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.
Energy and environment
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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.
New material can help combat water shortages where water is needed most
A newly developed plastic material of the same type as is used in baby diapers can collect clean and safe drinking water from the air.
A microphone that can sort sounds and measure noise could be coming to a construction site near you
A new AI-based sound metre can distinguish between excavators and seagulls. This is not that easy for artificial intelligence to understand.
Tiny marine organism stressed by warmer Arctic waters
As ocean temperatures continue to rise, one of the smallest but most important organisms may be starting to struggle.
A green solution to replace the use of superpotent 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.
Simple steps can reduce microplastic emissions from aquaculture industry
The fishing and aquaculture industries are major consumers of plastic. Feed hoses, nets and ropes all contain plastic – and even washing fish farming nets can be a culprit. But research shows that simple methods can reduce emissions.
Researchers are harvesting green energy from ground vibrations
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.
Here’s why you need to charge your EV more often in the cold
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?
This special solar cell system produces both electricity and heat
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.
What freezing plants in blocks of ice can tell us about the future of Svalbard’s plant communities
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.
Is it possible to cut CO2 emissions from European agriculture by 40 per cent?
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.
A solution that could reduce aviation emissions by up to 30 percent
Hybrid cars have been successful. Now the aviation industry is following suit and testing out the combination of electricity and fuel.
Polluting the environment for all eternity – and still sticking our heads in the sand
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?
Betting on floating ports
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.
Keeping an eagle eye on carbon stored in the ocean
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.
Saving seagrass and French oysters: Fresh solutions breathe new life into Europe’s coastal areas
European coastal areas are under increasing pressure. Researchers are investigating ways to reverse this trend and help communities adapt to climate change.
Thousands of alien species could invade the Arctic
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.
Reinventing personalized fashion with a new sewing app
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.
Digital twins in the Arctic: How Svalbard is becoming a living lab for marine restoration
A new tool is helping researchers simulate erosion and climate change, turning data into action.
Eliminating plastic consumption by using agricultural residues
“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.
Fish farming least harmful in northern Norway
Environmental conditions on the seabed around fish farms generally improve the farther north you go in Norway.