Stories

It is 104 years since Swiss doctor Maximilian Bircher-Benner opened a sanatorium in Zurich serving up a special dish of fruit, milk and nuts to treat a variety of ailments. Muesli is a lasting symbol of an alternative and holistic health movement that started around the end of the 19th century, and is being rediscovered.

The Swiss have long been the world's champion chocolate eaters, and their consumption is going up and up. Chocosuisse, the umbrella organisation of the Swiss chocolate industry says in its 2007 report that each person in the country got through 12.3 kilograms last year – nearly half a kilo more than in 2006.

Gig Oeri, one of the richest women in Switzerland, was named president of the club FC Basel in May 2006. As for her style of leadership, Oeri believes in close cooperation with the team manager Christian Gross, a chief scout and a legal adviser.

Is there life elsewhere in the Universe? Swiss planet hunter Michel Mayor would love to know but tells swissinfo he prefers scientific facts to speculation. A few weeks after announcing the discovery of a planet 20 light years away that could potentially support life, Mayor is keeping his feet firmly on the ground and planning his retirement from his teaching duties at Geneva University.

We sent a Swiss journalist and friends packing with the order to make their way through all 26 cantons of Switzerland - with public transport - in just a day. Why? Because it’s a well known fact that Switzerland’s public transport is as smooth as a baby’s bottom and not easily beaten - and we wanted these aspects tested by neutral people!

Think of Swiss design and Le Corbusier's couch may spring to mind. But Switzerland is also the home of the Helvetica font, created 50 years ago.

Eliana Burki melodically represents Switzerland in both traditional and non-traditional fashion. Her Alphorn is of carbon, her alpine prayer pop and she distances herself from traditional costume. However, in the meanwhile the alphorn is regarded a primordial and integral part of Switzerland.

What kind of outfit should women wear on a football pitch? Eleven young Swiss designers have presented their witty ideas during the «11 Meter Mode» fashion contest. Their original designs combining football and fashion can be viewed online or live. For once cleated shoes and shorts will remain in the lockers; instead you can marvel at a broad range of fabrics, patterns and styles.

Millions of filmgoers know the story of the Indian girl who defied her parents to play football, but not many know that the film's inspiration lives in Switzerland.