Predicted skewed waves – and found them

He solved a 127-year-old physics problem on paper and proved that off-centred boat wakes could exist. Five years later, practical experiments proved him right.

seaweed

Seaweed and kelp are more than food

Algae cultivation is popular, but good uses for the raw material are still lacking. Researchers in Norway are set to do something about this, with the goal of fully using this resource.

Here’s what you need to rise to the top

Passion, grit, the right mindset and support from others are what’s needed to rank among the best in a given field. That’s the only way you’ll be able to keep yourself motivated and endure all the practice that’s required.

What killed this person?

Sometimes it’s hard to know what a person has actually died from. But post-mortem CT scans may provide a useful tool.

Well-meaning climate measures can make matters worse

Lifestyle changes can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and help protect nature. While some actions offer great potential, some aren’t as effective as we think and may even require more land and water, such as shifting to renewable energy.

Sun and wind in a box

Renewable energy is fine, but often it’s needed at times other than when the wind is blowing or the sun makes an appearance. The energy needs to be stored – and a new method is on the horizon.

Stephen Fry: If we sleepwalk, we’ll die

“We may be a mere 20 years away from creating artificial life,” says Stephen Fry. He warns that these new life forms won’t see any need to keep us, and may instead look at us as pests.

“The fabric of life is disintegrating”

“Human beings are destroying the nature that we are all a part of,” says the winner of the Gunnerus Award in Sustainability Science, Professor Sandra M. Díaz.

Earth’s population could shrink soon

Better opportunities for women mean that the threat of overcrowding the planet may not be as dramatic as people fear. The population may well decline in a few decades.

How to defend yourself against fake news

How can we defend ourselves against false information? NTNU researchers provide some tips and tackle the problem during The Big Challenge Science Festival this week.

$180 million to go toward mapping world’s species

We can’t take care of the Earth’s species unless we know what species exist. A collaborative project that will help us know more is being launched in Trondheim during The Big Challenge science festival.

Michelin-class composting

Now you can learn how to compost food scraps from a Michelin restaurant. Restaurant Credo folks in Trondheim will be showing off their artistry at the FUTURUM exhibit, part of NTNU’s science festival The Big Challenge.

Migrants not particularly prone to depression

Migrants are doing well generally, but experience higher rates of depressive symptoms than the population at large in some European countries. One country stands out as an exception.

What makes everyone sick?

The world’s best-known doctor is coming to the Big Challenge to talk about the world’s biggest challenge, and one that thousands of scientists are trying to figure out: what makes us sick? Norway is among the challenge participants.

Passion trumps love for sex in relationships

When women distinguish between sex and the relational and emotional aspects of a relationship, this determines how often couples in long-term relationships have sex. Passion plays a significant role.

How you can help the insect world

Many insect species are struggling. But all of us can help them, whether we live in an apartment or in a house with a garden.

How do species adapt to their surroundings?

Several fish species can change sex as needed. Other species adapt to their surroundings by living long lives — or by living shorter lives and having lots of offspring. The ability of animals and plants to change can sometimes manifest in apparently extreme ways.

Well-known drug has less risk for preterm delivery in PCOS

Metformin significantly reduces the risk of late miscarriages and preterm births for women with PCOS. But the drug does not work to prevent gestational diabetes, according to a large Nordic study from NTNU and St. Olavs hospital.