Making future transport more climate friendly
The world’s transportation network is constantly growing. “Green asphalt” and sustainable bus transportation will ease the environmental impact of future transport routes.
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Climate change fuels Australia’s enormous wildfires
Bushfires are a normal part of the cycle of nature in Australia. But not like this. And it is going to get worse.
New mechanism allows the immune system to detect and respond to HIV
Nearly 40 million people were living with HIV in 2017, the UN says, with just over half taking antiretroviral therapy. These drugs have cut AIDS-related deaths by more than half since the 2004 peak, but the disease cannot be cured. A new mechanism uncovered by a Norwegian research group could improve the chances of developing one.
Ocean acidification a big problem — but not for coral reef fish behaviour
Several high-profile studies report that ocean acidification will affect coral reef fish behaviour enough to jeopardize their survival. One research team looked more deeply at this assertion — and found it is simply not true.
Putting off old age on the Norwegian shelf
Sand in the oil stream with the risk of well collapse is a well-known problem when sandstone reservoirs approach depletion. Advanced sensors and a super machine are helping research scientists to find the threshold at which profitable production ceases. This can increase the lifetime of reservoirs.
Proteins in blood test can reveal and predict disease
An analysis of 5 000 proteins from a blood sample is providing valuable information on a variety of diseases we might get or be at risk for. “Sensational” is the word from Christian Jonasson at the HUNT Research Centre about the US-British-Norwegian study.
Important for kids to practice swimming outdoors
Norway may offer children’s swimming and lifesaving lessons outdoors as early as this year. The goal is to reduce drownings.
Need to reduce oil activity to create new industry, say researchers
Offshore wind energy is seeing renewed wind in its sails as a major industrial opportunity for Norway. But researchers warn that economic and political players could hinder this development if they get locked into the existing industrial structures.
Norway is the EU’s most integrated non-EU country
Norway has been on its way to EU membership four times, but has stopped at the threshold every time. November 28, 2019 marks 25 years since Norwegians last voted “No” – with an EEA agreement in hand for better or for worse.
Smoking may cause white scars on the brain
Nearly half of all people over the age of 50 have scarring in their brain’s white matter. It turns out that does more harm than previously thought.
Ground-breaking astronaut glove for exploring the moon and Mars
NTNU students have developed a smart glove for astronauts that can be used while exploring other planets. NASA partners recently conducted successful testing of the glove at the Haughton Mars Project research station.
Little reason for moral panicking after #MeToo
Men and women generally agree on what constitutes sexual harassment.
Scandinavians’ little linguistic hat trick
Moving a word to the beginning of a sentence is a useful trick to draw attention to the most important topic you want to relay. The researchers of a new study have found that the Scandinavian languages are unique in their use of this technique.
If the world can capture carbon, there’s capacity to store it
Humankind will need to harness carbon capture and storage technologies to help keep global warming to 2 degrees C or less. New research shows that there’s plenty of room to store captured CO2 — in offshore geologic rock formations.
An award that puts Norway on the international map
Cybernetics professor Kristin Ytterstad Pettersen has been awarded the BODE prize for her groundbreaking research in underwater robotics. It is one of the most prestigious technology prizes in the world.
When art turns climate activist
Can art that literally takes your breath away make you more climate friendly? You can find out yourself if you happen to be in Madrid, at the UN Climate Change Conference, COP 25.
Gaming their way to sustainable development
Researchers wanted to involve local people living around Kenya and Tanzania’s Serengeti-Mara parks in developing a sustainable future for them and the parks. They developed a board game to get people talking to the researchers — and to each other. That game has now won an international award.
Prestigious EU grant to create the world’s smallest network
Professor Dennis Meier and the research team he leads will create the world’s smallest electronic network. Dennis Meier has been awarded the ERC Consolidator Grant to conduct this research.
Lithium can now be recycled
Lithium from Norwegian electric car batteries isn’t recycled that often. Instead, it ends up as waste when other metals it’s mixed with are recycled. But this may change.
Testing CO2 transport on the laboratory roof
When scientists carry out experiments to investigate safe and efficient CO2 transport on the roof of the thermal power engineering laboratories at Trondheim, Norway, the noise they make will sound like a jet engine.
Still fewer pupils distracted by school desk computers
In the classroom, non-educational distractions are only a click or two away. However, a recent SINTEF report demonstrates that these thieves of school pupils’ attention are already being severely weakened.
Safer cars and buildings start at the nano level
When accidents happen, the difference between life and death may come down to the materials of the car, boat or building that you find yourself in. The best possible protection requires understanding as much as possible about how different materials behave under stress.
Water was a winner in capturing CO2
Reducing the level of CO2 in the atmosphere will probably require carbon capture. A surprising substance just might be the ticket.
Tinder is a waste of time for most people
Dating apps won’t help you much if your goal is to have more relationships. You would probably succeed just as well – or poorly – without it.
Svalbard reindeer populations rebounding from centuries of hunting
As reindeer go, the animals living on Svalbard might not be Santa’s first choice. They’re a smaller subspecies of their common mainland relatives, and to save energy they basically never run. But because they were nearly exterminated from Svalbard around 1900 — and were then protected in 1925 — the animals provide unique insights into how conservation can help species thrive.
Could a chatbot be your friend or romantic partner?
Researcher Marita Skjuve has been interviewing people who have a close relationship with a chatbot called Replika. Her conclusion is that such relationships offer value and meaning to the chatbot’s users, and can even be romantic.
Moose: like having wild livestock in the woods
Moose prefer to browse on deciduous trees. Then conifers take over and affect the species diversity in the forest. One researcher contends that Norwegian wildlife management is not good enough to address what happens in the wake of these large herbivores.
Computer video simulation can limit flooding
Floods are expensive and at times dangerous. But what if a computer disaster simulation game could show politicians and local people what potential floods in their town would look like?
More hydropower and a better environment
The Norwegian public authorities’ estimates of the potential to expand the country’s power plants are probably too low. A new approach is creating opportunities for increased production while also enhancing environmental aspects.
Buy less, be happier and build a healthy planet
You may feel like you can’t do anything to stop climate change. But climate activists who joined in grassroots movements managed to cut their carbon footprints and were still happier than their non-activist peers, new research shows.
Breaking glass to make it safer
Our craving for daylight has accelerated the use of glass in modern buildings. However, for people concerned about safety, our passion for the light comes with a dark side.
Our mental maps are distorted by changed boundaries
We create mental maps as we move around. But these maps can be distorted if the surroundings change. That makes it more difficult to remember where something was.