Nine things to know about microplastics
Picking up a plastic bag from the beach makes a bigger difference than you might imagine.
Biology
LOADING CONTENT
In the bullfinch world, she gets to decide
A lot of birdwatchers like the bullfinch. They’ve probably noticed that the female can chase off the more colourful male from the bird feeder. That makes this species different.
Plastic in rivers and lakes a growing concern
Almost all research on plastic contamination in water systems focuses on oceans. But the biggest problem is plastic that ends up in freshwater ecosystems, according to an NTNU biologist.
Vampire bats’ bloody teamwork
Vampire bats are the only mammals that feed exclusively on blood. The way they manage to do that offers us some remarkable insights into evolution.
Herring larvae could benefit from an acidifying ocean
Excess CO2 in the atmosphere is making the oceans more acidic. Some studies show that’s bad news for fish, including commercially important species. But not all fish respond the same way.
Small birds discern threat level of enemies
Small birds like tits don’t just see that another bird is dangerous. They can also differentiate between species and determine just how much of a threat they are.
Women regret sex less when they take the initiative
Women regret casual sex more than men do – but less so if they take the initiative and the sex was good.
What the Vikings put in their pillows
Not too many people are able to identify birds by examining a single feather. But a number of folks need to know that sort of thing, and it can actually save lives.
Citizen scientists get new slugs named after them
Scientists honour citizen science helpers when naming several species new to Norway.
Is the woolly mammoth really gone for good?
Should we reintroduce animal species that have died out? New technology may offer opportunities that no one could imagine a few decades ago. But the answer may not be as simple as you think.
Secrets of the sea raised from the depths
The mysteries below the ocean’s surface have triggered human exploration and imagination for centuries. New marine robotics now make it possible to explore what goes on in the ocean depths.
Shedding light on zooplankton in the dark
We know that tiny marine creatures in the Arctic respond to weak light from the Moon or the northern lights during the polar night. Now researchers have learned that artificial light from research vessels can also have a negative effect.
Why the passenger pigeon died out
The passenger pigeon was once among the most numerous species on earth. The last passenger pigeon died in the Cinncinati Zoo just over 100 years ago. How did it all go so wrong?
Mystery in the bear cave
The oldest known bear bones from northern Scandinavia have been discovered in a limestone cave. But the cave also contained a mystery.
Brawler at the bird feeder
The common redpoll gets into brawls when it seems like it should really be watching out for enemies. How can that end well?
Bullfinches stick together for years
Bullfinch fidelity to their mates can last for years.
Hundreds of thousands of dead in the basement
The NTNU University Museum’s animal collection is approaching a landmark one million specimens. We take a peek behind the scenes.
Meadows beat out shrubs when it comes to carbon storage
A remote field site in the Norwegian mountains is improving our understanding of carbon cycling in high-latitude alpine areas.
The Maasai’s unknown cousins
They live side by side with the Maasai people and maintain a culture where rituals and music play an important role. The Sonjo people’s harvest ceremony is their most central ritual.
Fly hunter has discovered 30 new species
DNA analysis allows new species to be described all the time. Researcher Xiaolong Lin has recently published a description of eight new non-biting midge species, but has found many more.
A “health centre” for juvenile salmon
The condition of the water in salmon hatcheries can tell us a great deal about when and why outbreaks of disease occur. Now, SINTEF researchers are about to expose the water’s secrets, both to prevent suffering in fish and to save the aquaculture industry a great deal of money.
Infidelity can be forgiven – but at a cost
Most people who have been unfaithful do not believe it when their partner says they forgive them. And the fact that men often don’t realize that emotional infidelity is a problem just feeds the conflict.
This ingenious approach not only binds CO2, but also improves the soil
If 4,000 Norwegian farms and nurseries produced biochar and mixed it with the soil, we could halve CO2 emissions from the agricultural sector. This entirely natural approach also produces more robust and healthy plants.
How can people and predators coexist?
Predators and people have lived side by side since time immemorial in the Serengeti National Park region in Tanzania. But strong population growth is leading to greater conflicts.