Law and justice: Swearing an oath in the Middle Ages was powerful evidence In the 13th century, rumour meant a lot. If the village gossiped that you had been unfaithful, you could be put on trial. You then had to find people who would swear you were innocent.
Older Norwegians have almost doubled income in 20 years Women and people with the lowest incomes have experienced strong income growth in Norway over the last 20 years. But wealthier older people have had the strongest increase during that period.
A climate policy that oil companies can support Instead of companies and consumers paying climate taxes, oil companies could cut production, according to Norwegian economists. In return, they would be paid more.
Stomach cancer in deep decline The incidence of most cancers has increased since Norway first began collecting cancer statistics in the 1950s. But the incidence of stomach cancer has remarkably plummeted.
Is being overtired an actual physical condition? Or is it just something we say when our kids won’t sleep?
What use are biting horseflies? All animals, birds and insects have their place in the ecosystem, scientists say. But what good is a horsefly, really?
What happens to flowers and birds when we massacre mosquitoes with modern traps? It’s only recently that people have thought that eradicating mosquitoes might be a bad thing, a mosquito researcher says.
This is what we talk about when we talk about being drunk Sex, barfing and stealing are among the most common themes when young Norwegians tell stories about their wild evenings on the town.
How annoying is it for sheep to wear a bell all summer long? Do sheep bells qualify as mistreatment of animals?
Speed cameras save lives but are politically contentious Norway has the fewest traffic deaths in Europe when calculated on a population basis. While the government wants to raise speed limits and set up fewer speed cameras, it is precisely these measures that have helped cut traffic fatalities, research shows.
How drug dealers describe their own lives They boast of their own crimes and make fun of the police, often with a smile on their face, Norwegian researchers report.
People are more generous to each other at festivals Much of the festival experience doesn't really happen during the concerts, but between people themselves, in the tents, a festival researcher says.
Health trends over the last 45 years: We’re getting fatter — but healthier Norway's most comprehensive population survey shows some surprising contradictions. The average Norwegian has gotten heavier over the last 45 years, while at the same time their overall physical health has improved.
Clean water eliminated effects of discharged drugs in fish The discharge of pharmaceutical drugs is a major problem around the world, but a new study of the freshwater fish burbot shows that there is hope.
How scientists discovered salmon that need less food to grow Norwegian researchers have identified young salmon that can be farmed using less feed than their not-as-efficient brethren.
What’s the lasting effect of surgical knee repair? For the first time, a researcher has looked at how different surgical methods affect knee function 5-10 years after treatment.
Online contact with the doctor’s office shortens the patient queue Fewer patients have to wait in the telephone queue and at the doctor's office, as more people book their consultation and renew their prescriptions online.
Who chooses to work past age 67? Not only people with higher education choose to work longer. A recent research project on seniors in working life reveals several surprising findings.
Norwegian researchers find link between ALS and body weight A Norwegian study shows that overweight and obese individuals have a lower risk for ALS than those who are of normal weight and underweight.
Into the Subglacial Tunnel A POST FROM THE SUB-GLACIAL BLOG: After a steep walk up the mountain, we arrived in front of the tunnel entrance. There we stood, in shorts and t-shirts, suddenly realising that the heat and sunshine we were used to until now were about to become only a distant memory. With our winter coats, hats and gloves on, we followed Miriam as she opened the door leading into the mountain.
Arrival at Svartisen A POST FROM THE SUB GLACIAL BLOG: On the 17th of July, our advisor Miriam Jackson and the three of us (French students Perrine, Sophia and Juliette) made an excursion from their internship in glaciology at the NVE in Oslo to the Svartisen Subglacial Laboratory.
Researcher recommends teachers talk to students about sexual abuse New cases of child sexual abuse constantly crop up in the media. The topic has received greater attention both from the police and in politics. But classrooms remain quiet on the subject, a new study shows.
The magic behind the medals The most successful winter Olympian ever opened nearly two decades of training logs to researchers to shed light on how she achieved her goals. Now researchers have looked at two methods she used for her high-intensity training sessions to see how they compare.
What happens to Norwegian children of immigrants as adults? Their performance is a bit weaker than that of other children in elementary school, and somewhat fewer students complete upper secondary school. Compared to their parents, the difference is considerable. Many Norwegian-born persons with immigrant backgrounds are also doing far better financially than their parents. Some earn more than other Norwegians.
How to make shipping environmentally friendly We need to cut both global and local emissions from shipping. The picture is complex, but research is showing that there are many ways to meet this goal.
Asthma or EILO: Are misdiagnosed breathing difficulties making children and adolescents less active? EILO is a breathing problem that can be confused with asthma. Doctor believes many people don’t know they can get help.
