When and where the next avalanche will happen is hard to predict. In a special cold laboratory in Davos, researchers simulate the effects of wind on fresh snow to better understand the mechanisms that trigger avalanches.
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A documentary and animation filmmaker from Bern, Michele studied film at Zurich University of the Arts. He's been a swissinfo.ch video journalist since 2004 and has a special interest in developing new video formats for mobile viewing, mixing animation and documentary styles.
Writes about the impact of new technologies on society: are we aware of the revolution in progress and its consequences? Hobby: free thinking. Habit: asking too many questions.
For centuries, avalanches have posed a threat to mountain farmers and their livestock. With the development of winter tourism, roads, railways and hydropower plants, the interest in avalanche research and protective measures has grown.
The origins of the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF)External link date back to 1936, when a small group of researchers moved into a snow lab on the Weissfluhjoch summit above Davos. Today the institute monitors the conditions of avalanches throughout Switzerland, investigates the effects of climate change on snow cover and operates the national avalanche warning service.
Researchers at the SLF study how snow is built up and how it changes under various conditions, how avalanches occur and how they move over terrain. In this episode of “Exploring science in Davos” we take you inside the institute’s cold chambers.
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Bone doctors gather at the AO Davos Courses
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Sara and Michele take you to the AO Davos Courses, a two-week training congress for surgeons learning to treat bone fractures.
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The AO Foundation is a leader in research into the healing of bone fractures. We go behind the scenes to see what technologies are being developed.
Looking for allergy relief in the pollen-free Swiss Alps
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Once a haven for tuberculosis sufferers seeking treatment, today Davos has become a hub for studying a common modern-day affliction: allergies.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
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New detailed Swiss avalanche danger scale helps assess risks
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This winter the national avalanche warning service has started issuing more precise information on danger levels in the mountains.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.