The Swiss Connection

Synthetic fuel can cut emissions without new engines: what's the catch?

What if we told you there was a way to cut emissions from your car and it didn’t involve any changes to the engine? A Swiss chemical engineer is developing a synthetic, “drop‑in” fuel that works with existing vehicle and aircraft parts and infrastructure. In this episode of The Swiss Connection science podcast, host Jo Fahy and SWI swissinfo.ch journalist Simon Bradley find out how the fuel is made and why it isn’t already available at your local petrol pump. Journalist: Simon Bradley Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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AI for everyone: how to open up public debate

Who does AI really serve in the end? Is it the people? The companies that profit from this technology? Or is the truth more nuanced? On this episode of the Swiss Connection podcast, Swissinfo science journalist Sara Ibrahim talks to Tammy Mackenzie, co-founder of The Aula Fellowship, a think tank and NGO with the mission to ensure that everyone can access the conversation on how AI is being implemented in society. Journalists: Sara Ibrahim Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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Life without Big Tech: a Swiss experiment

Switzerland wants greater digital sovereignty. But how easy is it to break free from Google, Apple and Microsoft? Two Swissinfo journalists attempted to replace Big Tech services with Swiss and other European alternatives. Their experiment revealed the hidden dependencies, frustrations and surprising freedoms of life without the tech giants. Journalists: Sara Ibrahim, Kristian Foss Brandt Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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Are court cases a way to tackle climate change?

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 being used in this way and how effective it’s proving. Journalist: Luigi Jorio Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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Building a Swiss FabLab: the future of Switzerland’s semiconductor strategy

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 global investment surges. You can read more about the Swiss semiconductor industry here. Journalist: Matthew Allen Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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How Bangladesh adapts to erosion, floods, and rising seas

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: Giannis Mavris Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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How does Switzerland deal with the food waste problem?

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 in Switzerland and read the collection on climate solutions, and more stories, please visit Swissinfo Science. Jounalist: Kristian Foss Brandt Video journalist: Vera Leysinger Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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A Swiss community living on 2,000 watts

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 and read the collection on climate solutions, or to discover more stories, please visit Swissinfo Science. Jounalist: Kristian Foss Brandt Video journalist: Vera Leysinger Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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What does Antarctic ice reveal about CO2 and climate shifts?

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. Jounalist: Luigi Jorio and Michele Andina Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor/video journalist: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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Invasive Quagga mussel Is Rewriting Switzerland’s Waterscape

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 mussels and science from SWI swissinfo Journalist: Julie Hunt Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor/video journalist: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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Bonus Episode - The Trends Shaping the Pharmaceutical Industry in 2026

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. Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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Bonus Episode - Inside Switzerland’s Quiet Rise as a Longevity Hub

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 growing field. Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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Special announcement: Season wrap for longevity, please try out Lost Cells

Lost cells on Apple, Spotify and any where you listen to your podcasts. Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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Rethinking Aging: Science, Society, And The Stories We Tell

Want a longer life that still feels like yours? We sit down with psychologist Christina Röcke of the University of Zurich’s Healthy Longevity Center to unpack what actually fuels healthy aging—and what’s just marketing noise. From blue-zone myths to AI-driven biohacking, we trace why the longevity boom exploded and where the evidence really points: consistent movement, quality relationships, realistic stress strategies, and communities that make healthy choices simple. Join Swissinfo for a debate on this topic or read more of our science stories, by visiting our website swisinfo.ch. You can help other people to find our podcast by leaving us a five-star review. Journalist: Jessica Davis Plüss Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor/video journalist: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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How Michael Hall’s TOR Discovery Reframed Longevity Science

We trace how a soil-derived drug led to the discovery of mTOR, why growth control sits at the core of aging biology, and where evidence ends for humans. Michael Hall’s quiet breakthroughs explain fasting, autophagy, and rapamycin without the hype. To read more about this topic and for more science stories, visit our website swisinfo.ch. You can help other people to find our podcast by leaving us a five-star review. Journalist: Jessica Davis Plüss Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor/video journalist: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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Big Pharma steps up race for AI-discovered drugs

What if the most valuable drug candidates aren’t found but designed on demand? We follow a chemist’s journey from a pencil-and-paper notebook to generative algorithms that propose novel, IP-free molecules tailored to specific targets, and we open the door to how Swiss pharma is rebuilding discovery around AI. To read more about this topic and for more science stories, visit our website swisinfo.ch. You can help other people to find our podcast by leaving us a five-star review. Journalist: Jessica Davis Plüss Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor/video journalist: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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Women’s Health Meets Drug Design and Medical Research

We trace how sex and gender shape drug development, from male-heavy mouse studies to the split results in Lecanemab’s Alzheimer’s trial. Experts explain why regulators should keep approvals moving while demanding smarter design, better reporting, and post-approval answers. For more science stories, visit our website swisinfo.ch, and you can help other people to find our podcast by leaving us a five-star review. Journalist: Jessica Davis Plüss Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor/video journalist: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

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Cracking the Alzheimer’s Code

Alzheimer’s disease is more than age-related memory loss—it’s a serious brain disorder. In this episode of the Swiss Connection Science podcast, Swissinfo healthcare reporter Jessica Davis Pluess explores the science, hope, and controversy surrounding new Alzheimer’s drugs like Leqembi and Kisunla. With billions invested and global regulatory decisions diverging, what do these treatments mean for patients and healthcare systems? Visit SWI swissinfo.ch for more on this topic and a video on this story. Please come to SWI swissinfo.ch for more of our science stories from Switzerland. Journalist: Jessica Davis Plüss Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor/video journalist: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

Swiss Longevity clinics: modern-day snake oil or the key to healthy ageing?

The search for the elixir of life has been going on since time immemorial – and Switzerland has played a key role. Although scientists have yet to come up with a winning formula, the Alpine nation has a booming market for treatments, pills and gadgets that claim to slow ageing and help us live healthier, longer lives. Visit SWI swissinfo.ch for more on this topic and a video on this story. Please come to SWI swissinfo.ch for more of our science stories from Switzerland. Jounalist: Jessica Davis Plüss Host: Jo Fahy Audio editor/video journalist: Michele Andina Distribution and Marketing: Xin Zhang Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

Listen again: Herwig Schopper, Former CERN head has served science and peace for 100 years

We’ve received the sad news that former CERN director and experimental physicist Herwig Schopper has passed away at the age of 101. He was considered the grandfather of the world’s most powerful particle accelerator, helped promote peace through a Middle Eastern science hub, and voiced his concerns about the Nobel Prize. In 2024, just before his 100th birthday, we had the chance to visit him at his home on Lake Geneva. We spoke with him about some of the highlights of his career and his personal thoughts on research and its potential to contribute to peacebuilding. Send us Fan Mail SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.