Water fleas on “happy pills” have more offspring
Dopamine can trigger feelings of happiness in humans. Water fleas that are exposed to dopamine-regulating substances apparently gain several advantages.
Energy and environment
LOADING CONTENT
Bioplastics no safer than other plastics
Bioplastics contain substances that are as toxic as those in ordinary plastics.
110 years of engineers who built Norway
We often associate innovation with someone who invents something completely new. But innovation is also about improving and expanding on existing technology. One hundred and ten years of Norwegian engineering history provides plenty of examples.
Simulation model may reduce the climate footprint of oil production
Future offshore oil and gas fields are most likely to be “satellite developments” that are less expensive and emit less greenhouse gases than other fields because they do not require new production platforms. An innovative Norwegian computational tool called “Slug Capturing 2” is now enabling the design of longer pipelines that will allow many more fields to be developed as satellites.
New lessons from the worst oil spill disaster ever
Ten years ago, the Deepwater Horizon accident in the Gulf of Mexico killed eleven men and resulted in the largest accidental oil spill in history. Years of investigations concluded that the drilling crew missed critical warning signals that would have stopped the problem. A new analysis suggests that wasn’t the case.
How a Plasma Gasifier Can Reduce CO2 Emissions
CO2 emissions are generally recognized as something we need to avoid. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just transform the CO2 into useful substances? Plasma technology has been proposed as a way to achieve this, and we have studied the feasibility of the concept from physical, chemical and economical points of view.
Ocean-based negative emissions technology research receives prestigious funding
From 1 July, scientists from 14 institutions in six countries will be examining the opportunities and risks of ocean-based technologies for negative emissions.
Annemie Wyckmans wins the Mission Innovation Champions 2020 award
“This is international recognition of her many years of efforts to promote smart and sustainable cities,” says Henrik Asheim, Norway’s Minister of Research and Higher Education.
Does Norway’s future lie at the bottom of the sea?
Low oil prices have fueled the debate about which industries Norway should develop and live on in the future. In the government’s revised national budget, the extraction of seabed minerals emerges as a clear investment area.
New website allows data sharing for upcoming Climate Panel report
NTNU researchers are playing a leading role in a new IPCC report. One way they’re helping is collecting data on a website created and operated by the university.
From coronavirus to a greener society?
Governments across the globe are funding record-breaking crisis packages to cope with the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Is this the time to fund greener, more climate-friendly industries and investments?
Global supply chains as a way to curb carbon emissions
The coronavirus outbreak raised everyone’s awareness of the significance of global supply chains to modern economies. But global supply chains also play an important role in greenhouse gas emissions. How they are managed can either increase or decrease carbon emissions, new research shows.
Promising prospects for CO2 storage on the Norwegian continental shelf: “A huge opportunity to decarbonize industry”
– Today the Norwegian Ministry of Energy and Petroleum announced that the indicative results from the drilling at the Northern Lights project are positive and that the respective area on the Norwegian Continental Shelf could be suitable for CO2 storage.
Abandoned cropland helps make Europe cooler
As nations prepare to mitigate climate change, decision makers need to understand how land use fits into the climate equation. A new study looked at land use changes over two decades and found a major shift from cropland to forests. That change made western Europe cooler.
China’s rapid development of solar and wind power
Chinese authorities are investing heavily in green energy. The country has become a world leader in solar and wind power. This rapid expansion was made possible by the approach taken by authorities.
Towards a sustainable term for sustainability
The concept of sustainability has long been incorporated into our collective vocabulary. The word is used in many contexts, including in the PR industry. If we are going to find a way out of the climate and environmental crisis, maybe it should be replaced?
Water flow can be traced with synthetic DNA sand
If your drinking water is contaminated, you’d no doubt like to find out where the pollution comes from. Researchers are working to make this easier.
This hydrogen lorry is powered by sunshine – from the north
Hauliers Asko in Norway, are among the first in the world to operate a goods vehicle that runs on hydrogen made from solar power – thanks to a collaborative effort by research scientists and other players.
The most beautiful solar cells are inspired by nature
Organic solar cells are usually less effective than silicon solar cells. But there is still a market for them – and they’re beautiful and exciting.
Your plane travel destroys polar bear habitat
A group of polar bear researchers wants you to do more than worry about the fate of these beautiful animals. They’ve calculated how much summer sea ice is melted per metric tonne of CO2 emissions. Then you can decide if the flight you’re planning to take is worth destroying polar bear habitat.
How much microplastic is there in your laundry basket?
Every time you wash clothes, you are releasing microplastics into the sea, but we know little about the amount and distribution of such material from different types of textile. Research scientists are now working on measuring and capturing microplastics in our laundry.
Trees struggle when forests become too small
As forest areas shrink and become fragmented, many tree species face problems. They often rely on animals that can no longer disperse their seeds effectively.
SF6: The Truths and Myths of this Greenhouse Gas
The atmospheric concentration of the highly-potent greenhouse gas SF6 has never been higher. Fingers have been pointed at the expanding renewables industry, but is that a fair assessment?
Climate change fuels Australia’s enormous wildfires
Bushfires are a normal part of the cycle of nature in Australia. But not like this. And it is going to get worse.