SNORW-tag

Feeding the future’s farmed salmon

One of the biggest critiques of farmed salmon is that their feed is made from raw materials that could be eaten by humans. Norwegian scientists are working to make fish food from trees and leftovers from the food industry.

Breathing can affect the cleansing of the brain

Breathing rhythms affect how well spinal fluid flows in and around the brain, a new study shows. Cerebrospinal fluid plays an important role in flushing metabolic waste products from the brain. The finding may have an impact on brain diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Eating disorders can come back later in life

Two out of three people who had anorexia in adolescence were completely healthy, but some still struggled with eating disorders when they were middle aged, according to a study that has followed 47 Swedes over 30 years.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

Why boys get poor grades

A Norwegian school researcher may have found an explanation.

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?

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.

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.

Therapy can help men stop domestic violence

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.

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.

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.

Fighting the insect apocalypse with hotels, flowers and dead trees

The news is full of stories about how the world’s insects are disappearing, whether from pollution, climate change, habitat losses or a combination of all three. But there are simple measures that people can use to fight back.

Men are more often than women fooled by placebo

It was not until the 1990s that researchers fully began to include both genders in health research. Sara Magelssen Vambheim has contributed with valuable new insights in her study of gender differences in pain experiences.

Tromsø researchers have found the connection between atrial fibrillation and dementia

Those who exercise the least and those who exercise the most have an increased risk of atrial fibrillation. If this condition is not treated, it can also affect the brain.

One of four LGBT people experience hate speech

A new report shows that twice as many LGBT people are victims of discrimination and exclusion as the rest of the population. The risk increases even more among those with minority characteristics.

Preemies given extra nutrition grew faster but got more infections

Premature, very low birth weight babies often have lower IQs and more learning disabilities than their normal-weight peers. But more nutrition early on may help, new research suggests.

Internet therapy for sleep problems provides long-term improvement

An online treatment programme for insomnia works well, with its beneficial effects persisting as long as 18 months after treatment, a new study shows.

Your sick leave infects your colleagues, too

Norway requires a general practitioner to certify an employee’s sick leave if he or she will be absent from work for more than three days. A Norwegian study that looked at 22,000 employees and their 114,000 colleagues found that if a GP certifies 5 days of sick leave for an employee, that employee’s closest colleagues will also have more sick days.