Tag: climate

This is what happens to your body during a heatwave

Europe is experiencing heatwaves more frequently. What happens to the body when it gets that hot?

Warmest spring ever recorded in Eastern Norway

This spring was exceptionally warm across much of Southern Norway. Nationally, the season was 1.6°C above the average, making it the second warmest since recording began in 1901.

Can we cool the planet by painting rooftops white?

"We know that dark colours absorb heat, and that light colours reflect heat away," says climate researcher.

Why are right-wing populists so opposed to climate policy?

It's not necessarily about scepticism towards science, but about nationalism, according to a researcher.

Can we fix global warming by cooling the planet?

"A few years ago, this would have been considered science fiction," says researcher.

Researchers race to save data: "I'm utterly shocked"

Amid warnings that research data may be deleted, American researchers are urgently working to preserve vital information before the Trump administration removes it.

Environmental activists won't throw soup at paintings anymore

Environmental activists will no longer throw soup at paintings

"It has worked," says a researcher.

New climate report: Floods and heat in Europe and glacier melting at record speed in Scandinavia in 2024

Hundreds of thousands were affected by floods and storms in the warmest year ever recorded in Europe. In Norway, glaciers melted at record speed.

This gardener grows lettuce and herbs without soil, sun, and rain

Extreme weather may make it harder to grow food in the traditional way in the future, according to a Norwegian researcher.

Is it better to be small or large when the climate changes?

Large animals need a lot of space, and that is not always an advantage.

In some parts of the world, the ground has been frozen for thousands of years

Deep in the frozen ground, there may be both mammoths and saber-toothed tigers.

Deep within the ice lies air that is several hundred thousand years old

This ancient air holds valuable clues about the climate of the distant past.

Climate experts: Reduced U.S. climate commitment could influence Europe

The U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement could lead to weaker global efforts to cut emissions, which may influnece European countries, according to two climate experts.

Why doesn't the world have a climate police force?

We know we need to take care of the planet, but not all countries are willing to contribute. Why can't they be punished?

It has snowed worse before. Here are the Norwegian snow records

In recent times, we have received weather warnings from meteorologists. But do we fully understand them?

Why next year is unlikely to be as warm as 2024

A weather phenomenon is about to occur. It works in the opposite direction of global warming.

How climate change is already affecting the Barents Sea

There is significant variation, but the trend is moving towards a more Atlantic climate.

New study: The northern Barents Sea could be seven degrees warmer in 2050

The Barents Sea is heading toward an ice-free future, researchers report.

We buy more second-hand clothes than before, but is it good for the environment?

We need to shop for clothes in a different way than before, researcher says.

Biden implemented a historic climate law in the USA – could Trump undo it?

In 2022, Joe Biden passed historic climate legislation. The USA adopted the most ambitious climate policy in its history. Will Donald Trump dismantle Biden's ambitious climate laws if he wins the election? Researchers are divided.

Researchers have discovered a previously unknown fish in the waters off Antarctica. What do we really know about the ice-covered continent?

Antarctica faces an uncertain future, but mapping the area has proven challenging for researchers.

Methane leaks from cracks in the Barents Sea seabed

But does it affect the climate?

'Unprecedented' weather changes: 70 per cent of the world could be affected

"The only way to deal with this is to prepare for a situation with a much higher likelihood of unprecedented extreme events, already in the next one to two decades," says researcher Bjørn Samset.

A 1,300-year-old arrow and horse dung have emerged from a melting Norwegian glacier

“It’s a type of arrow that is very, very rare,” researcher says.

Forests absorb less CO2 than before

Why do forests absorb less carbon dioxide than 15 years ago?

How often will European cities experience temperatures above 30°C in the future?

If temperatures rise by three degrees, cities in southern Europe will have dozens more days each year with temperatures above 30 degrees, according to a new study.

The sea squirt was supposed to be animal feed, but it smelled too good

Biologist argues that this is the world's most climate-friendly meat.

Do we care that red meat is bad for the climate, or do we just eat what we want?

Norwegians are not going to cut their meat consumption enough even if they believe the climate impact is important, says a researcher behind a new Norwegian study.

