Health, Body & Mind

Microbiology

2022.08.30

Warring genetic parasites could lead to new defenses against dangerous bacteria

Plasmids – a type of autonomous genetic parasites in bacteria – are armed with a previously unknown arsenal of CRISPR-Cas "gene tools" that are frequently deployed to combat other plasmids, according to research from th…

smoking

2022.08.24

More Danes quit smoking during COVID

Danish smokers bought less tobacco and more of them quit smoking than usual during the COVID pandemic, according to new research from the University of Copenhagen. The result comes as a surprise given that mental health…

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…

Centre of Excellence

2022.06.07

New research centre will investigate if mental illness is universal

Is the human psyche the same across cultures? And do people experience mental disorders in the same way no matter what language they speak? These are some of the fundamental questions that the new Centre for Culture and…

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…

Relief

2022.05.03

B12 deficiency harms young children's development – food relief not good enough

Vitamin B12 deficiency in infants leads to poor motor development and anaemia, according to a study from Burkina Faso conducted by the University of Copenhagen and Médecins Sans Frontières. B12 deficiency is an enormous…

Strength Training

2022.04.22

Varied strength-training programmes increase strength, but not muscle mass

For years, it has been assumed that variation in strength-training programmes impacts training outcomes. New research at the University of Copenhagen demonstrates that varied strength training has a positive effect on…

Corona

2022.04.04

Lockdowns did not significantly affect young people’s mental health

Young people’s mental health has not been affected by the two corona lockdowns, a new study from the University of Copenhagen concludes. But in the short run, it did suffer temporarily.

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,…

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…

FOOD

2022.03.08

Nordic diet lowers cholesterol and blood sugar – even if you don't lose weight

A healthy Nordic diet can prevent a range of diseases. Until now, the health benefits attributed to a Nordic diet by researchers primarily focused on weight loss. But in a new study, University of Copenhagen researchers…

Inequality

2022.03.02

Children of the low-educated are at risk of early death. Now we may know why

In a new study conducted at the University of Copenhagen, data on more than 1.2 million Danish children show a connection between parents’ level of education and children’s risk of dying too early. A main reason is…

Fat tissue

2022.02.17

Well-functioning fat may be the key to fewer old-age ailments

Fat tissue plays an important role in human health. However, our fat tissue loses function as we age, which can lead to type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer and other ailments. High levels of lifelong exercise seem to…

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.

INEQUALITY

2022.01.13

Men’s health more vulnerable after breakups, divorces, and living alone, than women’s

A new study conducted at the University of Copenhagen establishes a connection between increased risk of inflammation in men and both breakup and living alone for a number of years.

Grants

2022.01.05

New intervention to strengthen efforts against diabetes in Vietnam

As one of four new Danida-supported projects involving researchers from the Department of Anthropology, a collaborative health anthropological project addresses diabetes among pregnant women in Vietnam.

GRANT

2022.01.05

Will infants in sync with their parents develop better social skills?

In a new project funded by the Carlsberg Foundation, Psychology Professor Victoria Southgate will measure the synchrony of brain activity in parents and children while they interact.

Consumer behaviour

2022.01.05

Healthy shopping peaks in January

Year after year, January is the month when we load our shopping baskets with the healthiest foods, according to new data from the University of Copenhagen. Is it because so many New Year's resolution makers are seeking…

Bacteria

2021.12.16

Danish researchers discover new hiding place for antibiotic resistance

Genes that make bacteria resistant to antibiotics can persist longer than it was previously believed. This was recently shown in a new University of Copenhagen study that reports a previously unknown hiding place for…