Green research and green solutions

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2025.01.23

Eske Willerslev found the past in two grams of soil. His finding gives us a window into the future

As a student, Professor Eske Willerslev had an idea: He wanted to extract DNA directly from the soil. This has led to major scientific breakthroughs and an entire new research field, eDNA, for which he now receives one…

archaeology

2025.01.16

Volcanic eruption caused Neolithic people to sacrifice unique "sun stones"

4,900 years ago, a Neolithic people on the Danish island Bornholm sacrificed hundreds of stones engraved with sun and field motifs. Archaeologists and climate scientists from the University of Copenhagen can now show…

Antarctica:

2025.01.09

Historic Drilling Campaign Reaches more than 1.2-Million-Year-Old Ice

It is expected that the 2,800 meter deep ice core drilling down to the bedrock under the Antarctic ice sheet for the first time will reveal crucial details about the earth's climate and the history of the atmosphere mor…

FOOD

2024.12.13

How chemical reactions deplete nutrients in plant-based drinks

A University of Copenhagen study of plant-based drinks reveals a common issue: they are lacking in proteins and essential amino acids compared to cow’s milk. The explanation lies in their extensive processing, causing…

Glacier flood

2024.12.11

One of world's largest glacier floods triggered in Greenland

For the first time, scientists have observed the release of a massive glacial lake outburst in East Greenland, where more than 3,000 billion liters of meltwater were unleashed in just weeks. This rare, natural flooding…

Biodiversity

2024.10.23

AI can now be our eyes and ears in the forest and beneath the waves

Animal sounds combined with artificial intelligence (AI) can revolutionize biodiversity monitoring both on land and in aquatic settings according to researchers from the University of Copenhagen. By analyzing wildlife…

Microbiome

2024.10.15

‘Vegetarian’ salmon might lead the way to better health for humans and fish

Plant-based salmon feed aims to make salmon production more sustainable. This can result in better fish for dinner, and knowledge about gut bacteria can also impact more sustainable feed for other farm animals.

Animals

2024.10.15

Seven New Frog Species Discovered in Madagascar: Sounds Like Something from Star Trek

An international team of researchers have discovered seven new species of tree frogs that make otherworldly calls in the rainforests of Madagascar. Their strange, high-pitched whistling calls sound more like sound…

2024.09.25

Do you feel eco-guilt or eco-shame? Emotions reveal how much we care about the environment

Green choices related to everyday climate, environment and sustainability decisions are influenced by shame and guilt according to a new study from the University of Copenhagen. And the way one feels hinges upon one’s…

Fossil

2024.08.30

Fungus gnat entombed in a 40-million-year-old piece of amber is a rare gem

A Danish amber collector’s find upon a wild North Sea shore in the 1960’s has proved to be of great and surprising significance. After having thoroughly examining the roughly 40-million-year-old piece of amber,…

nature

2024.07.02

Spotted apex predator being pressured by spotted pack hunters – and it's our fault

Leopards, who are already in decline, can’t keep up with hyenas when people are around. As we humans move into the their territories more and more, we are helping to disturb and unbalance ecosystems. This has been shown…

Plastic

2024.06.18

Researchers invent one hundred percent biodegradable "barley plastic"

A biofriendly new material made from barley starch blended with fibre from sugarbeet waste sees the light of day at the University of Copenhagen – a strong material that turns into compost should it end up in nature. In…

Artificial Intelligence

2024.06.12

AI method reveals millions of dead trees hidden among the living before California’s historic 2020 wildfires

University of Copenhagen scientists may have found a new explanation for the California wildfires of 2020. Applying AI to detailed aerial photos, they created a unique dataset detailing mortality down to single trees fo…

sustainability

2024.06.03

Avocados are 'bad' and vegans are ridiculous: How we justify eating too much meat

Those of us who find it difficult to eat less meat for the sake of climate tend to apologize or justify ourselves in social contexts. And… shaming vegans isn’t off limits. This, according to a new University of…

fødevarer

2024.06.03

Greenhouses cover more and more of Earth’s surface

Greenhouse cultivation is booming globally, especially in the Global South – and across one country in particular. This is revealed in a new study by researchers at the University of Copenhagen that deploys detailed…

Ice sheet

2024.05.30

Local bright spot among melting glaciers: 2000 km of Antarctic ice-covered coastline has been stable for 85 years

A whaler's forgotten aerial photos from 1937 have given researchers at the University of Copenhagen the most detailed picture of the ice evolution in East Antarctica to date. The results show that the ice has remained…

sustainability

2024.04.26

Fixin’ to be flexitarian: Scrap fish and invasive species can liven up vegetables

Greening the way we eat needn’t mean going vegetarian. A healthy, more realistic solution is to adopt a flexitarian diet where seafoods add umami to “boring” vegetables. University of Copenhagen gastrophysicist Ole G.…

CLIMATE

2024.04.18

Increased CO2 emissions from world’s tundra surprise researchers

As they warm, Arctic tundra environments will probably release 30% more CO2 than they do today – an increase that is nearly four times more than previously estimated. This is the conclusion of a large international stud…

species

2024.04.12

Iconic savanna mammals face genetic problems due to fences and roads

Wildebeest migrations have become a rarer sight in Africa as humans continue to interrupt their historic migratory routes with roads, fences, cities, livestock and farmland. This has led to genetic decay in those herds…

poverty

2024.04.11

Economist: Tens of billions of dollars in forest products are being overlooked

Are we missing the forest for the trees? More than timber grows in forests – including products worth many tens of billions of dollars. Because these goods go unrecorded in official trade statistics, their economic valu…

