It has never been officially confirmed by the leader himself, or by the secretive North Korean government, however, over the years a number of reports, which do not corroborate, have been published of a Korean boy attending school in Bern that some think was Kim Jung Un, the North Korean leader. The idea is compelling. […]
Swiss fact: Switzerland first country to consider dignity of animals in constitution
In 1992, Switzerland became the first country in the world to consider the dignity of animals in its constitution. In an article for the website Project Syndicate, entitled “The Cow Who“, the moral philosopher Peter Singer, well-known for his views on the treatment of animals, mentions Switzerland. On 17 May 1992, Swiss voters were asked […]
Swiss fact: VELCRO® fasteners, popularised by NASA, were invented in Switzerland
In 1941, George de Mestral, while hunting in the Jura, with his son and dogs, noticed how the plant burdock stuck with microscopic hooks to his trousers and to the ears of one of his dogs. Fifteen years later the strong-willed Vaud handy man had turned his observation into something that would become a household name. He carried […]
Swiss fact: 44 Swiss municipalities have changed their official language since 1950
Language is a complicated matter in Switzerland. The nation has four official languages and numerous other languages and dialects. On top of this some Swiss have had to cope with shifting language borders. Between 1860 and 2000, 83 municipalities, known as communes (in French), Einwohnergemeinde1 (in German), comuni (in Italian) and vischnancas (in Romanche), changed their official […]
Swiss fact: Switzerland spends millions subsidising sugar
With so many health warnings around sugar it is surprising to discover that Switzerland’s federal government subsidises its production. The World Health Organisation recommends limiting free sugar consumption to 25 grams (6 teaspoons) a day. Free sugar includes table sugar, honey, the natural sugar in fruit juice and the sugar hidden in processed food. Sugar […]
Swiss fact: it is illegal to drive with your lights off during the day
In Switzerland, it is compulsory to drive with lights on during the day. The law came into force on 1 January 2014, as part of a package of rules to reduce accidents, known as Via Sicura. The lights rule is set out in article 41 of the Swiss federal road transport act and also applies […]
Swiss fact: Ritalin was invented in Switzerland
The drug Ritalin sometimes given to people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy was first formulated in Switzerland. In 1944, Leandro Panizzon synthesized methylphenidate in Basel while working for CIBA (now Novartis). He tested the drug on himself and his wife Marguerite, nicknamed Rita. Rita played tennis and the drug improved her performance […]
Swiss fact: nearly 50% of Swiss GDP comes from 4 cantons
Switzerland is made up of 26 cantons – technically six are half cantons1 – each with its own distinct taxes, education system, hospitals and government. Land area varies significantly, from 37 sq/km Basel-Stadt to 7,105 sq/km Graubünden. Population is also highly varied, from tiny Appenzell Innerrhoden (16k) up to Zurich with nearly 1.5 million. Unsurprisingly, […]
Swiss fact: forests expanded 9% in Switzerland since 1990
In 1990, Switzerland had 11,510 sq. km. of forest. By 2015, it was up by 9% at 12,540 sq. km. This is 30% of the nation’s land area, slightly less that the global average of 31%. Globally forests are in decline. Since 1990 they shrank 3%, a modest figure that masks the real damage. Planting […]
Swiss fact: Switzerland has some of the strictest alcohol driving limits
While the limits for regular experienced drivers are the same as much of western Europe, limits for new and professional drivers are particularly strict. Since 1 January 2014, new and professional drivers are required to be alcohol free before driving. In practice this means less than 0.1 grams of alcohol per kilogram of blood and […]
