SNORW-tag

Aliens in the Arctic?

The outer-worldly life that resides within sea ice

Is the summer in the Barents Sea hot this year?

A blog from the northern Barents Sea on a July day in 2021.

Longyearbyen with 2400 residents releases as much microfiber into the ocean as Vancouver

Synthetic outdoor clothes and poor wastewater management cause the emissions.

Microplastic comes from car tyres, but people would rather say no to plastic packaging

The strong opinions that consumers have about plastic packaging are misplaced, one researcher says.

Seabed methane release follows the rhythm of the tides

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: Methane is constantly being released from the seabed into the ocean. A recent study in the Arctic Ocean shows that this release follows pressure changes in the sea level related to daily lunar cycles.

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.

A handful of suitcases teach us how waves and sea ice interact, and improve weather and climate models

Waves marching through the sea ice is an amazing view. It is as if a white, snow-covered landscape suddenly starts gently undulating, the solid ground dancing rhythmically. The waves’ wildness from the open sea is tamed and dampened by the ice. Yet, the waves’ energy can break solid sea ice, greatly affecting sea ice drift, formation and melt. Hence, waves in ice are an important - yet not well understood - factor in the arctic physical environment.

Company plans to fully charge electric cars in 17.5 minutes

The technology company Beyonder has been given millions of euros in support from the EU to lead a European research project that will provide faster charging of electric cars, and take pressure off the power grid.

Truckers can help save money and the environment at the same time

Drivers who received initial eco-driving training and active follow-ups cut their diesel consumption by five to nine percent.

The benefits of probiotics could change the impact of dangerous bacteria in oceans

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: Bacteria are everywhere. In a world hidden from our eyes, they are the major influencers in the environment and our body. Let’s dive deeper into bacteria roles and benefits.

Algae sinking into the abyss of the Arctic Ocean

Primary producers: ice algae and phytoplankton

Fish in the Arctic deformed by tiny amounts of oil contamination

Polar cod are very sensitive to crude oil contamination, a new study shows.

Where the Atlantic heat meets the Arctic cold

The ocean is not as endless as we often think it is. It is actually divided into different domains and regions, ranging from the freezing cold polar waters to the hot tropical regions. Within each of the domains, species have evolved to deal with the challenging conditions within their home domain.

Nansen Legacy Q2 Scientific divers sample ice algae and zooplankton below sea ice

Is train transport the most environmentally friendly way to move goods?

Transporting goods by train instead of trucks can result in big cuts in CO2 emissions.

The growth of Airbnb can support tourism development in remote tourist destinations

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: New study sheds light on the effect of Airbnb in rural areas.

Spring, a biologically critical time window in the Arctic

During the Nansen Legacy cruises we work together with joint forces towards an improved holistic understanding of the marine systems in the Arctic and the Barents Sea.

Companies can talk themselves into becoming more sustainable

OPINION: We should not systematically cry "greenwashing" when companies speak about sustainability.

Norway allows widespread and destructive fishing in protected sea areas

Widespread fishing takes place in areas that are supposed to be protected. The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research claims this goes against international rules.

What are we willing to pay for sustainable alpine skiing?

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: There is a limit when it comes to convenience.

Everything has to have somewhere to live

Here on RV “Kronprins Haakon” in the northern Barents Sea we are our own tiny world, living and working together in a bubble almost completely remote from our regular world. In our microcosm we are reminded that we all have to have some place to live, and to also understand how it works, so that the system we live in functions well.

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.

Split on a diverging ice floe

The story about 16 Nansen Legacy researchers on a cruise in the Arctic Ocean continues. This time we meet "The Captain" and a troublesome ice floe.

Pancakes in the waves - a field report from the wintery Barents Sea

February 13, 2021, southeast of Edgeøya

Winter darkness: Revealing the secrets of the sea

On 9 February, R/V Kronprins Haakon departs on a winter process cruise to the Barents Sea to track and measure important processes taking place in the ocean during wintertime. This cruise is led by UNIS professor Frank Nilsen and part of the Nansen Legacy project – Norway’s biggest research project to date.

Noise caused sea lice to eat and reproduce less

This parasite costs Norwegian salmon farming almost 500 million euros each year. Could noise be the solution? Sound-emitting speakers weaken the lice's appetite. They fall off more easily and their reproduction drops dramatically, according to experiments in a Norwegian fjord.

Browner, but better water in Norwegian lakes

The water flowing through Norwegian Lakes has improved in quality and gotten less polluted over the last 25 years. But at the same time, it’s gotten a lot browner. This has a natural explanation.

