Satellites and space trash threaten the ozone layer and space safety
Every year, we shoot several thousand satellites and other objects out into space. When satellites die, they become space trash that threatens aerospace safety.
Natural science
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The spiders that eat stars, and the scientists who catch them
Spiders can eat their partner. Some of the most extreme stars can do that too.
Why bees in Norway are struggling
Norway is home to 212 different bee species. Or perhaps rather: the country used to have 212 species. Insect numbers are generally in decline, and some bees are either struggling or have already disappeared.
Unlocking the secrets of Viking and medieval walrus tusk trade
Two tiny Scandinavian settlements in Greenland persisted for nearly 500 years and then mysteriously vanished. Their disappearance has been blamed on everything from poor agricultural practices to a changing climate. But what if the real reason was the walrus tusk trade?
New study flags hazardous plastic chemicals and charts course to safer products
A new study provides a comprehensive catalogue of more than 16,000 known plastic chemicals, with their properties, uses and hazards. The goal is to enable safer plastic production.
Kelp-eating microalgae offer huge potential
Researchers have been studying algae that eat kelp instead of making their own sugar. The findings open up new ways of making all kinds of useful things out of kelp.
Cheaper and better lasers can open for new technology
New laser technology can help improve self-driving cars and fibre-optic internet, among other things.
Unravelling the origin of mysterious radiation
Cosmic rays occasionally contain enormous amounts of energy, but we don’t know why or where this radiation comes from. New research may have found the answer.
Clay can help make for tomorrow’s environmentally friendly quantum technologies
Physicists have now discovered a material that can be very useful in crafting tomorrow’s quantum technology: clay.
Does adapting to a warmer climate have drawbacks?
When animals evolve to tolerate higher temperatures, those evolutionary changes might have other negative effects. Or maybe not.
Protecting Iceland’s towns from lava flows – with dirt
It had been dormant for 800 years, but in March 2021, the Fagradalsfjall volcano in Iceland came to life. While the eruption was ongoing, large-scale field experiments were conducted to build defensive earthen barriers aimed at slowing down the molten lava flow.
Immediate action is a key factor for successful marine restoration
It could take up to 200 years for our degraded ocean habitats to fully recover if we just leave them alone. So, we must intervene. The good news is that it works.
High mercury levels found in Svalbard birds
Norwegian seabirds are struggling. Svalbard seabirds have mercury levels above the threshold for deleterious effects on reproduction, researchers have found.
The mysterious X in your cells
When your cells are about to divide, your genetic material folds into an X-shape. Why and how?
New theory on dense gases and liquids could help carbon capture
The transport of dense gases and liquids is becoming increasingly relevant in relation to carbon capture. New research is helping us understand more about how this can be done most efficiently.
Making the world’s fastest skis
They won’t feature at this year’s World Championships in Trondheim, but NTNU researchers believe the world’s fastest and most flexible cross-country skis will be ready for the 2027 World Championships in Falun.
Why a groundbreaking discovery about tiny RNA molecules may be helpful for humans and wildlife
Short strands of genetic material called microRNA have implications for human health – but they could also revolutionize species identification, and perhaps even allow monitoring of wildlife health. Here’s how they work and the potential they offer.
PFAS: found 180 times more ‘forever chemicals’ in birds
These man-made toxic substances are often referred to as ‘forever chemicals’. There are thousands of different variants, and researchers are finding more and more of them.
NTNU physicist honoured in Australia
Physicist Sol Jacobsen from QuSpin has been awarded a prestigious award.
Can the stuff in cells we thought was junk help us understand virus reactions?
Previously, researchers thought that microRNA was a kind of useless residue in cells and blood. But these tiny threads are far more important than some imagined. Also for those who study wildlife.
Autonomous robots track plankton in the Arctic Ocean
Underwater robots, combined with simple instruments from 100 years ago, are helping researchers unlock the secrets of microscopic marine organisms called plankton.
Genes and electrons receive millions in EU funding
Two associate professors at NTNU have been awarded roughly NOK 43 million from the European Research Council to study molecular models and gene variations that can affect animal survival.
Found hundreds of species using DNA barcoding
There are millions of species on Earth that we still know nothing about. Researchers call these species ‘biological dark matter’, but new methods can provide us with a better overview more quickly.
Uncovering the secrets of Norway’s largest lake
Engineers and biologists are standing shoulder to shoulder with philosophers, social scientists and historians to safeguard Norway’s largest lake for future generations.