"I was screaming in pain" The 5 most blatant self-experiments by our editor Bruno Bötschi

How can I overcome my fear of heights? How does it feel to go swimming in ice? I want to find out - and experience it for myself. These are my five most intense experiments for blue News.

For the past four years, I' ve been shooting regular video reports for blue News with my colleague Christian Thumshirn, in which I put myself through some brutal experiments.

Here are my five most spectacular experiments.

I admit, I was afraid of the ice bath. Very scared, in fact. At some point, tears rolled down my face and I was convinced: I'm not getting in there. Never.

But firstly, things turn out differently, and secondly, than you think.

During my self-experiment, I had an experienced teacher at my side in Jan Pekarek. Before the experiment, I had put myself under the cold shower. I wanted to get used to the impending cold.

I wanted to, but couldn't really manage it, so I was sure I wouldn't get into the two-degree water. You can find out how I fared in the ice water in the video above.

I worked for a day as an intern at the Auenhof permaculture farm in Feldbach ZH and tried my hand at self-sufficiency. Marcus Pan has created a living space on his farm based on permaculture principles.

The Auenhof functions as its own cycle, without poisons and artificial fertilizers. "The most important principle of permaculture is that no farm should take more nutrients, water and energy from the land than it gives back," says Pan.

As a self-sufficient farmer, I learned about mulching and composting - and what it means to be one with animals and plants. You can find out how I did it in the video.

A Tuesday in December: it's 10 o'clock in the morning, the temperature outside is 4 degrees and the water in Lake Zurich is 8 degrees. I'm standing in the Utoquai bathing area in Zurich, dressed only in my swimming trunks.

Some people shiver just looking at the dark lake water, others are already eagerly awaiting the next goosebumps: Winter swimming is becoming increasingly popular.

I belong to the first group.

Nothing can go wrong this morning, because I have a cool teacher at my side: Deniz Kayadelen has been swimming distances in the sea for two decades, has crossed the English Channel and has even swum around Manhattan.

Watch the video to find out how I fared during my winter swimming experiment.

The dream of being a music star - who hasn't already dreamed it! Glitter, fame and fortune. I admit, I've done it too. However, only very few people go on to realize their dream.

I am one of those few.

I traveled to Bern and went to the recording studio of the band Fiji. I recorded a song there with the music producer Simon Schüttel. But don't go thinking that I'm a great singing talent. Perhaps you've heard of autotune?

They say that with this effect, a singer only needs a little talent and can still make it into the charts. Watch the video to find out if I made it.

Weak knees, shock paralysis and the desire to hold on to something: My fear of heights has thwarted my plans several times in recent years.

Now I have declared war on my fear - during a one-to-one seminar with height coach David Elsasser.

One day later, I tested my new self-confidence on the Cliff Peak on the 2184-metre-high First above Grindelwald BE. This skywalk juts out 45 meters into the void.

Watch the video to find out whether I actually mastered this challenge.