Interlaced discovery worlds
What do we trigger when we buy this apple and not that apple? How do our decisions influence mobility, biodiversity, energy consumption or the algorithms of an AI? And how do we contribute to the optimisation or deterioration of our living space?
Phänomena looks behind the scenes and makes connections visible in an astonishing way. Always with an eye for the big picture and an eye for detail. The different perspectives are scientifically based, not lecturing, and bring solutions to the forefront.
Ever since the Big Bang, energy has been a constant companion because it does not disappear, but only changes its form. Phänomena puts energy in the spotlight with a holistic view, considering that we are often not sufficiently aware of its value. The focus is on the iconic term that everyone talks about without knowing what it really is: the kilowatt hour.
Seeing, producing and appreciating energy
For Switzerland, security of supply and network stability are central factors for a future-proof energy system.
With a pioneering spirit, Switzerland has developed energy sources such as hydropower, which operate a large part of its infrastructure today.
Linking the different energy sectors, optimising energy efficiency and conscious usage behaviour are important contributions to achieving energy goals.
Energy is diverse, as even cells produce energy in their biological processes.
Phänomena shows deductions
The transition to a sustainable energy supply presents society as a whole with major challenges. The technologies required for this are largely already available and their clever and targeted implementation is required in order to achieve the goals of the energy strategy. An important factor for the future is and remains people and their consumer behaviour.
The energy system of the future
We eat to sustain it. It warms us, it ensures our health and it is our gateway to the world. Energy is probably the greatest networker we know. Solar energy, geological energy, meteorological energy, biological energy or even human energy – the one thing these all have in common is that energy is never lost.
Energy is everywhere
We look at the Swiss “treasure of diversity” and show what diversity means exactly – in nature and in ourselves. Immerse yourself with us in a fascinating world, in which you learn how you can protect biodiversity with your consumer behaviour and what biodiversity loss means for us.
Conserving biodiversity
Various ecological systems are more productive in agriculture than unfertilised monocultures and promote sustainable, more profitable cultivation methods.
Protecting ecosystems requires all living things to live together harmoniously, because precisely insects such as honey and wild bees are an effective means of fighting the biodiversity crisis.
There are diverse microbial communities. These microbiomes do incredibly valuable work for the human body.
More happens in our soils than we are aware of. Our actions influence these functions and processes, which is why it is important to know how we can maintain soil health.
Phänomena shows many perspectives
Biological diversity includes all forms of life on earth, from the smallest bacteria to the largest mammals. Less visible factors such as microbial communities in our bodies are also part of the overall diversity. Our existence is closely linked to biological diversity. With greater diversity, eco-systems (including our own) are more resilient and adaptable.
Invisible biodiversity
Protecting biodiversity also means protecting your basis of life. You are part of the ecosystem and use biodiversity in your everyday life in the form of services. You benefit from clean air, soil and water, renewable resources, pest controls and stress reduction. Reduced ecosystem services due to a loss of biodiversity can only be compensated for in a complex and expensive manner.
Valuable services of the ecosystem
The world of mobility is changing radically. Its development should be sustainable and the individual means of transport should be efficiently coordinated thanks to digitalisation. Phänomena provides the stories behind our complex logistics and solutions for designing liveable urban spaces.
Rethinking mobility
Digitalisation allows new opportunities, such as autonomous driving for logistics and “free floating sharing” models for passenger transport.
Walkability promotes quality of life, strengthens slow traffic and creates an urban environment that supports the well-being of the residents.
We show strong measures: Targeted greening reduces the effects of urban heat and permeable soil areas support the natural water cycle.
Phänomena shows viable paths
Modern transport models combine various different forms of mobility without loss of comfort. Phänomena turns the visitors’ arrival into their first experience of the various means of transport and sets new trends in autonomous driving. Visitors can experience the important developments in freight logistics up close at Europe's largest marshalling yard.
Goods and passenger transport are changing
Phänomena presents current infrastructure projects that will sustainably improve city life. A growing population and climate change require smart adjustments in urban areas. Thanks to multi-functional use and a blue-green infrastructure, modern urban planning can guarantee a high quality of life with limited land use.
