Vibrations in the ground are found everywhere. They occur when cars pass by, when machines are operating, or when the earth’s crust moves. For most of us, these are invisible forces. For researchers, however, they represent something far more exciting: an untapped source of clean energy.
When the temperature drops to -20°C, we electric car owners quickly notice it on our wallets. But is it just a matter of driving with the heat on full blast? And what can we do to save the battery as much as possible?
Researchers have developed a solar cell system that uses mirrors to concentrate solar energy. In addition to electricity, it produces heat for a plant that will capture carbon from industrial emissions.
How will a warming Arctic affect plant growth on Svalbard? Researchers encased plant plots in a thick layer of ice during the winter and used little greenhouses to heat up those plots in the summer. The surprise? The plants that got the harshest treatment did just fine.
Research shows that allowing natural vegetation to grow back in mountainous areas and on steep slopes and moving production to more fertile areas will both reduce climate emissions and increase biodiversity.
Hybrid cars have been successful. Now the aviation industry is following suit and testing out the combination of electricity and fuel.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework states that plastic pollution must be eliminated by 2030. So why haven’t we enacted measures that make a real difference?
Building a port on land takes time. On water, the job can be done quickly. Hagbart Skage Alsos and his research colleagues at SINTEF are investigating how to build floating ports.
Geologic reservoirs that trapped petroleum for millions of years are now being repurposed to store the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. New research is improving how we monitor this storage and verify how much CO₂ these reservoirs have stored.
European coastal areas are under increasing pressure. Researchers are investigating ways to reverse this trend and help communities adapt to climate change.
More than 2500 plant species have the potential to invade the Arctic at the expense of the species that belong there. Norway is one of the areas that is particularly at risk.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could just take a picture of yourself with your mobile phone and sew your own clothes – in exactly the right size and fit? The solution is on its way.
A new tool is helping researchers simulate erosion and climate change, turning data into action.
“That’s the dream,” says researcher Hanne Dalsvåg. If the researchers succeed, in the future you might be able to buy vegetables wrapped in packaging made from waste carrot or potato residues.
Environmental conditions on the seabed around fish farms generally improve the farther north you go in Norway.
Researchers have developed a heat storage unit that takes up less space than a regular hot water tank. It charges when electricity is cheap and releases heat when needed.
How much does it matter where you are born, or whether you are heavy or light, if you are a house sparrow? Researcher Kenneth Aase calculates what the future looks like for these grey-brown feather balls – and hopefully other species, too.
Businesses along the Norwegian coastline are becoming increasingly vulnerable to storm surges and flooding. Researchers have now created digital maps that show who is most at risk.
Hundreds of Norwegian hydropower plants threaten fish and bottom-dwelling animals by exposing them to water that is oversaturated with air. The danger increases with wilder, wetter weather and more flooding. The solution may be to use sound in a new way.
So-called ‘green’ hydrogen is currently very expensive to produce, but recent research can help save time and resources.
Fresh water is under threat on many fronts. Researchers are working hard to solve this problem. One solution uses sunlight and bismutite.
The Norwegian ‘rules of use’ for Sámi reindeer husbandry were intended to help keep reindeer husbandry sustainable and allow for self-governance. But “sustainability” and “self-governance” can mean something completely different for authorities than reindeer herders.
The European Research Council has awarded two grants to NTNU researchers for very different projects related to the environment.
Norwegian municipalities are collecting more and more data on how what they do affects the natural world, but do not always know what to do with it. They wade in green facts, but continue to sacrifice the environment, colouring the landscapes grey.
