Over a hundred new species discovered in Norway
You don’t get to discover a new insects and arachnids numbering in the hundreds every day. Most of the new discoveries were of the biting midge variety.
NTNU University Museum (VM)
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Just one degree can change a species
Even seemingly small changes in the climate can change the number of animals and plants in an area and how species behave, new research shows. Natural history collections provide valuable insights.
Goal is to add 15 000 species to the DNA library in Europe
DNA from European species is being collected in an open reference work. Norway’s contributions are well underway.
Viking Age silver treasure found in Stjørdal municipality
An exceptional find, says archaeologist Birgit Maixner at the NTNU University Museum.
How a plant from the USA invaded Europe
This invader can extend the pollen season to November, and it is heading towards Norway. For now, it has stopped in Denmark.
Darwin’s giant daisies and evolution
How animals and plants adapt to the environment is often particularly evident on islands. Now Darwin’s giant daisies are helping researchers understand a little more about how these plants actually go about adapting.
Parasites affect salmon in several ways
When salmon ingest parasites, the parasite may not be the only factor that determines the impact on the health of the fish.
Old Norse settlers traded walrus ivory with Kyiv
Norse settlers in Greenland exported walrus tusk ivory to Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages.
Climate change reveals unique artefacts in melting ice patches
Norwegian mountains are full of time capsules. Thousands of years of human and ecological history are preserved in remnant patches of ice. Now this treasure trove of information threatens to melt away, unless we take action.
What medieval skeletons tell us about modern day pandemics
The coronavirus pandemic has made the whole world more aware of what diseases can do to a society. Now, archaeologists and biologists who are studying medieval pandemics, like the Black Death, are learning lessons about the past that may help us in the future.
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?
How do dolphins learn to live along the coast?
Ocean-dwelling dolphins have repeatedly adapted to life in coastal areas throughout history.
The Norwegian wolf is extinct
The Norwegian wolf died out in the wild a long time ago. The wolves in Norwegian forests today are Finnish. Inbreeding is making them prone to extinction as well.
Moose appetite for deciduous trees counteracts warming effects
With the warming climate, forests are growing faster than before, and deciduous species are growing the fastest. Recent research illustrates just how much moose foraging limits this growth.
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?
Human antibiotic use affects wild bears
Bacteria in wild bears become more resistant to antibiotics when human antibiotic use is high.
How a small fish coped with being isolated from the sea
A 12 000-year-old stickleback shows how species adapt.
Unique Viking textiles found in woman’s grave
“Finding embroidered textiles from the Viking Age is so unusual that you almost can’t believe it’s true,” says archaeologist Ruth Iren Øien at the NTNU University Museum.
Quarantine and financial support for plagues were already in place in the 1600s
Plagues have ravaged Norway many times over the centuries. As early as 1625, the state took systematic action to prevent the plague from spreading. Isolation was a new idea that would prove to be effective. Strict restrictions were imposed on social gatherings, including limits on the number of people who could be present at weddings and funerals. Measures were also introduced to compensate the business community for the financial losses resulting from closures.
New species discovered in Norway
This brand new species of cuckoo wasp was discovered because of its own language.
Warriors’ down bedding could ease journey to realm of the dead
This may well be the most interesting story about pillows and bedding you will ever read.
Viking raiders stole this box. But the real surprise is what they did with it.
What a mound of sand, some leftover nails and the box itself tell us about the Viking raiders who stole it — and what they did with it when they brought it back to Norway.
Special Viking grave found in Central Norway
She was placed in a burial chamber and took several hundred miniature beads with her on her last journey. Who was the woman who was buried by Valsøyfjord over 1000 years ago?
Divers discover new species in Ørlandet municipality
The new species of nudibranch, Dendronotus yrjargul, is named after the municipality where it was found.