Tag: opinion

To the Oslo Chronic Fatigue Consortium: Enough is enough

DEBATE: I question what the actual purpose of this research is.

Long Covid is neither psychological nor physical

OPINION: We don’t believe there is one single way out of Long Covid – we believe there are several.

Technology is not a miracle cure for a clean and tidy internet

OPINION: Artificial Intelligence promises to transform our world, how much should we let it?

In the face of American aggression, where is the Norwegian and Nordic solidarity?

OPINION: The picture of Trump's plane at Nuuk Airport should be replaced by pictures of Nordic leaders – arriving in Nuuk to congratulate Demokraatit on its election victory.

Trump’s logic of deal-making versus Putin’s logic of war-making

OPINION: As the Ukraine War approaches the grim mark of three years, it appears both ripe for an armistice and impossible to bring to an end.

Your eco-certified products might be lying to you

OPINION: Spotting a real eco-friendly product from a fake one is becoming increasingly difficult.

Chronic fatigue conditions are not incurable

Health researchers believe: Chronic fatigue disorders are not incurable.

OPINION: A new study shows that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and other rehabilitation measures are effective for so-called 'Long Covid.' At the same time, studies have shown that neither medical treatment, special diets, nor medical equipment have any effect.

The next big pandemic? Avian flu takes a worrying step closer to humans

OPINION: Avian flu, once limited to birds, is adapting to infect mammals, raising concerns about a new pandemic risk. With cases now seen in farm animals, experts warn of closer contact with humans.

How blockchain technology can effectively combat greenwashing

OPINION: By ensuring transparency, it could reduce the impact of greenwashing and support genuine practices.

Teachers lack authority. Could coaching be a solution?

OPINION: Despite political initiatives spanning four decades in the form of countless national, regional and local efforts to support teacher leadership in the classroom, we have not succeeded well enough.

Dating apps’ rhetoric for tapping your wallet

OPINION: Do the companies really want you to find a partner, or do they want you to keep paying for the search for True Love?

What will happen if we succeed with artificial intelligence?

OPINION: "We should expect that machines will take control," concluded Alan Turing in 1951. In this text, one of the world's leading AI researchers, Professor Stuart J. Russell, discusses the benefits and dangers of the research.

We need ambitions for an iconic Viking Age Museum

OPINION: A modern museum must secure the collection, but also facilitate dissemination and research.

Is there something wrong with the prisons in Norway?

OPINION: While the Norwegian Correctional Service’s institutional strategy defines resocialisation as the goal, a significant share of those incarcerated come back after release.

Does social media content creation impact the professional identity of preventive health professionals?

OPINION: Professionals of preventive health may use social media to build a professional image, and at the same time consciously or unconsciously be shaped by the content they share.

The Covid-19 pandemic has unveiled the pervasive dangers of autocratic responses to crises

OPINION: Misinformation, divisive rhetoric, and manipulating tactics in order to consolidate power and overshadow governments’ shortcomings were widespread during the pandemic.

Embracing unity: How Scandinavia responded to combat Covid-19

OPINION: A unified, well-communicated approach rooted in a country's socio-political context is paramount in steering through crises.

We are not sure, says the researcher who has convinced many that ultra-processed food makes people fat and unhealthy

OPINION: Kevin Hall is behind the study on ultra-processed food that everyone is talking about. But how convinced is he himself that the processing of food is the cause of obesity and disease?

Summons 446 signatures: Should all PhD candidates learn Norwegian? We are concerned

OPINION: According to the Action Plan for Norwegian Academic Language, all temporary employees are required to attend Norwegian courses, and all permanent employees must become proficient in Norwegian within 3 years. Over 400 researchers assess the implications this will have on the sector.

Is long Covid completely normal, a new disease, or mass hysteria?

OPINION: While some researchers explore blood and cells, others believe that long Covid is a psychological and social disease. We still lack answers.

World Soil Day emphasizes the increasing need to integrate soil and water research and management

OPINION: Extreme dry and wet events has caused many challenges to both food production and water protection. This calls for the increase of integrated soil and water research to address the national and global challenges in food security and environmental sustainability.

Teaching is a profession in crisis

OPINION: Teachers need help to regain pride, status and professionalism around the world. This article offers 5 steps to help teachers as well as students meet changing society.

Who should collect, manage and have access to data from the oceans?

OPINION: Research institutions from Norway and other countries have collected a great amount of data from the northern oceans in recent years. Many people want access to this information.

Employees are using ChatGPT for advice, but is this a good thing?

OPINION: Recent data on people’s habits in the workplace are giving us reason to look into whether the use of artificial intelligence (AI) may be hampering collaboration and knowledge sharing.

The «plastic paradox»: Some clean-up technologies do more harm than good

OPINION: The ever-increasing problem of plastic pollution has prompted widespread efforts to combat it through innovative clean-up technologies. These advancements, however, often seen as the silver bullet to solve our plastic crisis, sometimes do more harm than good.

