Tundra tongue: The science behind a very cold mistake
You’ve done it too, haven’t you? Or maybe you know someone who has? Stuck their tongue to a piece of frozen metal in the winter, even though they know it’s cold? But is it dangerous?

You’ve done it too, haven’t you? Or maybe you know someone who has? Stuck their tongue to a piece of frozen metal in the winter, even though they know it’s cold? But is it dangerous?
Vibrations in the ground are found everywhere. They occur when cars pass by, when machines are operating, or when the earth’s crust moves. For most of us, these are invisible forces. For researchers, however, they represent something far more exciting: an untapped source of clean energy.
When researchers studied Norwegians who blamed tick bites for their chronic health problems, they found no objective evidence that ticks were the cause.
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?
In Year 8 of school, boys score higher on everything related to motivation. Girls do best when it comes to compassion. However, the picture is a little more nuanced than that.
What mechanisms underlie frequent and repetitive hair pulling and skin picking?
Why on earth should you care that physicists have now filmed skyrmion lattices melting? Well, there are actually some very good reasons why.
Four of five Norwegians use digital maps when they are in the outdoors. In just a few years, our mobile phones have gone from being a practical navigation aid to a virtual compass in your backpack.
Many physicists are searching for a triplet superconductor. Indeed, we could all do with one, although we may not know it yet – or understand why.
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.
How will a warming Arctic affect plant growth on Svalbard? Researchers encased plant plots in a thick layer of ice during the winter and used little greenhouses to heat up those plots in the summer. The surprise? The plants that got the harshest treatment did just fine.
Research shows that allowing natural vegetation to grow back in mountainous areas and on steep slopes and moving production to more fertile areas will both reduce climate emissions and increase biodiversity.
Why are we so happy when our favourite wins, especially against the odds?
Hybrid cars have been successful. Now the aviation industry is following suit and testing out the combination of electricity and fuel.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework states that plastic pollution must be eliminated by 2030. So why haven’t we enacted measures that make a real difference?
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.
For the first time ever, NTNU researchers have identified new characteristics of aggressive prostate cancer.
Geologic reservoirs that trapped petroleum for millions of years are now being repurposed to store the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. New research is improving how we monitor this storage and verify how much CO₂ these reservoirs have stored.
People who commit domestic violence are at risk of repeating their behaviour. Research shows that it is crucial that perpetrators of intimate partner violence are met with understanding, not condemnation.
German soldiers’ accounts from Finnmark during World War II often describe the Sami as “noble savages” in a fabulous and foreign landscape.
Can bacteria that survive washing and disinfection in food production facilities spread antimicrobial resistance?
European coastal areas are under increasing pressure. Researchers are investigating ways to reverse this trend and help communities adapt to climate change.
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.
The foundations for the Viking expeditions were laid on farms. Society became more stratified during this period, and carved chairs, owned by wealthy farmers and known as ‘high seats’, were a clear status symbol.