Darwin had Galapagos finches. Norway has… house sparrows?
Uncommon lessons learned from the world’s most widespread bird.
Faculty of Natural Sciences (NV)
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Not enough COVID-19 tests? No problem, we’ll make them!
The story of what happened when a molecular biologist, some engineers and PhDs and postdocs from NTNU and St Olavs Hospital put their heads together to design a completely different kind of coronavirus test.
Silicon for solar cells becoming more environmentally friendly
New discoveries are making silicon production cleaner, and solar cells of the future will become even more environmentally friendly.
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.
NTNU researcher wins ERC Consolidator Grant
The EU has awarded two million euros for research on how animals are coping with climate changes.
Species more likely to die out with rapid climate change
The great tit and other birds can adapt to changes in their food supply as a result of climate change, but they run into trouble if the changes happen too quickly.
Water fleas on “happy pills” have more offspring
Dopamine can trigger feelings of happiness in humans. Water fleas that are exposed to dopamine-regulating substances apparently gain several advantages.
Bioplastics no safer than other plastics
Bioplastics contain substances that are as toxic as those in ordinary plastics.
NTNU’s new COVID-19 test to be used in India and Denmark
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) has signed agreements to deliver as many as one million COVID-19 test kits to DTU, the Technical University of Denmark, and APS LABS, an Indian biotech company. “It is very positive that this technology can now also be useful internationally,” says Bent Høie, Norway’s Minister of Health and Care Services.
Great progress for electronic gadgets of the future
A new discovery is an important step towards smaller, more advanced electronics. And maybe more environmentally friendly gadgets, too.
Red fox displaces Arctic fox thanks to littering
Red foxes are moving to the mountains to feed on trash along roadsides. This is bad news for the endangered Arctic fox.
Inbreeding detrimental for survival
Inbred birds don’t live as long and have fewer offspring than non-inbred birds. Inbreeding is equally harmful regardless of where the birds live.
No disadvantages to having kids early
Maturing and reproducing early hardly has any downsides. If you’re a wild boar, that is.
Bats not a threat to public health, but important for ecosystems
Bats have received a lot of negative attention, but the chances are slim that the virus that causes COVID-19 was transmitted from bats to humans. The world needs bats – in ecosystems, for pollination and for seed dispersal. On top of that, they keep harmful insects in check around our homes, on farms and in cities.
A tiny arctic shrub reveals secrets of plant growth on Svalbard
It’s not easy being a tiny willow on the wind-and snow-blasted islands of the Norwegian territory of Svalbard. It turns out that Salix polaris, the polar willow, handles these tough conditions by growing as best it can in response to July temperatures — a response that researchers recorded all over the archipelago.
Kavli Prize in nanoscience goes to four pioneers
Four men share the Kavli Prize in nanoscience for their work on electron microscopy.
Testing larger households can reduce coronavirus infections in Norway
Testing families of four or more people would be an effective way to reduce the spread of the coronavirus infection, according to a data simulation model developed at NTNU. The model has initially been used to determine the best testing strategy for Oslo.
NTNU establishes a factory to produce coronavirus tests
NTNU researchers recently figured out a whole new method for testing people for the coronavirus. The university is now producing tests on a continuous basis, under the auspices of the Norwegian Directorate of Health. Currently 100 000 tests a day are being manufactured, with production soon likely to be scaled up dramatically.
Here’s how to recognize early spring birds
With some practice, you can learn to recognize some of the most common birds in northern Europe by their songs.
Norway to start broad-based testing by month’s end using NTNU test kits
Norway’s Ministry of Health and Care Services confirmed Friday that it will roll out coronavirus test kits developed by researchers from NTNU and St Olavs Hospital by the last week of April/early May. The kits will more than triple Norway’s testing capacity during the rollout.
From thousands of tiny magnetic balls to 150,000 COVID-19 tests per week
Two weeks ago, doctors at St. Olavs Hospital in Trondheim were running out of reagents needed to do COVID-19 tests. They asked colleagues at NTNU to develop a backup solution. Now, Norway is gearing up to use the new approach to test 150,000 people a week after Easter.
Arctic light pollution affects fish, zooplankton up to 200 metres deep
If artificial light shines into the Arctic Ocean during the polar night, does it matter? A new paper in Communications Biology says the answer to this is a strong yes.