Diversified farming

2024.04.05

Major study reports that people and environment both benefit from diversified farming, while bottom lines also thrive

Mixing livestock and crops, integrating flower strips and trees, water and soil conservation and much more: Massive new global study led by the University of Copenhagen and University of Hohenheim, has examined the…

artificial intelligence

2024.04.03

Computer scientists show the way: AI models need not be SO power hungry

The development of AI models is an overlooked climate culprit. Computer scientists at the University of Copenhagen have created a recipe book for designing AI models that use much less energy without compromising…

Green data

2024.03.26

Health data storage has a climate cost. In the future data may be stored in DNA

A lot of energy is required to analyse and store large amounts of data. We may therefore have to take a different approach to data storage in the future. So says a professor Søren Brunak at the University of Copenhagen.

Green medicine

2024.03.26

Waste products could innovate pharmaceutical material design

Research highlights the potential for utilizing molecules extracted from side stream products in food and oil industry in the context of pharmaceutical innovation, showcasing the power of interdisciplinary research in…

Cost-benefit analyses

2024.03.08

Economists: Ecosystems have higher monetary value than previously calculated

Current economic practice systematically underestimates the value of nature, according to an international group of economists. Writing in the journal Science, they propose a new calculation formula.

Methane

2024.02.29

Young researcher makes surprising methane discovery in Yukon glaciers: "Much more widespread than we thought"

Global melting is prying the lid off methane stocks, the extent of which we do not know. A young researcher from University of Copenhagen has discovered high concentrations of the powerful greenhouse gas in meltwater…

Foods of the future

2024.02.27

Scientists use blue-green algae as a surrogate mother for "meat-like" proteins

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have not only succeeded in using blue-green algae as a surrogate mother for a new protein – they have even coaxed the microalgae to produce "meat fibre-like" protein strands…

Sustainability

2024.02.26

Robots, monitoring and healthy ecosystems could halve pesticide use without hurting productivity

Smarter crop farming that combats weeds, insect pests and plant diseases by integrating modern technologies like AI-based monitoring, robotics, and next-generation biotechnology with healthy and resilient agricultural…

archaeology

2024.02.19

Birds have been adapting to human activity for millennia

Roughly 14,500 to 10,500 years ago, in the transition from the last glacial period, Epipalaeolithic and Neolithic peoples harvesting vegetation from the wetlands of eastern Jordan created a habitat for birds that would…

CLIMATE CRISIS

2024.02.09

Easy solutions are rarely the answer to society's climate challenges

It can sometimes seem like we're making problems unnecessarily complicated when we, as a society, need to solve the big sustainability challenges. But there are no simple solutions to solving 'wicked problems'.

Wetlands

2024.02.02

Tags Methane CO2 climate mitigation Geography Climate Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management wetlands Facult

Peat bogs store twice as much CO2 as all of the world's forests combined. A new research center at the University of Copenhagen will map Earth’s wetlands and provide important knowledge about the greenhouse gas budgets…

Climate

2024.01.31

New study reports that Greenland is a methane sink rather than a source

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have concluded that the methane uptake in dry landscapes exceeds methane emissions from wet areas across the ice-free part of Greenland. The results of the new study contribut…

plants

2024.01.30

Asparagus and orchids are more similar than you think

How is a beech leaf constructed? What determines the appearance of an asparagus? A new 'encyclopaedia’ created by researchers at the University of Copenhagen helps us learn more about the building blocks of plants. The…

Rain water

2024.01.24

Innovative stormwater solution unveiled to tackle record rainfall in Denmark

Denmark faced unprecedented rainfall in 2023, breaking historical records and posing ongoing challenges with stormwater and flooding of streets and basements. Rather than resorting to expanding CO2-intensive concrete…

Chemistry

2023.12.18

Researchers invent "methane cleaner": Could become a permanent fixture in cattle and pig barns

In a spectacular new study, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have used light and chlorine to eradicate low-concentration methane from air. The result gets us closer to being able to remove greenhouse gases…

Investments

2023.12.14

Student creates green investment tool

A student at University of Copenhagen has developed a method for optimizing profit relative to risk while also including sustainability and social responsibility concerns. The tool is relevant to both professional and…

Food science

2023.11.29

A delicious surprise: Vertically farmed greens taste as good as organic ones

But the first scientific taste test from the University of Copenhagen and Plant Food & Research, New Zealand shows that respondents rate greens grown vertically and without soil as just as good as organic ones.

resilient crops

2023.11.22

Danish researchers puncture 100-year-old theory of odd little 'water balloons'

Quinoa and many other extremely resilient plants are covered with strange balloon-like 'bladders' that for 127 years were believed to be responsible for protecting them from drought and salt. Research results from the…

species

2023.11.13

New beetle species has bottle-opener shaped genitalia: Now that calls for a Carlsberg!

