SNORW-tag

The less a manager interferes in idea development, the better

OPINION: Only very few companies succeed consistently in developing new ideas. But those that do have one factor in common. The boss doesn’t interfere.

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?

Claiming a terrorist is ‘one of us’ is highly problematic

OPINION: The phrase ‘He was one of us’ has become entrenched in Norwegian public rhetoric after the far-right terrorist attack on 22 July 2011. This poses a threat to a more tolerant society.

Afghanistan crisis: Is cooperation with the Taliban a recipe for disaster or a new way forward?

OPINION: Whilst we wait for the Taliban to meet international human rights standards, it would be wrong to withhold humanitarian assistance as the harsh winter draws in. Humanitarian action will build confidence on both sides whilst providing critical aid.

High Skies and Far-Away Emperors: The Pitfalls of Digital Environmental Governance in China

OPINION: Throughout history, the Chinese central government has had only limited knowledge about local realities. Digital technologies now promise to make regulation and supervision more targeted and effective. But will the central government ever be on top of things?

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.

Poor studies on long Covid are sensationalized by the media

OPINION: The media are overdramatising poor studies concerning the long-term effects of Covid-19.

Clinical transparency in Norway:Report reveals a major gap with ethical implications

OPINION: As research ethicists we suggest a two-fold approach that may keep sponsors, institutions and researchers accountable.

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.

‘Live by the Sword…’ The Death of Chad’s President and the Future of Security in the Sahel

OPINION: Despite his authoritarian rule, Idriss Déby Itno was seen as stabilising force in the Sahel region. His death might create a power vacuum, writes Marc Lanteigne.

Have we lost a generation of children during the Corona pandemic?

OPINION: I fear that we are neglecting the children most in need because of a Eurocentric focus on the Covid-19 pandemic.

A two-censor-system will be a disappointing setback for higher education in Norway

OPINION: From a scientific perspective, the proposed law revision should be rejected.

Steering clear of our worst nightmares of artificial intelligence

OPINION: A giant leap for mankind, without doubt, but will artificial intelligence be a friend or foe? The trick may lie in better involving the public in scrutinizing AI’s problematic aspects.

There is no evidence that many Norwegian immigrants supported slavery in the USA

OPINION: A scintillating, but very misleading narrative, claims Nancy L. Coleman.

Companies can talk themselves into becoming more sustainable

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

Yes, we can prevent future pandemics

OPINION: With new health threats perhaps just an airflight away, we need to ask how countries like Norway can contribute in the global effort to prevent future pandemics.

World tuberculosis day: Many people with TB are going untreated during the Covid-19 pandemic

OPINION: There is a great risk for a surge in the TB cases and mortality in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.

High prices should not be a barrier to combat the COVID-19 pandemic

OPINION: Here are four principles which could ensure equitable access to COVID-19 tools and health products, particularly for low and middle-income countries.

Kelp products could surround us in the future - but how sustainable will the industry be?

OPINION: A large upscale of the kelp industry is probably around the corner in Norwegian coastal waters. In order to conduct kelp farming in an ecologically and economically sustainable way, it is crucial to understand how the ecosystems work.

Coronavirus measures are dividing Scandinavia. What is going on with the Swedish border?

OPINION: For people living near the border between Norway and Sweden, moving between the two countries was part of everyday life. The border was something they rarely – if ever – thought about. Coronavirus measures have changed this, dividing families and causing unemployment in Swedish border municipalities .

Can the Covid-19 pandemic be a turning point for antibiotic resistance?

The use of antibiotics is plummeting in Norway during strict corona measures.

Floating solar power connected to hydropower might be the future for renewable energy

OPINION: Hydropower plants need an upgrade. And we need to use more renewable energy sources. The solution? Floating solar power connected to existing hydropower plants.

Ecolabelling of clothes has catastrophic consequences for the environment

OPINION: When environmental rankings for apparel misuse research and are not reviewed by independent third parties, the results can be catastrophic for small-scale growers and farmers. Those who profit from these rankings, on the other hand are the global fashion industry.

