Stories about scientific innovation out of Switzerland, such as space research, materials science and AI applications.
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Caught between the US and China, can Switzerland stay neutral in the AI race?
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Neutrality is at the centre of a heated debate in Switzerland ahead of the September 27 vote. But in an era of AI, cloud computing and digital dependence on the United States and China, is neutrality still possible?
Caught between the US and China, can Switzerland stay neutral in the AI race?
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Neutrality is at the centre of a heated debate in Switzerland ahead of the September 27 vote. But in an era of AI, cloud computing and digital dependence on the United States and China, is neutrality still possible?
One year on, has Swiss AI model Apertus lived up to the hype?
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Switzerland’s open-source AI model is closing the gap with its rivals, but weaknesses on key tasks still limit its competitiveness.
Swiss researchers push to make AI data centres more sustainable
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Researchers in Switzerland are developing solutions to reduce the growing energy and water demands of AI data centres. Will it be enough?
Estonia’s Digital Affairs Minister: Switzerland never had a ‘burning need’ to go digital
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Liisa Pakosta says Switzerland has everything it needs to move ahead with digital government – except the sense of urgency that drove Estonia’s transformation.
Manufactured debate: How coordinated networks are hijacking European news comment sections
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A joint investigation has found that bot networks, fake accounts and coordinated campaigns targeted the comment sections of European public broadcasters – with Iranian politics at the centre.
How Switzerland is tackling the AI deepfake menace
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Online deepfakes intend to vilify, mislead or sow confusion and Switzerland is one of many countries seeking to contain the growing problem.
These five charts explain why nobody wants a data centre next door
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Around the world, communities are increasingly concerned about the amount of electricity, water and land these facilities require.
How AI chatbots can make you buy almost anything – and why Swiss companies can’t ignore them
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AI chatbots are said to influence purchasing decisions three times more than Google. Can we still trust their recommendations?
Art condenses the universe into tangible reality in Beijing
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As Switzerland and China mark 75 years of diplomatic relations with a year of joint cultural and tourism events, Beijing is hosting an exhibition celebrating the meeting of science and art.
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Switzerland’s proposed law on space operations will impact on how we collectively manage our activities beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
How satellites and AI can help check the pulse of our warming planet
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Swiss and international experts are banking on a growing constellation of satellites and artificial intelligence models to give more accurate insights into greenhouse gas emissions.
Lift off! Swiss students build next-gen reusable rockets
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Rocket-building used to be the sole preserve of space-faring nations like the United States or Russia. Now many other players are getting involved from private companies to young researchers, even from Switzerland.
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Swiss students are propelling the future of space travel with innovative reusable rocket technology, putting Switzerland on the map in the global space race.
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Watch how two Bern astrophysicists are hoping to dig beneath the surface of a comet to find out more about the origins of the solar system.
The small robot aiming to explore volcanic tunnels on the moon
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In the not-too-distant future, a hopping Swiss-developed robot could be bound for the moon to pave the way for future missions.
One year on, has Swiss AI model Apertus lived up to the hype?
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Switzerland’s open-source AI model is closing the gap with its rivals, but weaknesses on key tasks still limit its competitiveness.
Swiss researchers push to make AI data centres more sustainable
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Researchers in Switzerland are developing solutions to reduce the growing energy and water demands of AI data centres. Will it be enough?
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CERN’s Large Hadron Collider produces 40 million particle collisions per second – far more data than computers can handle. Through real-time filtering, AI can help.
Estonia’s Digital Affairs Minister: Switzerland never had a ‘burning need’ to go digital
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Liisa Pakosta says Switzerland has everything it needs to move ahead with digital government – except the sense of urgency that drove Estonia’s transformation.
Manufactured debate: How coordinated networks are hijacking European news comment sections
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A joint investigation has found that bot networks, fake accounts and coordinated campaigns targeted the comment sections of European public broadcasters – with Iranian politics at the centre.
How Switzerland is tackling the AI deepfake menace
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Online deepfakes intend to vilify, mislead or sow confusion and Switzerland is one of many countries seeking to contain the growing problem.
These five charts explain why nobody wants a data centre next door
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Around the world, communities are increasingly concerned about the amount of electricity, water and land these facilities require.
How AI chatbots can make you buy almost anything – and why Swiss companies can’t ignore them
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AI chatbots are said to influence purchasing decisions three times more than Google. Can we still trust their recommendations?
Google’s business dealings with Israel: Swiss servers raise sensitive questions
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Google provides Israel with cloud services that are co-developed in Switzerland and may also be used for military purposes.
A Swiss scientific achievement that’s totally random
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Encryption systems rely on “random” numbers, but conventional computers can’t generate them perfectly. New research at the Swiss federal technology institute ETH Zurich shows that quantum physics can.
Can Switzerland live without Big Tech? We put it to the test
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Switzerland wants digital sovereignty, but can it really distance itself from Big Tech? Two Swissinfo journalists tried cutting ties with US tech giants. Here’s what happened.
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Two journalists cut ties with Big Tech to test digital independence. Discover the challenges and insights from their real-life experiment.
Gigantic new CERN collider aims to unlock secrets of universe
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Explore CERN’s plan for the Future Circular Collider. Learn about the project’s massive cost and environmental controversy.
Swiss smart cities promise efficiency – at the price of your data
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Swiss cities are becoming increasingly “smart,” efficient, and connected. But behind the promise of better services, the collection of personal data is also growing, along with the use of AI-based systems and reliance on private companies.
CERN’s next giant leap is a machine that could unlock the universe
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CERN’s Large Hadron Collider transformed our understanding of the universe. Now the lab wants to build something far bigger.
How AI data centres risk straining Switzerland’s water resources
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Switzerland’s rapidly expanding data centre sector is consuming ever‑greater amounts of water, driven by AI and the push for digital sovereignty.
Why Merantix founder Adrian Locher chose Berlin over Zurich for his AI start-up
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Ten years ago, Adrian Locher from Bern set out to find the ideal location to develop an AI ecosystem – and ultimately chose Germany over Switzerland.
Swiss organisation wins award for tracking data centre pollution
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The Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association has received international recognition for a computer that measures, for the first time, the environmental and climate impact of a data centre.
How Swiss AI recognises wild animals – and helps biologists worldwide
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From identifying bears in Alaska to tracking deer in the Alps, Swiss AI could open new frontiers in wildlife conservation. But it still needs humans sending back the data from the field.
Switzerland builds world’s most powerful redox-flow battery
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A Swiss firm is constructing what it claims is the world’s most powerful redox‑flow battery in Laufenburg, northern Switzerland.
Ban social media for teens? What Switzerland can learn from Australia
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Australia has banned social media for those under 16, sparking debate in Switzerland and around the world. But experts warn that bans alone are not enough.
‘I don’t remember what it was like without AI’: Swiss youth are getting hooked on chatbots
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From study aides to emotional support, AI chatbots are becoming constant companions for many young people in Switzerland, raising concerns about attention levels, loneliness and dependence.
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Unpacking semiconductors, Switzerland’s chip strategy, and the high-stakes global race for tech dominance in our latest podcast.
Science podcast: the 2000-watt society – a Swiss experiment in sustainable living
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Join us as we delve into the 2000-watt society and its significance for energy efficiency and environmental responsibility.