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.
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.
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.
Doctors and nurses believe their own substance use affects patients
Their job is to protect, promote, and restore human health and lives, but healthcare workers believe that their own use of alcohol and illegal drugs reduces the quality of care they provide to patients. A recent study suggests that more doctors and nurses struggle with substance use than we are aware of.
“My thoughts end up in the wrong place. They start to get all jumbled up where I should be concentrating.”
What’s it like having ADHD when you are 11 years old and are expected to get on with your schoolwork just like everyone else?
House sparrows in northern Norway can help us save other endangered animals
How much does it matter where you are born, or whether you are heavy or light, if you are a house sparrow? Researcher Kenneth Aase calculates what the future looks like for these grey-brown feather balls – and hopefully other species, too.
This little trout died of decompression sickness – a sign of hydropower’s hidden problem
Hundreds of Norwegian hydropower plants threaten fish and bottom-dwelling animals by exposing them to water that is oversaturated with air. The danger increases with wilder, wetter weather and more flooding. The solution may be to use sound in a new way.
Early testing of schoolchildren has absolutely zero effect
Early testing of schoolchildren has no impact on their educational attainment down the line. Nor do the tests have any effect on pupils’ mental health or how happy they are at school.
No, we don’t need more and more data about nature. We need more people to use the data.
Norwegian municipalities are collecting more and more data on how what they do affects the natural world, but do not always know what to do with it. They wade in green facts, but continue to sacrifice the environment, colouring the landscapes grey.
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.
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.
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.
Regulatory loopholes, endangered wild salmon and suffering farmed salmon
How can we save wild salmon from extinction, and at the same time ensure farmed salmon a life free from lice and other suffering? Research uncovers critical challenges related to management, fish welfare, monitoring and control in the aquaculture industry.
“We must develop thinkers. Not crammers and fact-experts”
Geography as a school subject is under pressure. There aren’t enough qualified teachers and it loses out to other subjects in school. In many countries, important aspects are left out of the curricula.
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.
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.
People in the Nordic Region are more satisfied than other EU citizens with big city life
Are you young, female, well-educated, in a job, and live in a big city in a rich EU country? If you answer yes to all these questions, you’re probably among people who are most satisfied with your life.
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.
Surprising findings about ADHD may help girls who are struggling
ADHD can exacerbate anxiety, and anxiety can exacerbate ADHD. Girls are particularly vulnerable to developing anxiety disorders, but researchers have recently discovered something that may help slow down – or prevent – the development of these types of disorders.
The smallest premature babies are less physically active as adults
Poorer gross motor skills, such as the ability to walk quickly, run, or jump, may explain some of the correlation between being born prematurely and the tendency to engage less in physical activity.
Prejudice against victims can result in reduced rape sentences
Rape myths such as ‘scantily clad’ and ‘being promiscuous’ can influence sentencing in Norwegian courtrooms. In court cases where victims are described in a prejudiced manner, defendants typically receive prison sentences that are 16 months shorter than in cases without such descriptions.
Making the world’s fastest skis
They won’t feature at this year’s World Championships in Trondheim, but NTNU researchers believe the world’s fastest and most flexible cross-country skis will be ready for the 2027 World Championships in Falun.
Sámi reindeer herders are more afraid of predators than climate change
Climate change is affecting the Sámi rhythm of life and their faith in the future. Yet Norwegian and Swedish reindeer herders see predators, forestry and wind farms as greater threats.
This satellite flies at 7.5 kilometers per second and can see harmful algae from space
Almost four months after it left Earth in one of Elon Musk’s rockets, the small satellite HYPSO-2 is in full swing, monitoring coastal and ocean areas.
Women born prematurely are at greater risk of committing suicide
Children born prematurely are more at risk of dying from road traffic accidents, suicide and substance abuse in late adolescence. A new Nordic study shows that women who were born prematurely are particularly at significantly greater risk of committing suicide.
Failed waste policy: we burn more and recycle less than we think
Norway’s waste policy falls short of its goals because of inaccurate measurement methods, unreliable data and a lack of transparency about where Norwegian waste ends up, researchers say.
Cancer drug can kill resistant bacteria
A drug being tested for cancer treatment can probably also be used to kill bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.
Cracking the planetary code
Imagine if everyone were to agree to do everything they can to help the planet. Right now. What sort of state would we and the planet be in in 2050? And what would we have to do?
A digital driving instructor is just as good as a real one
Too many people die in road traffic accidents. Full-scale driving simulator training can help change that trend. An AI driving instructor can tailor the instruction, and people who need to practice driving around roundabouts can complete 30 attempts in 30 minutes.
New 3D models of the colon can help detect disease more rapidly
Using just a single image taken by a capsule endoscopy camera, scientists have succeeded in creating a three-dimensional model of the colon. This new method provides much better images and can help specialists detect disease more rapidly.
The downside of being good looking
Being young and beautiful can have its risks. The best-looking young people tend to drink and party more – and are more likely to make choices that could lead to problems in adulthood.
Algorithms in the Arctic – removing bad weather from images to make Arctic shipping safer
Arctic shipping traffic is on the increase. One day, these ships will be autonomous. New technology that can remove rain, snow and fog from the images produced by the ship’s cameras and sensors will increase safety in extreme conditions.