The Fantasy Basel pop culture festival kicked off on Thursday. Thousands of cosplayers, gamers, film and comic fans flocked to the exhibition halls. Astronaut Claude Nicollier also took part as a speaker. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The first Swiss man in space told the audience about his missions in the 1990s. He showed film sequences with a view of the Earth "from above" and said that these images still touched him. The lecture was part of the space travel theme, where the "Swiss Space Museum" was also present with exhibits. + Switzerland’s first astronaut turns 80 In addition to "science", there was also plenty of "fiction": not far from Nicollier's podium at the Star Wars stand, Jedi knights wielded their lightsabers. Countless visitors entered the exhibition halls in costume. In addition to Darth Vader, Chewbacca and the like, many Japanese anime figures, superheroes and steampunk costumes were also on display. Characters from Lord of the Rings ...