Six new beetle species have been discovered in South America by researchers at the University of Copenhagen. Among them is one with a distinctively shaped sexual organ that has led the researchers to name it after globa…

Climate

2023.11.09

New research: Fivefold increase in the melting of Greenland's glaciers over the last 20 years

In the largest survey of its kind ever conducted, using both satellite imagery and old aerial photos from the Danish National Archives, researchers from the University of Copenhagen firmly establish that Greenland’s…

Food Waste

2023.11.06

Food waste prevention in Europe can generate major footprint savings

New calculations show that the European countries have great potential for reducing the demand for global food resources and the associated GHG footprint. Researchers have estimated the climate footprint savings that ma…

chemistry

2023.11.01

Major EU grant will make metal alloys the catalysts of the future

New international research collaboration to trailblaze the next generation of catalysts – a prerequisite for the renewable chemicals and fuels of the future. The researchers hope to accomplish this with a new data-drive…

Trees

2023.10.25

New study finds hidden trees across Europe: A billion tons of biomass is overlooked today

Through satellite imaging a new AI driven mapping of biomass and CO2 storage from the University of Copenhagen shows that a huge number of trees are overlooked in Europe’s urban, rural, and agricultural areas. Across…

sustainability

2023.10.25

New study: Pig welfare outweighs climate concerns for consumers

Consumers would rather pay more for higher-welfare pork than for pork with a reduced climate footprint. Politicians and the pork industry can learn from the result, according to the researchers behind the University of…

FOOD

2023.10.19

Pinpointing the emergence of muddy flavors in your fish

Many people have experienced a muddy off-flavor in farmed fish. While the aquaculture industry has known about the problem for 20 years, it continues to impact the consumption of otherwise healthy and potentially…

AI

2023.10.13

The increasing carbon footprint of AI is a challenge. Here is what we can do about it

Smart AI solutions have plenty of advantages, but they do not come free of cost for the environment. Luckily, t is possible to adjust the resource consumption of AI methods and make them more climate-friendly.

Plant food

2023.10.04

Ancient technology turns plant-based cheese into 'something we want to eat'

To produce plant-based cheeses that feel and taste like dairy cheese, scientists have their sights set on fermentation. In a new research result, University of Copenhagen scientists demonstrate the potential of…

THE BRAIN

2023.09.22

Jellyfish are smarter than you think

Jellyfish are more advanced than once thought. A new study from the University of Copenhagen has demonstrated that Caribbean box jellyfish can learn at a much more complex level than ever imagined – despite only having…

Parasites

2023.09.18

Brain-altering parasite turns ants into zombies at dawn and dusk

It takes over the brains of ants, causing them to cling to the tops of blades of grass where they can be eaten by cattle and deer. The common liver fluke has an exceptional life cycle as it moves through snails, ants an…

Earth system

2023.09.12

Scientists warn: The Earth's 'blood pressure' is too high

A new study updates the planetary boundary framework and shows human activities are increasingly impacting the planet and, thereby, increasing the risk of triggering dramatic changes in overall Earth conditions.

Drought

2023.09.04

Not long ago we had extreme climate conditions in the tropical Pacific for over 200 years

A wave of extreme weather washes over the world. Not long ago we had similar extreme climatic conditions for over 200 years, a new study indicates. This insight may help us prepare us for the global warming under way.

Biodiversity

2023.09.02

Three out of four populations of rare butterflies have been lost

In just 26 years, the distribution of rare butterflies has plummeted by 72% in Eastern Denmark. Several species are threatened with extinction, yet the conservation actions aiming to safeguard species have proved…

Animals

2023.08.14

Denmark is crawling with the world's most resilient creature

They’re found on Mount Everest, in the deep seas, aboard the International Space Station and thousands of them have even crash landed and been spilled onto the moon. The microscopic water bear has a nearly unfathomable…

sustainability

2023.08.04

Hartshorn salt and “baking” solves a serious environmental problem

Polyester is the second most used textile in the world and an environmental menace, especially because most of it never gets recycled. The fabric, a blend of plastic and cotton, has been difficult for the industry to…

Greenland ice sheet

2023.07.31

Pay dirt for ice core scientists in East Greenland as they reach bedrock

An international research collaboration (EGRIP) headed by ice core scientists from the University of Copenhagen has attained their goal of drilling to the bottom of the ice sheet. It marks the first time that this has…

Ocean Currents

2023.07.25

Gloomy climate calculation: Scientists predict a collapse of the Atlantic ocean current to happen mid-century

Important ocean current that redistribute heat, cold and precipitation between the tropics and the northernmost parts of the Atlantic region will shut down around the year 2060 if current greenhouse gas emissions…

CLIMATE

2023.06.29

Researchers on UN Maritime Organization: "At the moment, it’s working against its own green transition"

The UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) is actively contributing to the shipping industry being far off course from ever reaching its climate goals. In large part, this is because the organization lacks…

climate

2023.06.16

Gases from bacteria and plankton affect the climate – new research center seeks to calculate by how much

We need to find out how much gasses plants, soil, fungi and bacteria emit into the atmosphere. The gases they release influence the planet’s climate, and we know too little about them. On 19 June 2023, possibly the firs…

pesticides

2023.06.08

Unsustainable coffee production is making more and more people sick

Intensive pesticide use on coffee farms around the world is leading to progressively more reports of poor human and animal health. Coffee production needs to return to its roots and rediscover sustainability, according…

Climate

2023.05.30

Greenlandic glacial rock flour can help fight climate change

The first experiments with glacial rock flour from Greenland show that it can capture significant amounts of CO2 and provide a wider array of nutrients than commercial organic fertilizers, resulting in improved crop…

Climate

2023.05.25

Philosophers agree with economists on climate action - but stress ethical considerations

A new study shows that philosophers with expertise on social discounting and intergenerational distribution want to put more emphasis on the conditions of future generations in climate economic calculations.

