The hunt for unknown life in New York City
The globe is full of unknown species. But is it really possible to find a completely new animal species in the middle of the largest city in the United States?
Energy and environment
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New sensor could be a game-changer for the hydrogen economy
Until now, it has been almost impossible to measure the energy density of hydrogen precisely, but a new sensor can register every single molecule. This could lay the foundation for correct accounting in the hydrogen economy.
Next-Gen Sensors: Catching water Pollution in real time
Currently, water samples must be transported to a laboratory to reveal pollution. But new sensor technology is enabling researchers to measure pesticides in the water on site – and get the results right away.
How to get people on board with green neighbourhoods
Resident involvement is often described as the weakest link in sustainable urban development. A new study suggests a practical solution to the problem.
Real solutions for power congestion
We need more electricity, and the power grid must be expanded significantly. But how much and how quickly? This is how “monster masts” and expensive power expansion can be postponed.
Norway’s thermal energy solution: Powering Europe without the nuclear price tag
Installing just four percent of Europe’s commercial buildings with a Thermal Box from Norway — about the size of an American industrial refrigerator — would spare Europe the need to build seven nuclear power plants.
Why making lighter and better batteries takes time
Chinese car manufacturers aren’t the only ones trying to develop new types of batteries. New materials are being tested in Norwegian laboratories to make batteries lighter, cheaper and more environmentally friendly.
A green solution to replace the use of potent greenhouse gas
Many large circuit breakers are filled with sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆) – a greenhouse gas that is 24 300 times more powerful than CO₂. But an ingenious Norwegian solution could offer us a climate-friendly alternative.
A huge specially designed heat pump has saved a Norwegian agricultural cooperative millions
Energy use to produce concentrated livestock feed is being cut significantly, thanks to a first-of-its-kind heat pump solution. And a happy side effect is even higher feed quality.
Listening to whales – even when they make no sound
A 100-year-old equation and a fibre-optic cable off the coast of Svalbard led researchers to discover they could detect swimming whales — even if they were completely silent. The discovery broadens the tools that biologists could someday use to detect and monitor these marine giants.
Supercharging our grid: How to free up 20% more power
Implementing effective monitoring measures could yield much more energy from the cable network – all without digging a single new trench. Just a dream scenario? No, it is entirely possible, say researchers.
Location matters: Balancing renewable energy and biodiversity in Norway
How can Norway provide new renewable energy sources to meet future needs while still protecting its natural environment, and the plants and animals that live there?
Propelling the world’s giant ships into the future with new sail systems
Modern sails on large ships are becoming increasingly common to save fuel – and also the climate. Now a research team is looking at how to maximize their benefits, and that turns out to be more complicated than anticipated.
Nearly half of every T-shirt goes to waste before you even buy it
The global consumption of clothing is enormous. However, a significant portion of the textile fibres is lost before the garments even reach the market.
The impact of microplastics on ocean carbon uptake
Marine microplastics affect algae’s ability to grow and photosynthesize. Researchers have now calculated what impact this has on the greenhouse effect and the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide.
Offshore wind: How to lift thousands of tonnes – without a crane
The substructures for fixed offshore wind turbines weigh thousands of tonnes. If you are planning to install them at sea, only about five vessels in the world can lift that much weight. So now researchers are testing a completely new alternative.
A new “plug and play solution” enables offshore charging for electric ships at sea
Connecting ships to charging stations is a bit of a hassle when you are out at sea. But with a new magnetic charging plug for boats – it is about as easy as putting a cup in a cup holder.
Decommissioning old wind turbines generates thousands of tons of new waste
By 2040, up to 20,000 wind turbine blades could be landfilled or incinerated simply because we lack good ways to process them sustainably.
This drone reveals what lies beneath snow and soil
Using self-developed drones and advanced sensors, researchers can now see both under the snow and into the ground. The scientists’ goal is to reduce societal risk and environmental encroachment.
Europe’s power grid has a big drought problem
Europe’s droughts are challenging its clean energy ambitions — with considerable social and environmental costs. There’s a solution – but it’s not quite what you might expect.
High levels of forever chemicals in Svalbard reindeer
Svalbard reindeer live in a place so remote they have actually evolved to become a subspecies. But that remoteness isn’t enough to protect them from contaminants from the industrial world.
Eyewitness: Bjørn helped dump ammo into Lake Mjøsa
Bjørn Karlstad was a young man when he went out with his grandfather to dump old WWII ammunition into Lake Mjøsa.
Securing the water supply in Longyearbyen is critical
With increased pressure on the Arctic, a secure water supply is becoming a critical part of emergency preparedness in Svalbard. Now researchers are investigating how Longyearbyen’s only source of drinking water can be better secured.
The northern lights’ dark twin is a wild card for the power grid
Scientists are working to understand how magnetic currents from the sun spread beneath the Earth’s crust when the northern lights dance across the sky. Their goal is to tame its “dark twin” and prevent damage to our power grid.