SNORW-tag

The summer of 2020 lured out many first-time hikers

Fewer and fewer Norwegians are interested in hiking off the marked mountain trails, according to researchers from the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research.

Could Isaac Newton show us the way into the Green Shift?

Climate change, loss of biodiversity, and degraded ecosystems: we're in trouble and something needs to be done. We need to change, and we know what to do. But we probably need some help on how to proceed. Maybe we can be inspired by Isaac Newton’s three laws?

Hardcore science

On the JC2-2 cruise we are visiting the deep basins of the Arctic Ocean. The goal of my team is to conduct experiments with animals from the bottom of those basins, which means keeping deep, Arctic animals alive. If deep-sea diving is an extreme sport, then this is definitely extreme science.

Ephemeral landscapes

Have you ever watched the colors of the sunset over the sea – then suddenly the beautiful moment is gone, and darkness surrounds you. Arctic sea ice is like that - a temporary and beautiful landscape constantly presenting moments that are suddenly gone, if you dare to blink.

The Transpolar Drift current

The largest Arctic river - transports materials into the central Arctic Ocean from Siberian Shelf across the North Pole

The tiniest do the heavy lifting

– Who are they and what do microbes do in the Arctic Ocean?

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.

The Arctic Ocean blender system

The Arctic Ocean is composed of different layers organized on the vertical, and these layers have different temperature and salinity properties. A cold and fresh surface layer caps a warm and salty layer of Atlantic Water. The heat contained at depth (about 300m) in the warm and salty Atlantic Water could melt the entire Arctic sea ice cover if it reached the surface. It does not happen because the cold surface layer caps this Atlantic layer quite well and keeps it at depth. However, in some regions, such as north of Svalbard, sea ice melts in summer even though it is -30 outside. How is that possible?

The Central Arctic Ocean: No longer the once forgotten no man’s land

Large trawlers are pulling tons of fish out of the deep Central Arctic Ocean. Our cell phones are powered with rare earth elements from the seafloor underneath the North Pole. The ice-free Arctic allows much shorter delivery time of shipped goods from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Coast guard ships dot the vast Arctic coastline and fleets of submarines survey the chilly waters. Will these scenarios soon be a reality? To some extent some of them already are.

What kind of climate measures work in villages and towns?

What works in the city doesn’t always work in a village. Or vice versa. But are some climate measures suitable for both environments?

Why are young climate activists being harassed online?

How does this kind of abuse impact young people’s political engagement?

Will the future Arctic Ocean become greener?

On land grass and other plants provide ecosystems with food and play an essential role in binding CO2 from the atmosphere. Microscopically small plants called algae fulfill this role in the world’s oceans.

Cracks in the cooking pot lid

The point of putting a lid on a cooking pot is to prevent the transfer of heat and moisture between the boiling contents and the air above. When you remove the lid from a boiling pot, heat and water vapour flow upward into the air, along with chemical compounds filling your kitchen with the (hopefully) promising smells of an upcoming meal.

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.

Where food is delivered only once a year

Imagine living at a place where food is available for only a few short weeks each year. What sounds impossible is reality for hundreds of different animal species thousands of meters beneath the ocean surface.

Healthcare workers are raising the alarm: We need zero-carbon healthcare

OPINION: Last year, England launched a zero-carbon health system strategy, inspiring a global movement. With an election on the horizon, it is time for Norway to decide whether we are in or out.

From your home to the lab: Household items in the life of a marine scientist

What do a spoon, colander, garbage bag and stocking have in common?

Is it possible to live a climate-friendly life?

Seen in a global context, Norwegian emissions are small. Is there any point in expensive, demanding measures? Researcher Torvald Tangeland responds.

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.

Reduced Norwegian oil exports will reduce global emissions according to researchers

Other countries will not follow suit and produce enough oil to close the gap, the researchers say. Some Norwegian politicians and the oil industry however beg to differ.

Into the deep unknown central Arctic Basin

Our scientific crew of 35 people for the Nansen Legacy cruise JC2-2-Arctic Basin will spend five weeks onboard the Norwegian icebreaker and research vessel Kronprins Haakon, with departure on Thursday 24th August 2021. Cruise leaders are Agneta Fransson (NPI) and Bodil Bluhm (UiT).

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.

Three good reasons to visit the Arctic Basin in 2021

125 years since the return of Nansen’s Fram expedition

Are you going on a road trip? It may harm the environment

In Norway, the government is planning to expand and improve roads for a staggering 120 billion Euros. How does it affect the environment?

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

Are we more concerned about coronavirus than the climate?

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.