Food science

2023.05.10

Danish innovation to convert nutrients and CO2 from land-based shrimp and fish farming into high value seaweed

Instead of polluting the sea and contributing to global warming, nutrients and CO2 from land-based shrimp and fish farming will be used to produce sea lettuce – a green protein and valuable high-fiber seaweed species –…

Dissemination Award

2023.05.09

Spaghetti-armed egghead strives to move people with facts

Hans Henrik Bruun is an especially active voice of reason in public discourse about the present and future of Danish nature. Whenever engaging, he often greets strong emotions with facts. This year's recipient of…

plant proteins

2023.05.08

Researchers close to unleashing rapeseed’s protein power for human consumption

Half of plant proteins in the EU come from rapeseed plants. Until now, the plant has only been used for oil and animal feed, as it is both bitter and unsafe for human consumption. In a new study published in Nature,…

Plant Science

2023.05.04

Incredible bacterium can transfer its genes into plants and give them superpowers

Humans have bred for desirable plant and animal traits for millennia by selecting and crossing their offspring. Now, researchers at the University of Copenhagen are taking a natural shortcut to promote beneficial change…

Forrest

2023.03.27

Origins of up to 44 percent of Danish wood is a mystery

In the first ever report of Denmark's total wood consumption, University of Copenhagen researchers conclude that the origin of nearly half of all timber felled in Denmark is a mystery. This is a problem according to the…

Climate

2023.03.14

The counting of nine billion trees could help manage climate credits and nature restoration

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and NASA have developed a method that has now mapped several billion trees and their carbon uptake in Africa’s Sahel. In the future, the method could be used to monitor…

Consumer behaviour

2023.03.03

Critical, but willing to drink: Consumers’ perspectives on the use of advanced breeding methods in dairy production

Danish consumers are concerned about advanced breeding methods in dairy production. However, a new research study has found that they are willing to drink the milk as long as the methods have not been used directly on…

Forests

2023.03.02

Putting a price tag on the amenity value of private forests

When it comes to venturing into and enjoying nature, forests are the people’s top choice, at least in Denmark. This is also reflected in the sales prices of properties with private forest. But beyond earnings potential,…

Ice sheet

2023.02.21

New knowledge about ice sheet movement can shed light on when sea levels will rise

The trawling of thousands of satellite measurements using artificial intelligence has shown researchers from the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland and University of Copenhagen that meltwater in tunnels beneath…

Food system

2023.02.03

Denmark spearheading transformation of EU food system to achieve climate goals

The University of Copenhagen is leading a comprehensive new EU project, CLEVERFOOD, that will facilitate a society-wide mobilisation of European citizens to transform the European food system that benefits climate goals…

Computer science

2023.01.30

Nuggets mined from thousands of tweets can persuade us to eat more climate-friendly

Experience and opinion trump fact in Twitter conversations about sustainable food. In a new study, University of Copenhagen researchers demonstrate that natural language algorithms make it possible to identify people's…

Food

2023.01.18

What the heck are pulses? European unawareness stands in the way of this “green” superfood

European consumption of pulses doesn’t stack up against national dietary recommendations – with Denmark in last place. This is the finding of a new EU-funded study by the University of Copenhagen as part of the…

Green research

2023.01.03

Sustainable labs are climate-friendly and save money

More than 1,200 researchers and laboratory technicians are involved in a new programme that has led to more sustainable laboratories at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH). It benefits the climate and creates green…

green christmas

2022.12.21

Researcher: The way to make plant-based foods taste like Christmas

How do you combine plant-based foods to bring out the flavours of Christmas? A food engineer and ph.D. from the University of Copenhagen has experimented in Gastro Science Lab. Boosting of umami taste is key.

colors

2022.12.15

Most colors are eco criminals: Here’s how to make purple greener

The colors of our clothes, cosmetics, furniture and all sorts of things around us are nearly all based on crude oil, making them far from environmentally innocent. UCPH researchers have teamed up with Danish company…

Sustainable Food

2022.12.01

Learning how to grow super mushrooms, with termites as teachers

Termites have cultivated and eaten them for 30 million years. This incredible mushroom has more protein than chicken, soy and corn, but has yet to be grown by humans. By imitating termites, scientists at the University…

Our Globe

2022.11.28

Earth’s many new lakes

The number of lakes on our planet has increased substantially in recent decades, according to a unique global survey of 3.4 million lakes that the University of Copenhagen has taken part in. There has been a particular…

FOOD HABITS

2022.11.25

Almost every other Dane is trying to cut back on meat

New sociological research shows that almost half of the Danish population is trying to reduce their meat consumption.

THE CLIMATE RESEARCHERS

2022.11.24

Psychology professor: Experiences in Virtual Reality can motivate us to climate action

Most people see the need for a green transition, but our actions do not always follow suit, says professor in psychology Guido Makransky.

