The Horse 2021/22

Environment & Technology

A snow-free Switzerland?

There has been a great deal of media focus on the near-​total lack of snow in Swiss ski resorts at the beginning of the year. Sonia Seneviratne explains why we will have to get used to this scenario and what needs to be done about it.

>To the full article in English and German (ethz.ch)

PROTEINS

Proteins: Why they are so important for us (ardmediathek.de, in German)

Protein has a good image: Unlike fats and carbohydrates, which have fallen into disrepute because of their effects on the figure and metabolism, protein continues to enjoy great popularity, and not only among athletes. What makes protein so special - and what protein do people need?

Video verfügbar: bis 05.05.2027 ∙ 21:45

Social media and online platforms in Cuba

Change usually happens at a snail's pace (im Schneckentempo) in Cuba, but new media have rapidly transformed the Caribbean island in recent years. Since Cubans gained free access to the Internet in 2018, censorship has become permeable (Zänsur wurde durchlässig). International websites - and thus also Spanish and U.S. daily newspapers in which Cuban dissidents have their say - can be easily accessed via the mobile network. Anyone who wants to obtain critical information in Cuba can do so today without major restrictions.

WOZ_15-2022_Zensur-auf-Kuba.pdf (818.43 kb) (in German, woz.ch)

Goats for money

Goats, blockchain and the future of money (Video, ted.com)

by Fariel Salahuddin
What if smallholder farmers could use their produce and livestock to pay for goods and services? TED Fellow and alternative currency enthusiast Fariel Salahuddin is working to make this a reality in places including rural Pakistan, where basic necessities like water and electricity are often expensive or inaccessible. She explores how the way we exchange value has evolved over time -- from bartering to blockchain -- and shares a new perspective on currency that promotes self-reliance for farmers and creates a more inclusive economy.