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?
Natural science
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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.
Why aren’t house sparrows as big as geese?
A group of researchers spent twelve seasons making some house sparrows bigger and others smaller. Their experiment yielded some important answers.
The enigma of early Norwegian iron production
Ancient Norwegians made top-quality iron. But where did the knowledge to make this iron come from? An NTNU professor emeritus may have solved this riddle.
Gunnerus Sustainability Award goes to pioneering researcher
Carl Folke, a groundbreaking researcher in his field, has been awarded the Gunnerus Sustainability Science Award for 2017.
What happens at home also comes to school
The relationship children have with their parents can sometimes influence the relationship they have with their teachers. Now we know more about why.
Reveals the real greenhouse gas footprints of reservoirs
When hydropower reservoirs traps organic matter, it leads to higher local greenhouse gas emissions. But the emissions are not increased but displaced. A new tool calculates the real greenhouse gas footprints of reservoirs.
Stress in the nest can have lifelong effect
Why do some sparrows hatch six chicks while others don’t hatch any? How does upbringing affect the remainder of their lives? Physiological stress in the nest can actually affect birds’ DNA and possibly their lifespan.
Human Evolution in the Sea at Bioko
Did some of our human features evolve while our ancestors were living in water? The aquatic ape theory has been disregarded by paleoanthropologists, but it deserves another chance.
Avian songsters
Bird songs have many functions, but their main purpose is to attract a mate. Some of the best avian singers are described below.
The astronaut’s extra nose
How do we protect astronauts in space from breathing dangerous gases? A German-Norwegian hi-tech optical gas sensor provides a solution.
Snake robots in space
Norwegian researchers are investigating how a snake robot might carry out maintenance work on the International Space Station (ISS), study comets, and explore the possibility of living and working in lava tunnels on the Moon.
Fuel of the future
Heavy-duty trucks will soon be driving around in Trondheim, Norway, fuelled by hydrogen created with solar power, and emitting only pure water vapour as “exhaust”. Not only will hydrogen technology revolutionize road transport, it will also enable ships and trains to run emission-free.
Earth to ISS: Norway calling
Norway has direct contact with the ISS space station. Now CIRiS – the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Space – is opening a new control room.