Chemistry

2022.11.17

Chemists to capture atmospheric methane with sugar

Can a carbohydrate actually suck methane, a greenhouse gas, directly out of the air? Researchers at the University of Copenhagen’s Faculty of Science are in the process of finding out. Methane gas is 86 times more poten…

Climate

2022.11.16

Arctic vegetation has a major impact on warming

An international team of research scientists, University of Copenhagen researchers among them, has documented the central role of vegetation for Arctic warming for the first time. The new results allow us to make more…

FOOD

2022.10.28

Is the future of whipped cream fat-free and made of bacteria and beer waste?

Bacteria-based whipped cream could be the future. Food researchers at the University of Copenhagen have developed a fat-free prototype of the much-beloved substance built using bacteria instead of milk fat – in both…

Coastal protection

2022.10.25

Disappearing coastlines: A smartphone and selfie stick can let us know by how much

New mobile phone technology makes it possible to better monitor Danish coastlines, which recede up to four meters a year in some places. The method, which has been tested by the University of Copenhagen, also lets…

Clima

2022.10.18

Vibrating trucks searched for Denmark's future underground CO2 storage sites

Seismic studies of the deep soil layers in northwest Zealand will help researchers locate soil formations suitable for storing captured CO2 in the near future. The University of Copenhagen is supplying academic expertis…

Energy supply

2022.09.27

Bio-what? Half of Danes don’t know what biomass is

Nearly half of Danes have never heard of Denmark’s largest source of renewable energy. The finding, reported in a study from the University of Copenhagen, is the first to explore Danish attitudes to woody biomass as an…

Climate Change

2022.09.15

Global warming doubled the risk for Copenhagen’s historic 2011 cloudburst

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen, in collaboration with the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI), have used detailed weather models to clearly tie increased temperatures to the historic cloudburst over…

Plants

2022.09.09

Two grains, mutual gain: surviving drought through varietal collaboration

Some draw water from the soil’s depths, while others absorb nutrients nearer to the surface with shallow, wide root systems. Fields of grains with mixed properties could be the future for farmers hoping to protect their…

Arctic

2022.08.23

Popular research station reopens in Greenland: Danish zoologist recognized the greenhouse effect at same site in 1904

For more than a century, Arctic climate research has been collected and stored at the University of Copenhagen's northernmost research station – the Arctic Station. Now, after a thorough renovation and modernisation, th…

Nature

2022.08.23

New revelations about an ancient fish: the secret to swimming upside down

An after-hours trip to Aarhus University Hospital Skejby’s radiology department has shed light on a mysterious and ancient fish, one that remains one of the world’s rarest – the Coelacanth. Researchers from the…

Endurance

2022.07.22

Perspiration and an ingenious suspension prepared early humans for the yellow jersey

Unparalleled endurance allowed Homo erectus to tire antelopes on the savannah two million years ago. Since then, our prehistoric genetics have been leveraged to compete in the world's toughest bike race. The Tour de…

Biology

2022.07.21

When you Google the word 'tick', you're helping science

Knowledge about the spread of tick-borne diseases is extremely limited and notoriously difficult to acquire. A new study from the University of Copenhagen demonstrates that internet searches just might be the way to kee…

Biodiversity

2022.07.13

The value of nature should be included in Danish economic decision making

Denmark is miles away from meeting its agreed targets for nature and biodiversity. To remedy the Danish and global biodiversity crisis effectively, we need to improve how the value of nature is measured to allow…

The climate researchers

2022.06.16

Green and sustainable food should become the automatic choice

One of the main obstacles to introducing a more climate-friendly food culture in Denmark is the many everyday barriers. So says Professor Bente Halkier, who researches everyday life.

Bird species

2022.05.29

Researchers identify ancient bird behind giant eggs from Down Under

A years-long research debate over which animal is the rightful mother of giant prehistoric eggs in Australia has been resolved. In a new study, University of Copenhagen researchers and their international colleagues…

atmosphere

2022.05.26

New type of extremely reactive substance in the atmosphere

For the first time, an entirely new class of super-reactive chemical compounds has been discovered under atmospheric conditions. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen, in close collaboration with international…

Greenhouse gases

2022.05.23

New measurements from Northern Sweden show less methane emissions than feared

It is widely understood that thawing permafrost can lead to significant amounts of methane being released. However, new research shows that in some areas, this release of methane could be a tenth of the amount predicted…

plant science

2022.05.20

How plants colonized the land

University of Copenhagen researchers have shed new light on how plant life became established on the surface of our planet. Specifically, they demonstrated that two genes are indispensable for allowing terrestrial plant…

Physics

2022.05.11

Scientists discovers new properties of magnetism that could change our computers

Our electronics can no longer shrink and are on the verge of overheating. But in a new discovery from the University of Copenhagen, researchers have uncovered a fundamental property of magnetism, which may become…

THE CLIMATE RESEARCHERS

2022.04.06

Large, economic wheels must be turned to make way for green cars

Which economic levers do the politicians have to pull to move people from fossil driven cars to electrified cars? That is the main question for the GREENCAR research team at the Department of Economics.

