Why house sparrows lay both big and small eggs
Why does the egg size of house sparrows vary so much? Isn’t it always an advantage to be big?
Natural science
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How plants respond to attacks
Plants have to defend themselves against drought, enemies and disease. But different threats demand different responses. So how do plants know what’s attacking them?
Computing power solves molecular mystery
By using a novel combination of two simulation techniques, researchers at NTNU have found a new way to investigate the behaviour of molecules. It’s good news for the chemical industry.
Norwegian public asked to name a species
The moss world will never be the same. The moss Norwegian researchers thought they knew has played a trick on them. In return, researchers are calling on the Norwegian public to name a new species.
Deadly fungus that kills amphibians had its origins in East Asia
The fungus kills frogs, toads and salamanders, and now we know where it emerged. The pet trade may be to blame.
Raising better salmon
The aquaculture industry typically selects salmon with the right genes for breeding to provide the freshest and biggest fish. A new method has the potential to produce better results.
Robot vision makes solar cell manufacture more efficient
In order to maintain the leading position of Norwegian solar cell manufacture on the global stage, we need sensors that can see what humans can’t.
Museums can give us better beer, paint and omega-3
Natural history collections aren’t just dusty financial sinkholes. Actually, they can be gold mines for industry.
Using Tinder doesn’t result in more casual sex
Tinder users don’t have more sexual partners than other similarly minded people. Women tend to use the app to feel better about themselves, whereas men are more focused on sex.
Nine things to know about microplastics
Picking up a plastic bag from the beach makes a bigger difference than you might imagine.
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.
On the topology of helimagnets and difficult-to-understand things
There are in fact good reasons to care about vortex structures in helimagnets. Our fearless Gemini reporter explains.
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.
Measuring devices for the world’s most extreme environment
Norwegian research scientists are contributing to the development of the world’s hottest geothermal well in a non-volcanic area. The goal is to exploit the inexhaustible supply of heat from the interior of the Earth, and this calls for equipment that can withstand the most extreme conditions.
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.
Revealing the geology’s X-factor
This ten-tonne test rig has been custom-designed by Norwegian researchers and built under contract by American engineers. It has finally been installed at SINTEF after eight years of planning and construction. This mammoth of a device, nicknamed the “Polyax Rocker” is now set to re-create with ultra-high precision the geological stresses acting on oil reservoirs.
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.