Ordinary Scandinavians tweeted more about the American 2016-elections than the Russian trolls accused of interference

OPINION: “Foreign interference” in US elections isn’t just for Russian trolls. Social media have made American politics accessible to ordinary users.

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.

Epidurals do not in themselves improve birth experiences

OPINION: Epidurals may slow down a birth and are associated with lower levels of satisfaction with the birth experience. While sometimes necessary, we are skeptical of the extent to which they are offered and used.

Why do we condemn, blame and stigmatize people who have experienced something traumatic?

OPINION: Some trauma victims are met with negative social reactions when they tell others about what they have experienced. Why does this happen?

On academia and diversity: It wasn’t overt racism, but I have been sidelined.

OPINION: Having spent 25 years as a brown man in Norwegian academia, here are some reflections on diversity and inclusion in Norwegian science.

Flawed experiment sends misleading message about corona-safe gyms

OPINION: Without the presence of coronavirus, the researchers’ hypothesis, that the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in training facilities with good hygiene and social distancing measures would be low, cannot be tested.

Coronavirus and training in gyms: Misunderstandings about Randomized Training Trial

OPINION: Joar Vittersø has misunderstood the rationale, design and results of our randomized trial on re-opening of gyms in Norway, write the researchers behind a Norwegian study on the transmission of coronavirus in gyms.

Norwegian coronavirus “experiment” was misleading. People who train in gyms can infect each other with COVID-19.

OPINION: An undocumented message about it being safe to work out in gyms during the coronapandemic has been disseminated.

Preferring to be social on social media rather than face-to-face is not deviant. It’s the new normal.

OPINION: Are you secretly dreading the day when social distancing is just a vague memory? When you once again have to physically interact with other people, whether you like them or not? Chances are you are not a social deviant or a freak, but a representative of the new normal.

Black Lives Matter and the archaeology of heritage commemorating bigoted white men

OPINION: White society has actively resisted critically reconsidering the significance of commemorative statues of colonialism. Rather than wait for the next statue-gate – let’s have a self-critical debate about what these statues actually represent.

Norway needs coronavirus-style measures to start the green shift along the coast

OPINION: Norway’s coastal communities and ocean industries want stricter regulations and greater investment in becoming more sustainable. Governments around the world have acted swiftly to suppress the coronavirus – a similar coordinated effort would be an effective tool to combat the climate changes we are facing.

The coronavirus pandemic has taught us something important: Technocrats are no longer precautionary

OPINION: In present-day Sweden, an expert – state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell – is de facto head of state. Tegnell has based his strategy on model projections rather than testing and tracing, and the venture is proving a spectacular failure, writes Emil Flatø

Is it ok to publish racist representations if your intention was for it to be funny and cute?

OPINION: In the face of criticism far too many people tend to hide behind the “intention” of their words, writes senior researcher Edwin Schmitt. But does it matter that Norway’s national broadcaster didn’t intend for a children’s song to be racist against Chinese people, if in fact it is?

Should Norwegians tear down their Churchill-statue?

OPINION: Campaigns to remove statues from our common spaces is history making, not a rejection of history, as many have recently claimed. Statues are representations of who we want to be, not what the past was. This issue is being debated contentiously and with insufficient historical awareness around the world, including in Norway.

Who cares for the men who are left behind?

OPINION: We need more research and less scorn, and a better understanding of the incel phenomenon in order to prevent radicalisation, writes Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair.

A revolution in vaccine development – but will we all benefit?

OPINION: By manipulating the “instruction manuals” that control cell function in our bodies, we will soon be able to combat many diseases, including the new coronavirus outbreak. But in the worst-case scenario, such innovations will only benefit the rich.

E-scooters – cities should embrace them

OPINION: E-scooters provide an opportunity to re-think urban transport, increase quality of life, and improve city dwellers’ mental and physical health, according to professor Stefan Gössling.

Managers need to be good with emotions – or they risk damaging their employee’s health and ability to perform at work

OPINION: At worst, managers who lack emotional intelligence can be playing Russian roulette with their colleagues’ health.