Astrophysics

2022.03.31

Hubble spots most distant single star ever seen, at a record distance of 28 billion lightyears

With a fortuitous lineup of a massive cluster of galaxies, astronomers from among other institutes the University of Copenhagen and DTU discovered a single star across most of the entire observable Universe. This is the…

SCIENCE DISSEMINATION AWARD 2022

2022.03.31

Professor inspired by housewives and schoolchildren

University of Copenhagen professor Dennis Sandris Nielsen has been awarded SCIENCE’s Dissemination Award 2022 for his willingness and ability to communicate research about the broader societal perspectives of bacteria,…

FOOD

2022.03.29

Why the food crisis will pass

Even though the food crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine is now causing acute problems, there is no reason for panic, according to University of Copenhagen food economist Henning Otte Hansen. High food prices will no…

cells

2022.03.28

Octopus-like tentacles help cancer cells invade the body

With the help of the worlds best tweezers a team of researchers from the University of Copenhagen has shed new light on a fundamental mechanism in all living cells that helps them explore their surroundings and even…

Geology

2022.03.25

Groundbreaking earthquake discovery: Risk models overlook an important element

Earthquakes themselves affect the movement of Earth's tectonic plates, which in turn could impact on future earthquakes, according to new research from the University of Copenhagen. This new knowledge should be…

Volcanoes

2022.03.16

Ancient ice reveals scores of gigantic volcanic eruptions

Ice cores drilled in Antarctica and Greenland have revealed gigantic volcanic eruptions during the last ice age. Sixty-nine of these were larger than any eruption in modern history. According to the University of…

Climate economics

2022.03.10

Survey: Strong consensus among experts for higher CO2 prices

Almost all academic experts recommend higher carbon prices as a way to limit global warming, the first comprehensive global survey on carbon pricing concludes.

Bird Life

2022.03.10

How new bird species arise

Much of a centuries-old debate over where and how new bird species form has now been resolved. Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have provided evidence that birds in mountainous areas – where the vast majority…

The climate researchers

2022.03.08

Green political scientist: Non-state actors are now driving the green transition

The climate scientists: Portrait of political scientist Michele Betsill and her research in the non-state actors' influence on green agendas.

Biology

2022.03.07

Pig grunts reveal their emotions

We can now decode pigs’ emotions. Using thousands of acoustic recordings gathered throughout the lives of pigs, from their births to deaths, an international team of researchers is the first in the world to translate pi…

Plant science

2022.02.24

Plants use the pungency of sandwich and sushi condiments to defend themselves

For the first time, new research from the University of Copenhagen proves how plants defend themselves against herbivores. Spicy flavours that we know from delis and sushi bars are part of the explanation.

climate

2022.02.21

290 million new city dwellers benefit China's climate balance

Contrary to popular belief, China’s massive emigration from rural areas to cities has been shown to have a positive effect on China's carbon stocks. Urbanization can even play a role in attaining climate neutrality. Thi…

Insects

2022.02.21

Insect wingbeats will help quantify biodiversity

Insect populations are plummeting worldwide, with major consequences for our ecosystems and without us quite knowing why. A new AI method from the University of Copenhagen is set to help monitor and catalogue insect…

agriculture

2022.02.16

Pharmaceutical residues in sewage sludge and cattle manure do not have the feared effect

Pharmaceutical residues and chemicals from personal care products in sewage sludge and cattle manure do not have a detectable toxic effect on nematodes living in agricultural fields, according to 14-year-long experiment…

BEER

2022.02.10

Researchers make non-alcoholic beer taste like regular beer

Finally, researchers have found a way to brew non-alcoholic beer that tastes just like regular beer. Even more, the method is far more sustainable than the existing brewing techniques. “It’s a game changer for…

Cells

2022.02.07

Researchers gain a unique view of the inner life of cells

The ever-changing shape of the interior of cells limits our understanding to whatever snapshot we’re looking at under the microscope. Now, a new computer model developed at the University of Copenhagen is allowing…

Geography

2022.01.24

Satellite images reveal a nexus between war, cropland abandonment and food insecurity in South Sudan

A new study sheds light on a complex interaction of armed conflict, cropland abandonment and implications to food security in war-ravaged South Sudan.

Nature

2021.12.20

Years later, restored wetlands remain a shadow of their old selves

A study of restored wetlands on the Danish island of Funen reveals that plant species richness remains extremely poor many years after wetlands restoration. It is widely assumed that restored wetlands will increase loca…

CLIMATE CHANGE

2021.12.17

After thousands of years, an iconic whale confronts a new enemy

The iconic tusked whale of the Arctic has a new enemy – noise. A unique study from the University of Copenhagen and the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources shows that narwhals are highly affected by noise from ship…

CAR TRAFFIC

2021.12.16

Millions for research into green transition on the roads

The Independent Research Fund Denmark has allocated almost 12 million to the project GREENCAR, which will show the way to a green transformation of the car sector.

Wildlife

2021.12.10

New phenomenon: Forest mammals eavesdrop on messy monkeys

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have discovered a unique phenomenon among forest mammals – eavesdropping. Their study demonstrates that various animal species depend on one another in more ways than ever…

Grant

2021.11.25

Research project will crack the code behind green neighbourhood communities

With support from THE VELUX FOUNDATIONS, new research anchored at the Department of Anthropology will examine how to create green neighbouring communities in housing associations.