The lack of women in IT and Information Security limits the potential talent pool

OPINION: We are yet to empower women in IT and information security, writes Toktam Ramezanifarkhani.

The aluminium in your old car should be recycled into a new car, not something else

OPINION: Unless we acquire greater knowledge about what happens at the atomic and molecular scale during materials recycling, progress towards a truly circular economy will grind to a halt.

Digitising our medieval heritage requires better search tools

OPINION: The Middle Ages continue to captivate our imagination through their portrayal in films, TV series and games. The term medieval evokes vivid associations in our minds. But where does our knowledge of the Middle Ages truly originate?

Let’s not vilify our students over chatGPT

OPINION: With the advent of ever-more capable artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as chatGPT, we once again have an opportunity to choose a rational, humane future over clinging to an irrational, suspicious past.

Why overconsumption must be understood as a societal challenge

OPINION: Norwegians are world champions in consumption, but most of us feel our levels of consumption are completely normal. This is one of the reasons why sustainability transformations cannot be left to the consumers alone.

Microplastics or microfibers: Does anyone really get what this is about?

OPINION: What we do know, is that all synthetic clothing and materials, sooner or later, will become microplastics, a «time-delayed» pollution bomb. And thus, they will ultimately become a problem for seabirds, and us.

Many people who have sex with both men and women perceive themselves as heterosexual

This has consequences for their sexual health. We should help people find their right sexual identity so that they can align their self-reported sexual orientation with their sexual behaviour, writes Bente Træen.

Nuclear power is a friend of nature and the environment

OPINION: Based on our recent study of 870 power plants worldwide, nuclear energy is a clear winner in protecting ecosystems, while bioenergy is an indisputable loser.

Refugees must participate in decision making that affect their own lives

OPINION: Many refugees from Sudan, Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, and Kenya reside in the Kyangwali refugee settlement in Western Uganda. In 2021, the population of Kyangwali was 125,039.

Why is it so difficult to talk with your partner about sex, and how can you make it easier?

When we don’t explicitly express our needs, we force our partner to guess what we need, writes Professor Bente Træen.

No, the new AI chatbot ChatGPT won't take your job

OPINION: People have been quick to dismiss the chatbot ChatGPT as technology that is likely to replace many writing jobs. Such a pessimistic perspective completely overlooks how professionals in different domains can take advantage of it.

Satellite imaging can provide more climate-friendly actions

OPINION: Climate change affects local areas differently on a global scale. We need to find climate-friendly solutions when dealing with the specific challenges unique for each location. By the the use of satellite imaging we can target and identify the problems more efficiently.

How drunk are you planning to get at this year's Christmas party?

OPINION: Another round? Find your Christmas party alcohol level before it's too late.

Stroke patients with delirium may struggle more afterwards

OPINION: Stroke patients who experience delirium during a stroke could be more prone to developing cognitive and psychiatric difficulties.

Is there any hope of reaching the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change?

OPINION: Believing that we can achieve the Paris Agreement is not naïve, idealistic, or utopian, according to professor Karen O'Brien.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) may benefit children and young adults with cancer

OPINION: Alternative medicine such as acupuncture, hypnosis and herbs and supplements have proved to be a relief against side effects from conventional cancer treatment, according to researcher Trine Stub.

Norway’s practice of blowing up WWII sea mines is deadly for marine mammals

OPINION: Norway should stop detonating naval mines in sensitive sea areas. Instead, it could promote the use of alternative and cost-effective mine clearance techniques that have minimal effects on the marine environment.

In the shadow of the war, Russia is tightening its grip in the Arctic

OPINION: The Russian Duma is considering new legislation to ban foreign naval vessels in the Northern Sea Route. Norway must prepare to defend its rights.

The food processing technologies we fear the most

OPINION: For the most part, there are some types of food processing technologies that we accept, while we are more sceptical towards others. Why is this, and what does it mean?

LGBT rights and the Oslo terror attack: This is about whether or not to accept human rights at all

OPINION: The terror attack directed at the LGBT community in Oslo is an important reminder of how vulnerable we all are to hate and violence. At the same time, it once again shows how important LGBT rights are to us all. Because they concern the most basic human rights.

Climate change: One year of warm currents fundamentally changed Spitsbergen’s sea ice coverage

OPINION: When meteorologists report fine weather on Svalbard, it's the air temperature they talk about. But when it comes to global warming, ocean temperature is the big joker.

Ukraine: How can we protect animals when we can’t even protect humans?

OPINION: Ukraine may be a game changer for pets and animal protection rules, and for how we understand pets as a humanitarian protection problem.

The Viking Ships can’t wait

OPINION: Each day that construction is delayed, valuable time in the race to preserve this cultural heritage is wasted. The government should not mess about at this point - it should guarantee steady progress of the project.