Infrastructure for modern metropolitan regions
Nikola Tesla or Marie Curie were not the first to demonstrate that chemistry and physics are better than magic. They researched the basics of what we see, hear and sometimes feel. We tell the story of natural Phänomena, fascinating materials and the amazing services they provide in the fields of medicine, electronics and energy production.
Enchanting chemistry and physics
The emotional dimension of music and acoustics, combined with fundamental mathematical and physical principles, open up a world full of auditory experiences, resonance and sound Phänomena.
Innovative materials have unexpected properties that can be a sustainable answer to our scarce resources.
Only when we look at the molecular level do the properties and fascinating structures of these materials reveal themselves to us, which is why Phänomena shows the complex interactions of this level.
Phänomena creates magical moments
There are various surprising materials with the most unlikely properties and discovery stories. Many of these materials and technologies are inspired by nature and made usable through human innovation. Materials made from identical elementary building blocks can have different properties, caused by the slightest modifications.
Materials sciences – the secret superheroes
Your voice is individual and many-layered: from high and low tones to different timbres and range. Phänomena explains physical basics and takes visitors into their inner world with virtual sound-scapes. Above all, we show that really every person can sing, and also what is triggered by the absence of noise.
A world of voices
Take a look at the challenges that our society faces with the widespread use of artificial intelli-gence. Where do you encounter AI in everyday life? What influence does AI have on art, education, industry and research?
Meeting artificial intelligence
There are great synergy potentials between humans and machines. Because machines relieve us of dangerous and repetitive work, new resource potential is released.
Humans and AI have an interactive relationship and learn with and from each other.
Cooperative robots substitute for impaired functions of the human body.
Robots and AI are modern research instruments; they expand our knowledge and provide new insights about people, nature and the environment.
Phänomena builds bridges
Robots and drones today take on various tasks that are difficult, dangerous, repetitive or literally unachievable for humans. The versatile use of robots for society and the environment allows people to reach new levels of efficiency, productivity and quality of life.
Robots complement us
AI research has made astonishing development leaps. This progress is sometimes met with concern and scepticism, precisely because AI processes are no longer transparent. However, AI creates new opportunities for cooperation with people – especially in innovative and creative areas.
Artificial intelligence gives access to new dimensions
Rising temperatures, melting glaciers, heavy rainfall, floods and debris flows: climate change is clearly teaching society that it has to cope with change. But Switzerland, a country of innovation, offers many possible approaches to achieving its climate goals.
Understanding the climate, experiencing the weather
Climate and weather are closely linked, but they are not the same thing.
The climate system consists of various subsystems that are closely linked to each other through material and energy flows, e.g. water or carbon cycles.
Human activities increase greenhouse gas emissions and thereby change these complex interactions.
Colours and materials influence the climate and are of great importance for modern infrastructure projects and environmental protection measures.
Phänomena creates understanding, without lecturing
What options do we have as a society when dealing with the climate change that is already taking place? Recyclable materials, resource-saving designs and innovative technologies to reduce CO2 emissions help us design a more sustainable society.
Circular economy as an approach to climate change
Phänomena teaches visitors the basics of weather and lets them experience atmospheric events. In the updraft chimney we show the relationships between air temperature and air pressure, and the role played by well-known basic mechanisms such as thermals and convection.
Weather Phänomena and complex predictions
Take a look at your own role in the incredible vastness of the universe, and Switzerland’s role in international space exploration. Within the solar system our focus is on the sun itself, outside the solar system on exoplanets.
Discovering space
Exoplanet research provides important insights into Earth and answers in the search for life outside our solar system.
There are fascinating conditions on other planets that can be experienced at Phänomena.
We show Phänomena on the sun and what it actually looks like, to promote understanding about stars and their importance for the basis of our existence.
Phänomena opens up new horizons
Satellite and material technologies have been decisively shaped by Swiss universities and companies. The two Swiss Nobel Prize winners Didier Queloz and Michel Mayor are pioneers in exoplanet research. Discover the benefits of their discoveries in space exploration for your everyday life.
Switzerland as a space nation
At Phänomena, different perspectives reveal new knowledge: There is an incredible diversity of life in a thimble of earth. We are nothing compared to the size of the solar system. But events on these different scales, such as the activities of the sun, have a significant influence on our lives.