FOOD SCIENCE

2021.11.22

We prefer farmed salmon – as long as we don't know what we're eating

A blind taste test by University of Copenhagen researchers demonstrates that Danes prefer the taste of both conventionally and organically farmed smoked salmon over wild-caught salmon. However, the picture is turned…

PLANT BIOLOGY

2021.11.18

New knowledge about our Earth’s most important biochemical reaction: A step towards increasing CO2 uptake in plants

A group of proteins in plant cells plays a vastly more important role in regulation of photosynthesis than once thought, according to new research at the University of Copenhagen. The research is an important step…

Natural History

2021.11.10

Researchers puncture explanation for largest increase of biodiversity in Earth's history

The greatest increase in marine biodiversity on Earth was not due to the explosion of an asteroid, as previously believed. In fact, the explosion caused the development of new animal species to stagnate for a period of…

FOOD

2021.11.09

Danes have reduced meat consumption – but we lag behind other Europeans

A major new survey on meat consumption in Europe reports that Europeans have a growing appetite for plant-based foods and that meat consumption has dipped. While this applies to Denmark as well, Danes lag behind the…

CLIMATE CITIZENS' ASSEMBLY

2021.10.26

The green transition starts in your municipality

Local citizens need to be involved in the green transition if the climate crisis is to gain broad public support, researchers argue. Local citizens’ assemblies focussing on climate issues may prove an important part of…

archaeology

2021.10.20

Origin of domestic horses finally established

Horses were first domesticated in the Pontic-Caspian steppes, northern Caucasus, before conquering the rest of Eurasia within a few centuries. These are the results of a study led by paleogeneticist Ludovic Orlando. The…

The climate researchers

2021.10.13

Economics of climate change: One per cent makes a world of difference

Frikk Nesje and his colleagues have created international awareness by building bridges in the political debate as to how much we should invest in the climate.

Biology

2021.09.09

Fruit fly metabolism could pave the way for new obesity and diabetes drugs

The inner workings of fruit flies are more similar to those of humans than one might think. Now, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have discovered a hormone in these flies that can help us better understand…

Man & Nature

2021.08.30

This is how much Danes are willing to pay to protect nature and prevent noise from motorways

Danes are quite willing to pay to prevent noise pollution, protect unique natural areas and avoid animal collisions when it comes to the construction of new motorways. This is the conclusion of a new report by…

Natural History

2021.07.15

Dinosaurs lived in a warmer and more dynamic climate than previously thought

Global climate during the late Cretaceous Period, an era when dinosaurs ruled the planet, was warmer and more varied than previously believed according to a new study by researchers from the University of Copenhagen and…

CLIMATE

2021.07.12

Researchers: Let crop residues rot in the field – it’s a climate win

Plant material that lies to rot in soil isn’t just valuable as compost. In fact, agricultural crop residue plays a crucial role in sequestering carbon, which is vital for reducing global CO2 emissions. This, according t…

sustainable crops

2021.07.09

Danish researchers find a way to make faba beans safe for all to eat

Consuming large amounts of faba beans can be dangerous for about 400 million people due to a compound called vicine, which accumulates in the beans. This limits their potential as a widespread, sustainable source of…

algorithms

2021.07.06

Danish invention to make computer servers worldwide more climate friendly

An elegant new algorithm developed by Danish researchers can significantly reduce the resource consumption of the world's computer servers. Computer servers are as taxing on the climate as global air traffic combined,…

climate

2021.07.05

Climate report: Home buyers ignore flood risk

Buyers neglect to investigate the risk of flooding until after purchasing new homes according to a new report from the University of Copenhagen. The report also reveals that home prices are only slightly affected by…

artificial intelligence

2021.06.16

Algorithm reveals the mysterious foraging habits of narwhals

An algorithm can predict when narwhals hunt – a task once nearly impossible to gain insight into. Mathematicians and computer scientists at the University of Copenhagen, together with marine biologists in Greenland, hav…

Environment

2021.06.16

Bacteria used to clean diesel-polluted soil in Greenland

Diesel-polluted soil from now defunct military outposts in Greenland can be remediated using naturally occurring soil bacteria according to an extensive five-year experiment in Mestersvig, East Greenland, to which the…

climate

2021.06.09

Ancient air bubbles speak to a much warmer Antarctica during the ice-age than once believed

Twenty thousand-year-old air bubbles have revealed that Antarctic temperatures during the last ice age were markedly different than what the leading science once suggested. This is according to new research in which the…

archaeology

2021.06.07

10,000-year-old bones reveal earliest goat herders’ practices

To trace the domestication of the goat, an international team of researchers have analysed 10,000 year-old goat bones from two sites in the Zagros Mountains in present-day western Iran. Using ancient DNA and…

genomics

2021.05.12

Differences between leopards are greater than between brown bears and polar bears

New research demonstrates that African and Asian leopards are more genetically differentiated from one another than polar bears and brown bears. Indeed, leopards are so different that they ought to be treated as two…

CLIMATE

2021.05.11

Significantly reducing agricultural CO2 emissions by way of wheatgrass

Wheatgrass has the potential to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in Denmark by up to 10 percent according to researchers at the University of Copenhagen and Carlsberg Research Laboratory. Over the next five…

Biology

2021.04.19

Beetles that pee themselves to death could be tomorrow’s pest control

Various beetle species have gobbled through grain stores and weakened food production worldwide since ancient times. Now, researchers at the University of Copenhagen have discovered a better way of targeting and…

FARMING

2021.04.16

New invention can reduce agricultural pesticide use: Distinguishes harmful insects from helpful ones

A researcher from the University of Copenhagen has developed an algorithm that, in tandem with a sensor, makes it possible to distinguish crop-harming insects from helpful ones that pollinate and contribute to plant…

