Satellites and space trash threaten the ozone layer and space safety
Every year, we shoot several thousand satellites and other objects out into space. When satellites die, they become space trash that threatens aerospace safety.
Technology
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If you can hear your neighbour snoring, there’s something wrong with the building you live in
Does it sound like the guy in the apartment above you keeps dragging a sack of potatoes across his room? It’s not his fault –the building you live is not sufficiently soundproofed.
Why ChatGPT is bad at imitating people
Large language models like ChatGPT and Copilot are useful for many things. However, they are not yet good enough to imitate the way people speak.
Forget ChatGPT – AI of the future will bring major small changes
Artificial intelligence of the future will be in the form of small, specialized models.
The properties of slate make it a winner
Different building materials carry different climate footprints. Norwegian natural stone, such as Otta slate, turns out to have surprisingly good properties as a façade material.
How penguins’ air tricks could help the shipping industry
‘Bubbles’ – taste that word – and think soda, soap, play and well-being. But did you know that air bubbles can also reduce fuel consumption and emissions from oceangoing vessels?
Making regular GPS ultra-precise
Self-driving cars need to know exactly where on the road they are located at all times. A new invention could revolutionize the development of driverless vehicles – and give us more accurate GPS on our mobile phones and fitness watches too.
Scientists are revealing the secret lives of bees using sensors
Bees do more than just pollinate plants. They are also nature’s own warning signal. Placing sensors in their hives allows researchers to see when the bees need help doing their job.
From beer to useful fats and medicines
The spent grain from beer brewing can be used to make microcapsules that can preserve omega-3 oils and medicines.
The spinoff generator
Europe is falling behind in the innovation and technology race. But you can always find some enterprising types who buck the trend.
An ultra-thin smart filter can significantly extend EV battery lifespan
This new invention could make today’s heavy electric vehicle batteries lighter, safer and increase their range. The researchers behind the technology believe it is also ideal for use in aviation, space travel, drones and shipping.
Making it easier to recycle your house
A new method makes it possible to gain an extensive overview of the materials in our homes. It could be an important step toward a more circular economy.
Worried that large language models are getting out of hand
“It’s not the politicians, but Big Tech that now gets to decide how technology should be used,” says Heidrun Åm.
Super-recognizers
Some people never forget a face. This is an ability police forces around the world find very useful. It now seems that this superpower can be used for more than previously thought.
Voting from your sofa is secure enough – but will it be allowed?
A new electronic voting system developed at NTNU can withstand attacks from quantum computers, meaning digital elections can be conducted securely, even in the future.
Standing tall, the ship is taller than the Eiffel Tower
The ship may need over five kilometers to stop. Perhaps not so surprising. The ship measures 62 meters in width and extends 21 meters below the water’s surface. Four models needed to test if the ship withstands launch.
Cheaper and better lasers can open for new technology
New laser technology can help improve self-driving cars and fibre-optic internet, among other things.
Identifying the technology we do not want
When new technology fails, it’s not always because it does not work as intended. Sometimes, people simply don’t want to use it. One researcher believes this should be predictable.
Will computers of the future be submerged in liquid?
The need to cool down computers eats into the world’s energy consumption. By using liquid instead of air, we can save large amounts of energy and at the same time produce heat.
Smart measures to reduce your electricity bill
Would you adjust your electricity consumption if you received a notification on your mobile phone telling you when electricity was going to be most expensive the following day? Research shows that good information can influence our energy consumption.
New method detects major methane leaks – the good news is that many can be repaired quickly
The wind’s sweep across desert sand provides important information in the hunt for methane gas leaking from oil platforms. Researchers have now applied this knowledge in the hunt for the climate change driver methane.
Clay can help make for tomorrow’s environmentally friendly quantum technologies
Physicists have now discovered a material that can be very useful in crafting tomorrow’s quantum technology: clay.
Switching diesel locomotives to electric
Locomotives that run on diesel can be electrified. This would both cut CO2 emissions and significantly reduce overall energy consumption, according to a new study.
Protecting Iceland’s towns from lava flows – with dirt
It had been dormant for 800 years, but in March 2021, the Fagradalsfjall volcano in Iceland came to life. While the eruption was ongoing, large-scale field experiments were conducted to build defensive earthen barriers aimed at slowing down the molten lava flow.