Environment vs Convenience; who wins in the supermarket?

OPINION: Recent research shows that focussing on the environment and convenience wins consumers. But who wins when we actually shop?

The naïveté of Academia: How Plan S could let pseudoscientific and predatory publishers take advantage of researchers

OPINION: Plan S is naïve in its approach to open publishing, making scientific articles available for re-use by whoever may wish to do so. Scientists need to retain the right to decide where their works are published.

Reading to your child? Digital books are as important as print books

OPINION: Instead of propagating a false dichotomy between print and digital books we need to start asking which books work best for which children and families.

Looking for gender differences in Norwegian prisons is a distraction

Women sentenced to prison in Norway do not experience systematic discrimination. This does not imply that their – nor men’s – needs should not be taken care of.

Both women and men are vulnerable in prison

OPINION: Ragnar Kristoffersen claims that women are treated favourably in Norwegian prisons. JURK – Legal Aid for Women’s report on incarcerated women’s conditions reveals a different reality than Kristoffersen’s numbers.

Women sentenced to prison in Norway are treated favourably

OPINION: Contrary to popular belief, women sentenced to prison in Norway receive more beneficial measures than men aimed at reintegration into society. The general claim that women sentenced to prison in Norway are discriminated against, is a myth.

5 reasons why a holiday can boost your workplace creativity

OPINION: Emerging research suggests that taking some time off could be just what you need to boost your creativity at work.

The truth is in the sediments

OPINION: The seafloor has different patterns on top than underneath the surface. Researchers at Nord University suggest that new seafloor research in the Lofoten-Vesterålen region contributes to future marine management.

Is it right to destroy monuments over our dark past?

OPINION: Politicians, managers and researchers must be able to use their voices when cultural heritage contributes to discrimination, hatred and violence.

How does a board of directors foster innovation in an organization?

OPINION: The boards of directors do have a say when it comes to fostering organizational innovation. Findings shed new light on the ambiguous role of corporate directors.

It matters who your mother is, even for fish

OPINION: New research could result in both bigger and better farmed fish.

How knowledge can reduce ocean waste

OPINION: By analysing heaps of trash found at Svalbard's coasts, we can potentially reduce the amount of plastic polluting the ocean, writes researcher.

Slow-TV boosts national identity and traditional values

OPINION: Those who watch are most engaged in video shots of Norwegian nature and in getting to know the country.

International PISA tests show how evidence-based policy can go wrong

OPINION: PISA gives scores to participating countries so they can be ranked from best to worst for the skills measured, as well as measuring how they stand globally over all skills. Too much importance is being given to these scores and rankings.

Why we should use these bacteria in fertilizers

OPINION: A certain type of bacteria can reduce emissions as well as help food production. Scientist Kedir Woliy Jillo explains how.

To tackle the post-truth world, science must reform itself

OPINION: In the scientific elite's continuous pursuit of funding, scientists reinforce the ruling nexus of politics and finance, oblivious to the evident cracks in the system.

Brazil: A country without a language

OPINION: Brazilians speak Portuguese. But do they really?

Science wars in the age of Donald Trump

OPINION: If Brexit signified the end of facts, what does the election of Donald Trump tell us?

Should genetically modified organisms be part of our conservation efforts?

OPINION: Should the Seed vault on Svalbard collect and preserve GMO-seeds?

Why Donald Trump is winning over many American Hindus

OPINION: One strange US election fact is becoming clear: Donald Trump has become the favoured presidential candidate of some American Hindus. How and why are more complex questions.

Has Shabaab been weakened for good?

OPINION: The answer is 'yes' and 'no', according to Norwegian researcher.

Increasing border security fences are a lethal problem for wildlife

OPINION: Wire fences and walls along country boarders are a huge problem for wildlife. Animals die after getting entangled in the wires and many species are cut off from important seasonal habitats. This situation forces a re-think of conservation strategies across borders, says researcher.

Declining winter sea ice near Greenland spells cooler climate for Europe