Geography

2021.04.12

Thawing permafrost cools Arctic currents: This might affect fish stocks

A new study by a University of Copenhagen researcher finds that thawing permafrost in Alaska causes colder water in smaller rivers and streams. This surprising consequence of climate change could affect the survival of…

rewilding

2021.04.06

Letting nature manage itself may lead to the least costs - but EU subsidies remain an obstacle

Nature management through rewilding can be significantly more cost-effective than by traditional conservation measures. However, EU agricultural subsidies distort competition. This is the conclusion of an economic…

carbon footprint

2021.03.29

Climate labeling reduces our CO2 footprint

Climate labels informing us of a meat product’s carbon footprint cause many people to opt for climate-friendlier alternatives. This applies to people who are curious about a product’s carbon footprint, as well as to…

FORESTS

2021.03.25

New documentation: Old-growth forest carbon sinks overestimated

The claim that old-growth forests play a significant role in climate mitigation, based upon the argument that even the oldest forests keep sucking CO2 out of the atmosphere, is being refuted by researchers at the…

CLIMATE

2021.03.16

Researchers discover intact plant fossils beneath Greenland’s ice sheet for the first time

For the first time ever, researchers have found fossils under Greenland's ice sheet that are so large and well preserved that they can be seen with the naked eye. The fossils reveal several million years of details abou…

AGRICULTURE

2021.03.15

LITTLE NINJA protein helps crops grow more side shoots

A tiny, newly discovered protein can regulate how tall grass species like wheat, barley and rice become and how many side shoots they produce. University of Copenhagen researchers have identified the microProtein LITTLE…

Dinosaurs

2021.03.09

An epic walk: 15 million years needed for dinosaurs to get from South America to Greenland

For the first time, two researchers—one from the University of Copenhagen and the other from Columbia University—have accurately dated the arrival of the first herbivorous dinosaurs in East Greenland. Their results…

Technology

2021.03.08

How robotics will affect humanity and nature in the future

How will robotic technologies impact wildlife? Will self-driving cars create more or less urban noise? What will the relationship between humans and nature be like in the future? 170 experts weigh in on the global…

PLANT BIOLOGY

2021.03.04

Researchers discover how to control zinc content in plants: Could help the world’s malnourished

Over 2 billion people worldwide are malnourished due to zinc deficiency. Led by the University of Copenhagen, an international team of researchers has discovered how plants sense zinc and use this knowledge to enhance…

climate

2021.02.09

Arctic permafrost releases more CO2 than once believed

There may be greater CO2 emissions associated with thawing Arctic permafrost than ever imagined. An international team of researchers, including one from the University of Copenhagen, has discovered that soil bacteria…

evolution

2021.02.04

We’re more like primitive fishes than once believed

People traditionally think that lungs and limbs are key innovations that came with the vertebrate transition from water to land. But in fact, the genetic basis of air-breathing and limb movement was already established…

climate

2021.02.02

Misguided sense of balance exacerbates climate scepticism

Many of us may have inadvertently contributed to the growing climate scepticism of recent years, a widespread phenomenon fuelled by “system errors” built into journalism, social media and parliamentary debates. A new…

plant science

2021.01.28

Wood formation can now be followed in real-time - and possibly serve the climate and builders of tomorrow

A genetic engineering method makes it possible to observe how woody cell walls are built in plants. The new research in wood formation, conducted by the University of Copenhagen and others, opens up the possibility of…

TASTE

2021.01.27

New study: Which beverages burst with umami potential?

In a new and first of its kind study, University of Copenhagen researchers study fermented beverages to find the one with the most umami flavour. Which one wins—champagne, beer, wine or sake? A UCPH researcher answers…

insects

2021.01.19

Aphids suck: Invasive aphid found on Danish apple trees

The spirea aphid, Aphis spiraecola, an invasive pest, has been discovered for the first time in Denmark by University of Copenhagen researchers. The extent of its current distribution remains unknown, but in time, it…

ENVIRONMENT

2021.01.12

Your organic waste will be upcycled to fertilise fields

Researchers behind a major EU project will develop technologies that make it easier to convert organic waste in our compostable trash bags into fertiliser. UCPH researcher says that agriculture sector needs to tackle…

evolution

2021.01.06

How Earth’s oddest mammal got to be so bizarre

Often considered the world's oddest mammal, Australia’s beaver-like, duck-billed platypus exhibits an array of bizarre characteristics: it lays eggs instead of giving birth to live babies, sweats milk, has venomous spur…

solving climate changes

2021.01.05

We want people to choose green

A call for applications sparked off a conversation around the dining table in a dorm, which quickly turned into a brainstorm on how to make a difference in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

COLONIZATION

2014.02.12

Americas only Clovis skeleton had its genome mapped

They lived in America about 13,000 years ago where they hunted mammoth, mastodons and giant bison with big spears. The Clovis people were not the first humans in America, but they represent the first humans with a wide…

2012.03.05

The Blue Planet's new water budget

Researchers from University of Copenhagen and Stanford have examined 3.8 billion year old minerals from Greenland and determined that liquid water was also in existence upon the young Earth, billions of years ago.

2012.01.19

The biodiversity crisis: Worse than climate change

University of Copenhagen leaves imprint on new UN panel in effort to preserve world nature.