 10
14 min
A Swiss community living on 2,000 watts
Send us Fan Mail What does a good life look like when you cap your energy use at 2,000 watts? We take you inside Zurich’s "Hunziker Areal", a car‑free, cooperative neighbourhood turning a bold climate target into liveable daily routines. From shared workshops and tool libraries to efficient buildings and smart mobility, we unpack how design and community can shrink environmental impact while expanding comfort, connection, and choice. If you would like to see the a video of the Hunziker Areal ...
Mar 3
23 min
What does Antarctic ice reveal about CO2 and climate shifts?
Send us Fan Mail We follow the 2,800-meter Antarctic ice core from Little Dome C to a -50°C lab in University of Bern, tracing how scientists extract ancient air to probe the Mid-Pleistocene transition and the limits of abrupt climate change. The story links field grit, laser sublimation, and CO2 records to the risks facing modern societies. If you would like to see the Antarctic ice in a video and read the collection on this topic, and more stories, please visit Swissinfo Science. Jou...
Feb 24
26 min
Invasive Quagga mussel Is Rewriting Switzerland’s Waterscape
Send us Fan Mail A fingernail‑sized invader is transforming Swiss lakes and the cost of clean water. In this episode, we track the quagga mussel from its arrival in the Rhine to its rapid spread through deep Swiss basins—stripping plankton, stressing fisheries, and clogging water infrastructure. Researchers from Eawag and the University of Konstanz explain the biology behind its takeover and what global case studies reveal about long‑term impacts. read more on this story on Quagga musse...
Feb 17
13 min
Bonus Episode - The Trends Shaping the Pharmaceutical Industry in 2026
Send us Fan Mail Join host, Jo Fahy, and pharmaceuticals and healthcare reporter, Jessica Davis Pluss, to weigh up the forces shaping pharma in 2026. From AI’s real gains in clinics and labs, to the case for inclusive data, we also discuss the politics of who funds innovation, and why rare diseases and antibiotics deserve our focus. SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.
Feb 3
15 min
Bonus Episode - Inside Switzerland’s Quiet Rise as a Longevity Hub
Send us Fan Mail How did longevity go from a social media trend to a focus of serious science? In this special bonus episode our host, Jo Fahy, is joined in the studio by pharmaceuticals and healthcare reporter, Jessica Davis Pluss. We trace how Switzerland was uniquely positioned to become a global hub for healthier ageing. We also compare lifespan and health span, examine why access to clinics is so tightly guarded, and discuss why the pharmaceutical industry is moving cautiously in this gr...
Jan 27
25 min
Special announcement: Season wrap for longevity, please try out Lost Cells
Send us Fan Mail Lost cells on Apple, Spotify and any where you listen to your podcasts. SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.
Dec 16, 2025
3 min
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