Energy from algae coming your way We need batteries that can store more energy. Algae may be a solution.
Migrants not particularly prone to depression Migrants are doing well generally, but experience higher rates of depressive symptoms than the population at large in some European countries. One country stands out as an exception.
Half of Norwegian red foxes eat rat poison Many people still put out poison baits, even though this form of rodent control is prohibited.
Integration on hold in Norway: Immigrants face revocation of residence status "People have felt on solid ground, and now they’re having the rug pulled out from under them," says researcher Jan-Paul Brekke. The threat of losing their residence permit can be perceived as such a great burden that it affects immigrants’ health and participation in Norwegian society, according to a new report. Most people still end up being allowed to stay in Norway.
How to defend yourself against fake news How can we defend ourselves against false information? NTNU researchers provide some tips and tackle the problem.
New medicine for multiple myeloma shows promising results A new drug reduced the risk of relapse and increased survival by five months, according to a recent study. The results were presented at a cancer conference in Chicago in June.
Gas instead of coal is 50% better for the climate We can do a lot to save the climate by switching from coal to natural gas. And we can shelve concerns about the negative climate impact of methane emissions from gas production, say researchers.
Few physical differences found between healthy individuals and those afflicted by chronic fatigue syndrome Norwegian researchers studied adolescents who developed chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and chronic fatigue (CF) after having mononucleosis.
Sea urchin grazing of kelp may worsen negative effects of oil spill in the Arctic Heavy sea urchin grazing of kelp forests along the coast of Northern Norway has worried fishermen, researchers and others for decades. Together with the increased oil activity in Arctic waters, sea urchin grazing poses an additional hazard: will an oil spill in an area already overgrazed by sea urchins mean the end of the intertidal communities as we know them?
Many diagnosed with asthma may actually have EILO EILO, or Exercise-Induced Laryngeal Obstruction, is a condition where the voice box closes down during vigorous exercise. Norwegian researchers believe many people with this condition are misdiagnosed and are given the wrong treatment.
Viking men were buried with cooking gear What were gender roles like during Viking times? A Norwegian archaeologist thinks we often misinterpret the past based on our current cultural assumptions.
How studies of Norwegian fjord ice can help create a safer future for the arctic During winter, a thick layer of ice can form on the surface of the northern Norwegian fjords. The knowledge of the varying conditions of this ice can be applied to understand to protect and aid the Arctic in the future.
Today's elite football matches require more targeted training The pace of football matches has become faster and more varied in recent years. Football coaches need to craft more individualized training for players so they can handle the challenge, a new study finds.
Should Norwegians have to wait to 63 at the earliest to retire? Like most Western countries, Norway has a lower age limit at which a person can fully retire. That age is currently 62. But will upping this lower age limit be good for the Norwegian economy?
The urban space is sexualised and misogynistic “Our unconsciousness is shaped by sexist messages from advertisements. The public urban space in one of the world’s most gender equal countries is not designed for women,” according to social geographer Emma Arnold.
When a flood of immigrant workers becomes a trickle When Poland joined the EU in 2004, unemployment was at 20 per cent, and a flood of workers left the country for higher wage lands such as Norway. Now the tide has turned, and Norway faces labour shortages as Poles stay home.
Modern-day Vikings (and their neighbours) eat dinner at home How have the eating habits of the Nordic countries changed over the decades? Mostly for the better, but with a few exceptions, a new study has shown.
Alcohol’s role in the relationship between Sweden and Norway Neighbouring countries often have interesting relationships— think France and Germany, or the USA and Canada. Norway and Sweden are no exception — especially when it comes to alcohol.
Scientists have found 10 000-year-old Scandinavian genes in prehistoric gum These small lumps of pitch were chewed 10 000 years ago by people living in what is now Sweden. But who were these people?
Smokeless «fire» under water We say that there is no smoke without fire, but there can be fire without smoke. At the bottom of the streams, under water, bacteria are burning organic matter, making a considerable contribution to carbon emissions to the atmosphere. A recent study shows how heavy rainfall stimulate to increased burning and CO2 emissions.
Cancer drug doesn’t work for chronic fatigue Cancer drug rituximab has no effect on chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), according to a Norwegian study.
New nanomaterial to replace mercury Ultraviolet light is used to kill bacteria and viruses, but UV lamps contain toxic mercury. A newly developed nanomaterial is changing that.
Why do schizophrenia patients die earlier than other people? The average life expectancy of Norwegians with schizophrenic disorders is 62 years. If you also have a drug problem, it goes down to 47 years. “It’s difficult to understand why this isn’t prioritized by the health services,” says a veteran psychiatric researcher.
How you can help the insect world Many insect species are struggling. But all of us can help them, whether we live in an apartment or in a house with a garden.