Why has the Norwegian Minister of Research fired the board of the Norwegian Research Council? Because he can.

A shocked and worried Norwegian academia are still not closer to understanding last week’s events. Part of the answer is political: As long as voters don’t care, Ola Borten Moe from the Centre Party can set the Norwegian research world on fire.

Hit them where it hurts: Producers of fast fashion should pay the most

OPINION: How best to deal with the negative environmental impact of the clothing industry? The writers behind this opinion suggest a system in which those who sell large volumes of clothes that don't last pay the most.

Ukrainian women engage in resistance and should be in the peace talks

OPINION: Despite both women’s agency and victimization in Ukraine, they have not been included in peace talks so far. A recent survey finds that Ukrainians believe they should be.

War in Ukraine could last for months

OPINION: The war in and over Ukraine has already lasted nearly two months. There is little reason to assume that it will be over anytime soon.

Are Russians more macho?

OPINION: Is it Russian propaganda alone that provides the basis for support for the war in Ukraine, or is there a need for dominance in the Russian people's soul?

Survey from besieged Ukraine:Will Russian terror deter or motivate Ukrainian resistance?

OPINION: The Russian forces have turned to terrorizing ordinary citizens, hoping that Ukrainians will lay down their arms. It may have the opposite effect.

Norwegian geographers: "We cannot be members of the same association as Putin"

OPINION: We distance ourselves from the close relationship between science and power in totalitarian Russia, write Norwegian geographers.

Putin may fall

OPINION: We can be pretty sure that the likelihood of both a coup and a revolution in Russia is significantly higher today than it was a couple of months ago.

Supporters of Ukraine may decide to restrict supplies of arms that Ukraine wants

OPINION: Compared to direct deployment of military forces, arms supplies are often seen as relatively uncomplicated and low cost means to assist a friendly or allied state. That's not always the case, argues Nic Marsh.

What motivates soldiers to fight?

There is reason to doubt that Russia’s military leaders could have made a more accurate estimate of the Ukrainians’ resilience and battle morale. The only way to assess an enemy’s willingness to fight is to actually engage in combat.

Afghans are starving. The USA and others must cooperate with the Taliban

OPINION: The UN warns of a risk that a million Afghan children will die. In this situation, there is no way of avoiding cooperation with those in control of the country, namely the Taliban.

For the first time, Russia has lost the information war

OPINION: Russia’s federal government has blocked or forced offline virtually every remaining independent news outlet in the country. Journalism as we normally know it hardly exists in Russia anymore.

Will Taiwan be the next Ukraine?

OPINION: A Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be more likely to ignite World War III than the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Women who wish to travel are forced to share irrelevant and intimate details about their private lives

OPINION: There is a lack of cultural awareness and gender equality in the travel industry.

Why does Poland welcome Ukrainian refugees but not others?

OPINION: More than a million people have fled the Russian invasion of Ukraine through the country’s borders to neighbours in Central and Eastern Europe. In a context of war in Europe, and the human suffering it brings,here are some rough reflections on mobility and inequality, but also solidarity.

Survey: Ukrainians do overwhelmingly not want to be part of Russia

OPINION: But views are different in the Russian-backed separatist Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics.

The Russia-Ukraine war is stuck. Putin may resort to desperate manoeuvres

OPINION: Wars rarely go according to plans. This one, however, never had a chance to register a success.

Would you drive a car built from recycled materials?

Norwegian industry is shifting towards a greener future. But what does the transition to a greener economy really mean for industry and for consumers?

From burial urns to surfboards – wool can be used to make just about anything

OPINION: There’s no such thing as bad wool, only bad use.

Beijing Olympics 2022: The controversies posing hidden risks for China and the IOC

OPINION: The International Olympic Committee risks alienating democracies who expect the organization to live up to its values instead of serving modern autocracies’ economic and nationalistic interests.

The violence continues, even though the mother leaves the father. Are politics of gender equality to blame?

OPINION: Having to organise contact between the children and their father may result in continued exposure to violence for mothers – even after they leave a violent partner.

Is green growth possible?

OPINION: Increases in economic growth contribute to one-for-one increases in carbon emissions. Energy system decarbonization and economic productivity gains are the most effective carbon emissions mitigation mechanisms for sustainable economic development.

Patient activism is not behind the British guidelines for CFS/ME

OPINION: The patients, like NICE, want scientific, rigorous research.

The British guideline for CFS/ME is the result of activism, not research

OPINION: Unfortunately, the recommendations made in the new NICE guidelines for chronic fatigue were not based on the published research. This means that the Norwegian Directorate of Health can be confident in ignoring their suggestions.

The COP26 plastic uniforms are a disaster for the environment

OPINION: Recycled plastic clothing will never save the climate.

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?