The Earth traps more heat than before. This is partly due to cleaner air

There is a growing imbalance in how much energy the Earth receives and emits back.

Why is there so much methane in the atmosphere right now?

The greenhouse gas methane is 28 times more powerful than CO2, and its presence is increasing in the atmosphere.

Is Norway a climate laggard compared to Sweden and Denmark?

Norway has only managed to cut about five per cent of its greenhouse gas emissions since 1990. Its neighbouring countries have cut more. Why is that?

The oldest known ice in the world can be found here

The world's oldest known ice can be found here

It is several million years old.

Snow chaos in Norway: Climate scientist expects more such incidents in the future

There are increasingly more episodes of intense precipitation in Norway. The chaos of snow that hit the capital Oslo this week is just a taste of what Norwegians have in store, according to a climate researcher.

Svalbard in 2023: Record hot, record cold, record wet, and record dry

The rain, heat, and cold in Svalbard in 2023 are making their mark in the record books.

Massive snowfall and unusually freezing temperatures in Norway – why is this happening now?

Norway is experiencing extreme weather. A temperature of minus 43.5 degrees Celsius was recorded in Kautokeino. In other places in Norway, schools are closed due to large amounts of snow.

What you need to know about the climate summit in Dubai

The negotiations over the next few weeks will determine how we are going to handle climate change going forward.

Who should collect, manage and have access to data from the oceans?

OPINION: Research institutions from Norway and other countries have collected a great amount of data from the northern oceans in recent years. Many people want access to this information.

The ice in Antarctica has not yet reached a tipping point

But there are big differences between different parts of Antarctica.

How much heat can the Greenland ice sheet really handle?

Even if the tipping point is passed, the ice can still grow back. But that does not necessarily help much in practice, a researcher points out.

A new bird has been found on Bear Island

Modern DNA technology allows biologists to now peer into the genes of historical specimens that are over a century old at the Natural History Museum in Oslo and other museums. Through this method, the researchers made an unusual discovery in their lab.

Heading into a climate that humanity has never experienced before

Temperatures are still exceptionally high in the world's oceans after several months with record heat levels globally.

What do mussels do when subjected to warmer water?

Shelby Clarke picks up a cluster of mussels from a tank. She is measuring mussel death rates, she explains. Scientists are investigating how mussels will react to future heat waves.

June was the fourth warmest June month recorded in Norway since 1900

June was the fourth warmest June month recorded in Norway in a measurement series dating back to 1900.

The war in Ukraine has undermined environmental and climate research in the Arctic

The sanctions against Russia are putting the brakes on Arctic research. The lack of cooperation with the Russians means that a lot of information is being lost, says the Norwegian Polar Institute.

Nuclear power is a friend of nature and the environment

OPINION: Based on our recent study of 870 power plants worldwide, nuclear energy is a clear winner in protecting ecosystems, while bioenergy is an indisputable loser.

These small bacteria eat huge amounts of methane. How will they respond to climate change?

When the bacteria are thriving, they eat less.

The last Ice Age excavated bedrock equivalent to 500 times Mount Everest

Researchers have calculated how much volume the last Ice Age eroded in Norway and northern Europe.

World's oldest DNA: Scientists discover 2-million-year-old remains of plants and animals

Genetic material from the elephant relative mastodon, cedar and spruce has now been discovered in a warmer Greenland of yore. It is the oldest DNA ever found.

For a long time people thought fossils were animals and dragons drowned in Noah’s flood. Then scientists discovered the Ice Age

In a new book, Reidar Müller describes the history of the climate and the people who pieced it together.

Will the geologists of the future see that something dramatic happened on Earth starting in 1950?

Scientists are considering whether we are entering a new epoch in the Earth's history: the Anthropocene — the age of humans.

What’s happening with the ‘doomsday glacier’ in Antarctica?

The Thwaites Glacier is a wild card when it comes to sea level rise, researchers say. A new study describes the glacier’s movements in the past.

These were the first plants to appear in northern Norway after the last ice age

A large DNA study tells us how nature reacted when the climate changed. The knowledge gained will be used to create better models of what could happen in the future.

Researchers and the media need to stop crying ‘wolf’ about the Gulf Stream

There are many, many things we should worry about when it comes to global warming. But worrying that the Gulf Stream will stop is not one of them, says one Norwegian oceanographer.