Therapy can help men stop domestic violence It is not given that violent men who get therapy will stop their behaviour. A decisive factor for success is that the therapist and the client have a common understanding of the problem, according to researcher Bente Lømo.
The EU raises the standard of Norwegian gender equality policies That the EU affects Norwegian gender equality policies has mostly proven to be a good thing. But an individual-oriented policy puts pressure on the social democratic approach, say researchers.
Why do Norway and Greece have radically different traffic mortality rates? Social norms explain some of the dramatic difference.
Passion trumps love for sex in relationships When women distinguish between sex and the relational and emotional aspects of a relationship, this determines how often couples in long-term relationships have sex. Passion plays a significant role.
Men are stricter than women when it comes to sick leave More men than women find it unacceptable to stay home when work is stressful or they’ve just had a breakup, a new study shows. Other studies suggest the opposite.
People are less afraid of flying now than in the 1980s Despite several recent major accidents and terrorist attacks, Norwegians are less afraid of flying than they were 30 years ago. The biggest risk from flying comes from our imagination, one researcher says.
How stores can throw less food Grocery stores throw 75 000 tons of food annually. By adding date tagging to the barcode, food waste could be dramatically reduced, according to two students.
Higher weight increases risk of psoriasis The higher a person’s BMI, the greater the chance of getting psoriasis. But researchers are still uncertain as to why.
Doping scandal covered very differently by Swedish and Norwegian media There’s a long-standing rivalry between Sweden and Norway that plays out in sports competitions, such as Nordic skiing. When one of Norway’s biggest cross-country skiing stars tested positive for doping, the Swedish press covered the matter much more aggressively than Norwegian journalists.
Cyclists and long wait times at traffic lights discourage pedestrians Walking is good for people and the environment. So how do cities encourage people to walk more?
Migrants are their country’s best and brightest People who choose to emigrate are those with the best education, new research shows. This flies in the face of popular opinion.
Common cell type found in autoimmune diseases Immune cells at the centre of coeliac disease have been found in patients with other autoimmune diseases. These results give hope of finding the cause of a number of diseases.
Water containing ozone disinfects hands as well as hand sanitizer Water that contained ozone removed bacteria from hands as well as an alcohol-based disinfectant.
Men sometimes act less interested in sex – in order to get it In a new study, women said they acted a little more interested in sex than they really were. Men are the ones who apparently play cool most often.
What do the animals in stave church ornamentation signify? The richly decorated portal at Urnes stave church has often been interpreted in light of paganism. That’s wrong, according to a new stave church study.
Tomatoes used to taste bad. Not anymore. What do tomatoes, coffee, potatoes and beets have in common? An expanding number of varieties.
Bob Dylan’s poetry has its roots in the Bible Musician and 2016 Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan surprised many people with his evangelical Christian period. But the poet has been inspired by Christianity throughout his career, even in his protest songs.
Check your baggage for alien species before visiting the Arctic Are you travelling to the Arctic? Seeds, insects and parasites can travel with you as stowaways without your knowledge. This bear explains how you can avoid bringing unwanted species that can threaten the vulnerable Arctic environment.
Therapy can help men stop domestic violence It is not given that violent men who get therapy will stop their behaviour. A decisive factor for success is that the therapist and the client have a common understanding of the problem, according to researcher Bente Lømo.
Drinking during pregnancy is probably not the cause of children’s behavioural problems But a Norwegian alcohol researcher believes the new findings have some limitations.
Perceived emotional support from the teacher is associated with higher achievement in reading A recent Norwegian study shows strong associations between first grade students feeling liked and respected by their teacher, and their achievement in reading.
Exhaust gas is to blame: Ground-level ozone is damaging crops Exhaust gas emissions have doubled the amount of ground-level ozone. Vegetation is being destroyed. Food production is decreasing. Researchers now fear that the damage is greatest in the Arctic regions.
Striking settlement pattern differences among immigrants in Norway and Sweden Immigrants from non-European countries tend to be more dispersed throughout the country in Norway than they are in Sweden, the Netherlands and Belgium.
How music listening effects the climate CD listening has been replaced by music streaming. Has the change in music consumption been good for the climate? The answer might surprise you.
Online bullying can cause post-traumatic stress-like symptoms Many children and young adults have their mobile phones with them when they go to sleep. Some find it absolutely necessary. They never know when they will get a message from a bully.
Youth are inactive for too long Children and adolescents have not become more active, despite the clear goal to increase physical activity. The World Health Organization’s goal of more physical activity to curb many diseases is facing failure.
New Hope for the Captain`s Gouty Big Toe A new treatment for gout lowers the urinary acid level in the body. This can protect podagra patients against new outbreaks.
