Decommissioning old wind turbines generates thousands of tons of new waste
By 2040, up to 20,000 wind turbine blades could be landfilled or incinerated simply because we lack good ways to process them sustainably.
Technology
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Can Europe create artificial intelligence that we actually understand?
Artificial intelligence is currently controlled by a number of tech giants in the United States and China. One professor believes Europe can choose to take a smarter and more democratic path.
About to emerge: One of the world’s most advanced laboratories
Concrete has never had to meet such high standards. Deviations cannot exceed millimetre level. Even the curvature of the Earth must be taken into account in building the world’s most advanced laboratories.
Helping resolve quantum computers’ memory problem
A major problem with quantum computers is memory, as the information they contain can be quickly lost. We can now see how fast this happens, and much more precisely than before.
Crashing into new railings to test the strength of old bridges
More than 4000 ageing bridges in Norway need to be secured with new railings. NTNU researchers are now crash testing new railings to see if it is safe to install them directly on to the old bridges.
Swapping batteries for hydrogen gives drones a whole new range
Researchers have built a drone that runs on hydrogen. This technology will enable us to fix power outages faster and replace dangerous helicopter missions with the new drones.
A microphone that can sort sounds and measure noise could be coming to a construction site near you
A new AI-based sound metre can distinguish between excavators and seagulls. This is not that easy for artificial intelligence to understand.
A green solution to replace the use of superpotent greenhouse gas
Many large circuit breakers are filled with sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆) – a greenhouse gas that is 24 300 times more powerful than CO₂. But an ingenious Norwegian solution could offer us a climate-friendly alternative.
Open-source software can increase security – but a long-term approach is required
The security policy landscape has changed. We are at increasing risk because we are so dependent on large US technology companies.
Here’s why seafarers have little confidence in autonomous ships
Despite its long history as a maritime nation, Norway is struggling to recruit enough seafarers. Increased automation and autonomous ships have been hailed as a solution to this crisis, but seafarers themselves are concerned about safety. A recent study shows that there are 12 specific reasons why confidence in automation is low.
Here’s why you need to charge your EV more often in the cold
When the temperature drops to -20°C, we electric car owners quickly notice it on our wallets. But is it just a matter of driving with the heat on full blast? And what can we do to save the battery as much as possible?
New findings could help develop computers that resemble your brain
Why on earth should you care that physicists have now filmed skyrmion lattices melting? Well, there are actually some very good reasons why.
This special solar cell system produces both electricity and heat
Researchers have developed a solar cell system that uses mirrors to concentrate solar energy. In addition to electricity, it produces heat for a plant that will capture carbon from industrial emissions.
A solution that could reduce aviation emissions by up to 30 percent
Hybrid cars have been successful. Now the aviation industry is following suit and testing out the combination of electricity and fuel.
Betting on floating ports
Building a port on land takes time. On water, the job can be done quickly. Hagbart Skage Alsos and his research colleagues at SINTEF are investigating how to build floating ports.
Can desert sand be used to build houses and roads?
The globe may be running out of sand suitable for concrete. Researchers are therefore testing a possible solution for using desert sand as a material.
Reinventing personalized fashion with a new sewing app
Wouldn’t it be great if you could just take a picture of yourself with your mobile phone and sew your own clothes – in exactly the right size and fit? The solution is on its way.
Graphene coatings – an eco-friendly alternative
Tired of hauling your boat out of the water to clean its hull? Graphene can replace the toxic chemicals usually used to do this job.
Gold particles and sunlight can help purify water
Fresh water is under threat on many fronts. Researchers are working hard to solve this problem. One solution uses sunlight and bismutite.
ERC grants totalling NOK 48 million for projects on ecojustice and a more efficent power grid
The European Research Council has awarded two grants to NTNU researchers for very different projects related to the environment.
Data centres’ insatiable demand for electricity will change the entire energy sector
When the first large language models were unleashed, it triggered a headache for authorities around the world as they tried to figure out how to satisfy data centres’ endless demand for electricity.
First complete record of global underground CO₂ storage
The first-ever audited account of the actual amounts of CO2 stored underground by CCS projects globally has been released. It was created by a new international consortium of scientists and industrial partners, including NTNU.
Poor indoor air quality often found in small new urban dwellings
You’ve just bought a new apartment. The developer followed the minimum building code requirements. So shouldn’t everything be in order? Extensive research indicates that the answer is unfortunately no.
This is how two contra-rotating propellers can make ships more energy efficient
By using two propellers that rotate in opposite directions, a ship can use less energy to move forward. New knowledge means that more ships can use the technology, including Hurtigruten’s Sea Zero project for its coastal cruise ships.