Feature

Swiss twist

A Swiss outfit called Stratxx has worked out that it is possible to replace all the mobile phone masts in Switzerland by sticking one airship into the stratosphere. Coincidentally they make the airship, a 60m long helium-filled Zeppelin with GPS controls and stabilising propellers to maintain a stationary orbit 21km above Switzerland. Each of these so-called X-stations would only cost $32m to build and could handle the radio, television and internet needs of entire nations; only 20 could cover the whole of Europe.