Building peace
“Put very simply, conflicts end in one of three different ways,” says peace researcher Karin Dyrstad.
Society
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A walk in the woods in the middle of your working day can boost your performance
Research indicates that workplaces which encourage a healthy integration between their employees’ work and personal lives have a happier and better performing workforce.
This is how to cut your car commute to work
Many people can manage very well by using their cars less. But for this to happen, housing developments must be planned to make it easier. Astrid Bjørgen has been studying how this can be achieved.
“Choose voice control before touchscreens”
Just two seconds of distraction from the traffic doubles the chances of an accident. Screen-based navigation is the cause of most concern.
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.
Afghanistan veterans more prone to anger
Most Afghanistan veterans manage well, but not all. Anger, not PTSD, is the main problem.
The danger of AI is that it’s so good, you simply can’t resist
Inga Strümke does not believe artificial intelligence will take over the world with killer robots, but it might kill your spark. This is an area that needs rules, and Europe is about to get them.
Norwegian schools are not adequately accessible to all their users
Only one in three Norwegian municipalities monitors accessibility in its schools. The Norwegian Association for the Disabled is demanding urgent action.
Finding the place for faces
She raised cormorants in her back yard in a kid’s swimming pool and studied the psychology of nuclear war on a MacArthur grant. But Kavli Award winner and cognitive neuroscientist Nancy Kanwisher always found herself coming back to studying the workings of the human mind.
Write by hand before tablets take over
We learn much better when writing by hand instead of on a keyboard, and using fine motor skills is important for children’s brain development.
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.
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.