Twin mothers aren’t more fertile – just luckier
The prevailing belief by researchers has been that mothers of twins are more fertile than other women. But a new study shows that isn’t the case.
Biology
LOADING CONTENT
“Pamela” makes studying the ocean easy and affordable
NTNU biology and cybernetics researchers have built a robot that allows them to sample everything from microplastic to salmon lice densities.
Testing lice traps on the Hardanger coast
Researchers at NINA, the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, and NTNU have developed a new method for monitoring salmon lice larvae along the coast. The lice trap is now being tested in the Hardangerfjord.
Observing Arctic marine life — from the seabed to space
NTNU researchers from AMOS, the Centre for Autonomous Marine Operations and Systems, used small satellites and subsea robots — and everything in between — to study marine life in Svalbard’s Kongsfjorden in a first-ever experiment in May.
A cushy lab life has its evolutionary costs — when it comes to fish, that is
An animal’s ability to adapt to its environment is clearly key to its survival, but does that ability come at a physiological cost? A clever experiment with laboratory zebrafish and their wild relatives suggests it does.
Scientists call for cap on production to end plastic pollution
Capping production of new plastics will help cut their release to the environment — and brings other benefits, from boosting the value of plastics to helping tackle climate change.
The Detectives: Hunting toxic chemicals in the Arctic
What researchers are learning about the fate of chemicals in the Arctic, and how what they’re learning is changing international law and providing life-saving advice.
Hunting can be good for wildlife populations
Hunting or other wildlife regulations can make a population more viable – if done correctly.
Ladybirds: The insects almost everyone likes
Ladybird beetles are probably among the most popular insects we have. Did you know that Norway has some 50 different species – plus some unwelcome guests?
The tiny structures that mimic a cell’s natural environment
Covering glass microscope slides in tiny, nano-sized pillars can mimic a cell’s natural environment – and could help biologists understand how cells act inside the human body.
What plants need to withstand drought
When temperatures rise, it affects the plants that agriculture and we depend on. Now we know more about how plants resist drought.
Plastic chemicals may contribute to weight gain
Plastic consumer products contain chemicals that may promote the development of overweight and obesity.
Plastics leach toxins
Plastic contains thousands of chemicals. Until now, we haven’t known if these leach into the environment to any great extent. Now we know that they do.
A natural gem is being destroyed by plastic
Mausund and the Froan Nature Reserve are located in an archipelago far out to sea along the Trøndelag county coast, but they are not exactly pristine. About 25 per cent of the soil in the area contains plastic.
What is nature worth?
Climate change is not the greatest threat to the diversity of species on Earth. The main problem is that animal and plant habitats are disappearing.
Ski wax chemicals alter animals’ brains and livers
New research confirms that fluorinated compounds in ski waxes affect organs in mice.
Is weight loss harmful to tiny top athletes?
Shorebirds burn a lot of fat during their long migrations. This can release toxic chemicals that accumulate in fat cells.
Which species will be our urban neighbours?
All over the world, people are moving out of rural areas, and cities are growing. What will be the impact on resident species that live in these cities? Which will be our new plant and animal neighbours, which will have to leave town, and what does that mean for us humans?
A robotic microplankton sniffer dog
The microscopic, free-floating algae called phytoplankton — and the tiny zooplankton that eat them — are notoriously difficult to count. Researchers need to know how a warming climate will affect them both. A new kind of smart, lightweight autonomous underwater vehicle (LAUV) can help.
How a small fish coped with being isolated from the sea
A 12 000-year-old stickleback shows how species adapt.
Darwin had Galapagos finches. Norway has… house sparrows?
Uncommon lessons learned from the world’s most widespread bird.
Shedding light — on the polar night
The polar night is dark — if you’re a person. But not if you’re a krill or a seabird or a fish. In the first episode of NTNU’s new English-language podcast, 63 Degrees North, learn how researchers discovered that there’s more than enough light in the polar night for the tiny creatures who live there.
Skinnier but resilient geese thriving in the high Arctic
Barnacle geese in the Arctic have been on a diet. So many now migrate to northern breeding grounds that in some places there’s less food to go around. The good news is that it doesn’t seem to restrict their population growth — yet.
Global warming is faster than evolution
If global warming happens too quickly, not all species will be able to adapt in time.