Is the American Empire collapsing?
The United States remains a global power unparalleled in history. So what would it take for this situation to change? Four possible developments or events seem to be plausible candidates.
Society
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Why we get seasick – and how to avoid it
Everyone gets seasick, says researcher Toralf Sundin Hamstad at SINTEF, but there are tricks we can employ to avoid the worst of it.
Why are there traffic jams, and what can we do to avoid them?
No one likes sitting in a traffic jam. Research shows that the average Norwegian motorist is willing to fork out almost 100 kroner in order to spend one hour less in traffic. But traffic congestion can also be mitigated.
Three pieces of advice for politicians about plastic
Plastic, and plastic pollution, are a huge problem for both human health and the environment. An interdisciplinary panel of experts suggests that politicians take three concrete steps to better understand and rein in this growing problem.
A simple test can predict whether smokers will manage to quit
Despite the effect smoking has on cancer, many people continue to smoke after receiving a cancer diagnosis. A simple test can help predict whether smokers are likely to succeed in quitting.
Tips for if you get lost
It’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere and peak season for getting lost in the great outdoors. Learning new ways to find our way back can help us stay safe in the wild.
Researchers work to promote phosphorus recovery and recycling
Here’s how Norway can limit the loss of an all-important substance, phosphorus.
The downside of being good looking
Being young and beautiful can have its risks. The best-looking young people tend to drink and party more – and are more likely to make choices that could lead to problems in adulthood.
Norwegian boys dislike school more than any other group
For the most part, Norwegian girls enjoy going to school, whereas boys exhibit a marked dislike of the school setting. One of the problems is that boys experience school as unfair.
Loneliness and mental health problems are interconnected
Lonely people are more likely to take medication for depression, psychosis and other mental health disorders.
It isn’t play if we have to play
Is teacher-led play really play? New students don’t necessarily think so. One researcher believes that more free play in school could improve classroom dynamics and strengthen relationships.
Are architectural approaches holding water?
Students, researchers and the building industry are collaborating to adapt our homes to climate change. And they’re identifying solutions that hadn’t been obvious before.
Adolescents who are most active on social media are also the most active offline
Researchers found no evidence that the use of social media has a negative impact on social skills, but children with social anxiety may be at risk.
Bullying can affect dental health
Young people who have adverse childhood experiences are at greater risk of poor dental health. This is important knowledge for dental health services, according to new research.
The bigger the student loan, the smaller the chance of getting good grades
If you are a student living on a loan in the United States, you are less likely to get good grades than your debt-free fellow students. The bigger your student loan, the poorer you perform.
Proud seafarers have strong doubts about the safety of autonomous ships
Despite their great trust in on-board autopilots, bridge officers do not believe that autonomous ships will make shipping safer. Moreover, the greater the professional commitment and pride of the bridge officers, the less confidence they have in automation increasing safety at sea.
Gloom and doom warnings about climate change do not work
How do you spread a message about climate change? According to an international study involving 59,000 participants, some tactics may actually reduce support.
Can life at sea teach us to live in a more meaningful way?
Life on board a tall ship can be cramped, cold and demanding, but according to one researcher, it also sheds light on what gives life purpose and meaning.
Strange bedfellows: Howard Hughes, the CIA and a lost Soviet sub
The American eccentric billionaire, Howard Hughes, wasn’t afraid to make expensive investments in new technologies. So when he announced in 1972 that he was going to build a giant ship to mine manganese nodules from the depths of the Pacific Ocean, few were surprised. But the ship had a very different – and top secret – mission.
Connecting computers so they can think faster
Calculations that previously took a year can now be performed in just 10 days by computers connected in a special way.
Cheaper batteries are key to shifting transport away from fossil fuels. Can the market deliver?
High metal prices can drive up the costs of electric car batteries, which will reduce their adoption. Car manufacturers are already responding to this by shifting to different technologies.
Feeling apathetic? There may be hope
A new method that aims to help people develop grit looks promising.
Helping low-income families onto the housing ladder
Families who obtained help to purchase their homes improved their lives in many ways. But outcomes were not so positive for those renting as part of affordable housing allocation schemes.
A 500-year-old law laid the foundation for how Norwegians understand – and trust – the law today
Medieval Norwegians felt King Magnus VI’s Code of the Realm was fair when it was introduced as one of the first laws of its kind in Europe. For more than 500 years, this law has helped give Norwegian people a relatively high level of trust in their judicial system.