This fish grunts when it is ready to have sex

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: Have you ever lain on a seafront jetty fishing, perhaps with a cracked mussel on the hook? Then you have probably seen this colourful little fellow, the corkwing wrasse. The next time you see it, you should also prick up your ears

Do we still remember what the forest really looks like?

Is there primeval forest in Norway, and what does an old forest actually look like?

Production of pet food for cats and dogs leaves a considerable carbon paw print

Producing dry kibble for our pets requires lots of farmland — equivalent to roughly twice the area of the United Kingdom. Replace animal remains used in the feed with insects, suggests one Norwegian researcher.

Excessive use of wood burning stoves while working from home leads to poor air quality

Heating our homes with wood burning stoves could be worse than both traffic pollution and oil-based heating for air quality, according to the Norwegian Institute for Air Research. The increase in working from home contributes negatively.

Record high levels of CO2 and methane in the atmosphere over Norway in 2019

For the 19th year in a row, record high levels of CO2 and methane were measured in the atmosphere over Norway, according to new numbers.

Climate change is a bigger field of research in Norway than in any other country

Even so, Norwegian researchers only account for two per cent of the world’s total research on climate change. This two per cent however has had a great impact on further research, according to a new report.

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.

The ‘plastic rivers’ of Asia play a key part in the fight against plastic in the ocean

OPINION: Near half of the global plastic leakage from land to sea comes from a few countries in Southeast Asia. To overcome the plastic problem, we need to treat the cause and not just the symptoms. We must turn the spotlight on the sources.

Historic amount of flooding in Europe during the last 30 years

Europe is now experiencing more frequent and greater floods compared to the last 500 years, according to a pan-European study that included Norway.

Microplastics generated by road traffic end up in the Arctic

Small plastic particles from car tyres and disc brakes swirl up, are caught up by the wind and float all the way to the Arctic.

Political controversy over how Norway decides to shoot wolves

If wolves have reached or exceeded target population numbers, is that reason enough to shoot them? The Norwegian parliament recently voted yes to this. The result may be more wolves shot in Norway.

Now kids and teens in Norway have their own Climate House

How can scientists really know that the climate is changing? A visit to the new Climate House that has just opened in Oslo may help you understand it.

Can small towns be as bike friendly as large cities?

Researchers already know a lot about cycling in the city. But little research has been done in smaller places in Norway. Until now.

Do you think we know whom we share this planet with? Then you are mistaken.

High levels of pollutants in polar bears from the Barents Sea – what are the reasons behind?

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: Levels of exposure vary according to what the polar bears eat, where they move, and how much energy they need to get through a day in their polar bear lives.

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.

Building larger and better roads results in more traffic, not fewer traffic jams

Road projects in Norway did not reduce congestion, researchers from the Institute of Transport Economics have found.

Women’s travel behaviour make cities greener

Planning cities for and with women can make the city both safer and more environment friendly, according to researchers.

Using drones to accurately map life under water

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: Gone might be the days when scientists had to manually count species and describe types of nature. And with better knowledge from drones will come better protection.

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.

Never before has so much rain been recorded in January in Norway

Had it not been for a cold day in Northern Norway at the very end of the month, this January would have also been the warmest ever recorded in Norway.

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.

Most Norwegians think they have a responsibility to cut greenhouse gas emissions

But there is no consensus as to what should actually be done.

Shorter winters and much less snow in 30 years

There will most likely be only half as many days with good conditions for skiing in Norway in 30 years compared to today, researchers at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute predict.

The long, harsh Fimbul winter is not a myth

Half of Norway and Sweden’s population may have died. Researchers now know more and more about the catastrophic year of 536.

Picking frost flowers in the Polar night

A couple of days ago when we were sailing between two of our process stations, we came across a beautiful icy garden covered with frost flowers. So we decided to go picking them.

Hot topics from the cold

More than 75% of the Earth’s surface is occupied by cold environments. Cold environments are hot spots for the organisms living there.

Care for you core!

We have recently drilled 34 ice cores from the sea ice. We expected to find very little life inside the ice, but we were proven wrong.

Do the animals at the bottom of the ocean know it’s dark season?

Do the animals at the bottom of the ocean, that might never have been exposed to sunlight, notice the dark season as we do? It seems logical to assume that the polar night should go by completely unnoticed by them. But it doesn’t.

In the Arctic Ocean and on the shoulders of giants

Blowing in the Arctic wind

Imaging driving with an open cabriolet car at 90km/h inside a gigantic freezer box at -25 degrees C with all windows opens. This does not sound comfortable and most people would not be part of such a situation voluntarily. But this has been the conditions we had been facing for the first days of our Q4 expedition.

Unique Challenges at the start of an Arctic winter Expedition