These rodents may be the reason Norway has one of the world's most radioactive glaciers

Traces of radioactivity from Chernobyl and nuclear explosions from the Soviet era coat the surface of the glacier. Researchers are surprised by the high radioactive levels they’ve found.

Deadly heat and extreme rainfall: This is what the world will be like if the temperature rises by 3 degrees, according to researchers

“It is very likely that we will reach three degrees. I consider 1.5 and 2 degrees to be almost unattainable. Now the question is how close to three we will get,” says one Norwegian researcher.

A strong breeze and chance of storms: How we used pollen to create a wind forecast from 10,000 years ago

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: Pollen can travel far through the air, allowing scientists who find them to trace the winds of the past. Maaike Zwier writes about her new study from South Georgia, where ancient pollen may reveal shifts in the dominating westerlies.

Making useful products from greenhouse gases

A new plant will use CO2 to both replace oil and be transformed into useful chemicals.

What’s best for the climate, buying a new electric car or driving your old petrol car into the ground?

The answer depends on how the emissions are calculated, it turns out. And here the experts disagree.

Here’s what the latest climate models say about what will happen to Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets

More warming doesn’t necessarily mean that meltwater from Antarctica will contribute to even more sea level rise in 2100, but there’s still a great deal of uncertainty about the future.

Norwegians have built a half-million cabins as holiday homes. Is that too many?

There’s roughly one cabin for every tenth Norwegian, and more will be built.

Arguing over road tolls can be good for the climate, researcher says

The debate over road tolls has helped Norwegians to talk about the politics of wealth distribution in the climate debate, researcher Tarje Wanvik says.

Researchers surprised by sky-high greenhouse gas emissions from biogas residues

The residues from biogas production emit twelve times as much methane gas as other decayed organic material.

Why are climate scientists so much more confident in their predictions now?

It's not just about the increase in extreme weather and higher temperatures.

Older people are less worried about climate change than before the pandemic

Are we more concerned about coronavirus than the climate?

How do we get people to eat less meat? We need a voice for ignored consumers

OPINION: Without a clear blueprint to engage consumers, addressing the challenges associated with high meat consumption will continue to be a dream that is discussed between the experts with little to no impact.

Now researchers know what’s underneath Jostedalsbreen, the largest glacier in continental Europe

Jostedalsbreen represents perhaps the largest unknown area in the region. Recently, geologists have mapped the glacier using georadar.

Norway is going to invest in hydrogen. But what happens when there’s a gas leak?

Some studies suggest that hydrogen emissions may lead to more methane in the atmosphere and damage the ozone layer. Now researchers at Cicero will investigate how large the effect actually is.

The "missing link" that triggered the ice ages

Melting icebergs from Antarctica are the key, according to a new study.

What actually started the Little Ice Age?

It all may have started with sea ice, and the changes may have happened all by themselves without the influence of volcanoes or the Sun, researchers behind a new study say.

Chinese and Norwegian scientists have drilled an almost 600-meter deep hole into the Tibetan Plateau. This gives them a window into the past.

Among their findings is that ice age cycles suddenly became stronger just over 600,000 years ago. Researchers were also struck by how little plant life has changed over the past 1.7 million years.

Norwegian beans can replace foreign soy

Soy from different countries is now widely consumed by vegetarians or by people who want to reduce the amount of meat they eat. But Norwegian-grown fava beans can be an equally good protein replacement, new research confirms.

Here’s what politicians can do to make our consumption more environmentally friendly

One researcher is calling for specific measures, such as a law mandating that products be repairable.

You will never fly to far-away holiday destinations by electric plane

There are physical limitations that we can never overcome, one physicist says.

Government wants Norway’s universities to compete to be best on environment and climate issues

The Ministry of Education and Research wants to see how students, researchers and other staff measure up when it comes to cutting climate impacts. Not everyone is equally excited.

Very little money is actually spent on climate research

Researchers have looked at where USD 1.3 trillion in research funding is spent across the globe. Less than 5 per cent of this money has gone to climate research. Studies that examine how society can cope with the climate of the future are given a very small share of this pot.