From this week on, Swiss pet owners are no longer allowed to keep single canaries, parrots, rats, mice and guinea pigs. New regulations dictate that these social animals must be kept in groups. But what if one of a pair dies? An enterprising breeder has the answer – rent a replacement. (SF/swissinfo)

September 3, 1998: Swissair flight SR111 crashes off the coast of Canada, killing all 229 passengers and crew. It is the worst accident in Swiss civil aviation history, and causes shockwaves in both Switzerland and Canada. (SF/swissinfo)

Fuse Factory is a three-person electro pop act based in Lausanne and is made up of an American, Swiss and a Frenchwoman.

Playing with contrasts like inside/outside, hard/soft, Swiss artist Gregory Chapuisat creates challenging installations that turn the visitor into an explorer of secret passages and other mysterious places. (swissinfo, Raffaella Rossello)

Finding a suitable parking spot in a multi story car park can be frustrating and time consuming. The Swiss have come up with a new way to dispel the parking blues – a car park in which robots do the work for you. Swiss TV tested out the newly opened building in Frauenfeld, eastern Switzerland. (SF/swissinfo)

The aerodrome in Gruyères is the only place in Switzerland where disabled pilots can learn to fly. Handicapped airmen from all over Europe recently attended a rally at the tiny airport to share their experiences and encourage aspiring pilots with disabilities to take the plunge.(swissinfo, Julie Hunt)

Vals is famous in Switzerland for its mineral water. But the region, not far from the Italian border, has much more to offer the visitor. A day outing with a local guide and a few breathless mountain lovers. (swissinfo, Raffaella Rossello and Michele Andina).

Until recently I knew nothing about the dolphins and whales living in the Mediterranean. Then in July I accompanied the Swiss marine mammal conservation organisation "OceanCare" on a research journey through the so-called Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean marine mammals. I discovered a lot I didn't expect to find. (swissinfo, Michele Andina)

More and more Swiss are discovering the trend sport geocaching – a modern treasure hunt with the aid of GPS devices. But not everybody is happy about the increasing numbers of people roaming the forests. (SF1)

The spectacular Eiger north face, one of the most famous Swiss mountains, remained invincible until 1938. A film tells the story of the failed 1936 German ascent, when mountain climbing was still an Olympic sport, politically exploited by the Nazis. (SF/swissinfo)

Until recently I knew nothing about the dolphins and whales living in the Mediterranean. Then in July I accompanied the Swiss marine mammal conservation organisation "OceanCare" on a research journey through the so-called Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean marine mammals. I discovered a lot I didn't expect to find. (swissinfo, Michele Andina)

Geeks gone mad!

With the Olympics underway, everyone hopes that the air quality in Beijing will not adversely affect the athletes' performance. A questionable asthma test has stirred controversy inside the Swiss Olympic team. (SF/swissinfo)

Bern's Historical Museum is hosting a special exhibition on Charles the Bold and Burgundian life during his time. For ten days the museum's grounds in the Swiss capital are being transformed into a medieval encampment, where doctors have their own ways of curing people and knights risk their lives in jousting tournaments. (swissinfo, Michele Andina)

This summer, Switzerland's biggest ever youth environmental protection camp was held outside Bern. The week - organised by the conservation organisation pro natura – offered children from all over the country various ecological activities, boat tours and treasure hunts. (swissinfo, Michele Andina)

A butcher from Kirchberg near the Swiss capital Bern fulfilled a childhood dream a few years ago when he adopted two big cats – both leopard/panther hybrids. Now that the felines are older, the male has become too aggressive to play with. (SF/swissinfo)

In the summer months, the region around the Swiss resort town of Interlaken turns into a giant outdoor fun park. Tens of thousands of tourists, many of them young people, come here for the thrill of adventure sport. Journalist Justin Häne tried canyoning for the first time. (swissinfo, Raffaella Rossello/Justin Häne)

The Swiss are very efficient recyclers. Metal, glass and paper are collected and disposed of separately from other waste. Small metal parts though still end up with the ordinary rubbish. Now, in times of increasing metal prices, the industry is finding ways to collect even the smallest parts they can find.
(SF1)

Animals kept in captivity are safe from extinction, but their social behaviour often changes: three years ago at Basel Zoo in Switzerland a young gorilla male became a father at the age of six. The unusual event – in the wild fatherhood never occurs before 12 – was proven by a paternity test earlier this year. (swissinfo, Raffaella Rossello)

150 tonnes of fish are caught annually by the eight full-time professional fishermen working on Lake Biel. swissinfo spent a day on the lake with Silvano Solca. He's been fishing there for 20 years, working up to 14 hours per day in summer. (swissinfo, Julie Hunt)