This episode was produced on April 26, 2023
Can an Internet connection change the world?
Internet access is often taken for granted in urban areas around the world. If it’s not a WIFI connection, our smartphones usually have reception and let us send e-mails, messages and even stream videos while we’re on the go. But it's a different story altogether if you go to more rural areas. Almost half the world’s population is still without internet access. People in poorer, remote regions lose out – because the repercussions are far greater than not being able to send a few messages. They miss out on opportunities for education, business and development.
Laura Salm-Reifferscheidt went to visit a pilot project in Nepal’s Himalaya mountains that sets out to connect people in what’s believed to be the world's highest community network. This report was supported by the Internet Society.
3D-printing people out of homelessness?
Imagine this: People need shelter and within eight hours, you've 3D-printed a house for them. That’s what a professor at the University of Johannesburg is envisioning with his students. That could help solve South Africa's housing crisis, because these 3D-printed houses are supposed to be quicker to build and even cheaper than regular brick and mortar homes. Heiko Wirtz met up with the makers of the 3D house and Ben Restle has the story.
Recycling all parts of a house
And as we all know, we don't have endless amounts of resources at our disposal. Using cow dung as building material is one option to be resourceful as we’ve just heard. Now in Switzerland, near Zurich, researchers have built an apartment from recycled materials – walls made of old glass, kitchen counters from melted plastic. There are even walls that can be taken apart and recycled if a wall is no longer needed. Anne-Sophie Brändlin has this story by Kathrin Hondl.