Life without Big Tech: a Swiss experiment

AI is changing so much in the world of healthcare, including diagnosing illnesses. The technology means this can be done much faster and more accurately than ever before. Between a lack of funding and a shortage of pathology expertise, nearly half of the global population is currently missing out on accessing proper diagnostics. It’s a problem that AI can help with, and in this episode of the Swiss Connection science podcast, we will find out how.   Join host Jo Fahy and healthcare reporter Aylin Elçi to look at how the rapid advance of AI in the field is solving some problems, while also creating some new ones.  In this episode we gain expert insight from Dr Laura Rubbia-Brandt, head of the pathology division at Geneva hospital; Dr Francis Meier, one of the three cofounders of the “Centre Suisse de Médecine Préventive” (Swiss Center for Preventive Medicine) in Geneva, which works in collaboration with the “Hôpital de La Tour"; and Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan, a consultant neurologist at University College London. Send us Fan MailSWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland. 

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 BradleyHost: Jo FahyAudio editor: Michele AndinaDistribution and Marketing: Xin ZhangSend us Fan MailSWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland. 

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 IbrahimHost: Jo FahyAudio editor: Michele AndinaDistribution and Marketing: Xin ZhangSend us Fan MailSWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland. 

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 BrandtHost: Jo FahyAudio editor: Michele AndinaDistribution and Marketing: Xin ZhangSend us Fan MailSWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland. 

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 JorioHost: Jo FahyAudio editor: Michele AndinaDistribution and Marketing: Xin ZhangSend us Fan MailSWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland. 

Send us Fan MailThe Swiss Connection science podcast is back on July 7 with six new episodes on science happening in Switzerland.SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland. 

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 AllenHost: Jo FahyAudio editor: Michele AndinaDistribution and Marketing: Xin ZhangSend us Fan MailSWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland. 

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 FahyAudio editor: Michele AndinaDistribution and Marketing: Xin ZhangSend us Fan MailSWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland. 

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 BrandtVideo journalist: Vera LeysingerHost: Jo FahyAudio editor: Michele AndinaDistribution and Marketing: Xin ZhangSend us Fan MailSWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland. 

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 BrandtVideo journalist: Vera Leysinger Host: Jo FahyAudio editor: Michele AndinaDistribution and Marketing: Xin ZhangSend us Fan MailSWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.