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.
The jazz hatchery
NTNU’s Jazz Programme has produced a long line of talented musicians and bands who are making their mark both nationally and internationally. Peer learning and nerding out are two of the key ingredients in the recipe for success.
The Nansen Legacy: Uncovering the secrets of the Barents Sea
Fridtjof Nansen travelled the polar regions as both an explorer and a scientist. Ten research institutions followed in Nansen’s footsteps in a collaborative investigation of the Barents Sea. Their 6-year effort has now been documented in a new book.
A ski festival is good, but does it have to cost so much?
“It would be boring if you could never have a party! The challenge is to do it in a way that the cost is in a reasonable proportion to the benefit to society,” says researcher Denis Becker about the 2025 World Ski Championships in Trondheim.
What can we learn from a 100-year-old housing experiment?
More than 100 years ago, visionary and socially engaged individuals were at the forefront of a groundbreaking cooperative housing project in Trondheim. Trondhjems Kooperative Boligselskap at Rosenborg is a relatively unknown gem.
Searching for hidden medieval stories from the island of the Sagas
Hidden and forgotten traces of Iceland’s history can be found in ancient, reused parchments.
Tiny brains, hearts and lungs can help cure disease
Many great discoveries and inventions spring from basic research. That’s particularly true for medicine, but also for many other research areas.
Building peace
“Put very simply, conflicts end in one of three different ways,” says peace researcher Karin Dyrstad.
Language affects how quickly we perceive shades of colour
People who speak a language that has multiple words for different shades of colour perceive the shades more quickly.
Witchcraft trials in Norway ended in the 18th century
When it came to the Sámi people, a persistent fight continued against what was termed the art of witchcraft, and missionaries took over from the judicial system.
Do you have an ear for languages? It may be related to how you perceive the rhythms.
A test that shows how good or bad we are at perceiving the rhythm of language can predict the ability to acquire language. The test results may also help us understand individual differences in brain biology.
Why did so many girls die?
Far more female infants than male infants died in Europe from 1700–1950. Researchers have been investigating why.
How bats survive Norwegian winter nights
Bats hunt at night, navigating in the dark using echolocation to find insects and other food. During the winter, bats in Norway have to manage as best they can by hibernating, but until now, not much has been known about how they do this.
A 500-year-old law laid the foundation for how Norwegians understand – and trust – the law today
Medieval Norwegians felt King Magnus VI’s Code of the Realm was fair when it was introduced as one of the first laws of its kind in Europe. For more than 500 years, this law has helped give Norwegian people a relatively high level of trust in their judicial system.
Podcasts and compulsory attendance improved student learning
Lectures continue to dominate university teaching, but especially when it comes to big introductory courses, more group work and alternative assignments, such as making podcasts, can have a positive effect.
New therapy can treat rare and hereditary diseases
Scientists are on the hunt for treatments for diseases that have been deemed incurable.
Training underwater robots to find charging stations — on the seabed
NTNU’s largest laboratory – the Trondheim fjord – is something of an Eldorado for researchers developing underwater robots. A charging station has been installed on the seabed, and to ensure the robots can find the shortest route to the charging station, they train in the fjord.
A paradigm in conducting hazardous and innovative basic research
NTNU Amos is an expansive ocean research and innovation community that’s composed of both highly honed specialist expertise and an incredibly broad scope of knowledge. It also adheres to a popular Norwegian football strategy: Develop talents by allowing them to do what they do best – and playing to each other’s strengths.
New test arena opened for seafaring robots
The Nyhavna industrial area in Trondheim, which is being developed into a new mixed-use neighbourhood, has seen significant maritime technology research and innovation. NTNU Nyhavna for autonomous vessels is now officially opened.
Into the depths of the Arctic Ocean
Arctic researchers have travelled north to study ice and life in the Arctic Ocean. They discovered a creature at a depth of 3500 metres, a “dumbo octopus” dancing in the deep waters in a ballerina’s skirt.
Need to know much more about deep sea mining
The Norwegian government has proposed opening an area of the continental shelf to deep sea mining. NTNU researchers have worked for more than a decade on this issue. They say we have much to learn before Norway can decide if this can become a viable industry.
Can exams be fair with the broad availability of ChatGPT?
Teachers now face the extra challenge of designing exams that will prevent students from cheating their way to good grades with ChatGPT.
Children’s language development doesn’t just happen through words
Seeing the similarity between graphic patterns or concepts can indicate whether a child has language difficulties.
Hydrogen from A to Z
Hydrogen is found in large quantities on Earth, can be used in many contexts and is being promoted as an important solution in the transition to climate-friendly energy. But hydrogen investment also generates heated debate. So what’s the deal with hydrogen?
Norway got back on its feet quickly after the war
The conventional view has been that after the Second World War, Norway was impoverished and plundered, but the recovery actually went quite quickly. All the infrastructure that the occupying power built during the war played a significant role.
True crime in 19th century Norway
People have always been fascinated by real-life crime mysteries. True crime has become a popular genre in films, TV series, podcasts and books. The 19th century also had its own way of cultivating the genre.
A failed democratic experiment?
This is how the democratic process is described in several of the former Soviet states that won their freedom starting in the 1990s. Now researchers want to propose new ways of building democracy.
How useful or necessary is homework?
This topic is one of several addressed in an updated Norwegian Education Act that is currently out for comments. Several researchers are sceptical about the benefits of homework.
NTNU trials world’s first urban autonomous passenger ferry
In earlier times, cities like Trondheim and Bergen had a ferryman who rowed people from place to place. They were the taxi drivers of the waterways. Now, a new, future-oriented form of water transport will be available to the public.
How can deficits be avoided at major sporting events?
Many major sporting events experience large cost overruns and lower revenues than expected. The reasons are complex, but several misjudgements seem to recur from one event to the next. Researchers in sports economics offer a solution to avoid making the same mistakes over and over again.
First ones out to buy and sell neighbourhood electricity
Many buildings with solar cells produce more electricity than they consume themselves, but current legislation prevents surplus power from being sold to neighbouring consumers. A pilot project in Trondheim will be the first in the world to test a system that makes this possible.
Start-up takes NTNU’s Covid technology to new markets and applications
Lybe Scientific, a start-up company based on NTNU research, is entering the market as a provider of high-quality diagnostic solutions – not just for COVID-19 diagnostics, but also other areas such as the common flu and sexually transmitted diseases.