News about Society

New project maps illegal mining and global environmental crime

With a grant from the Independent Research Fund Denmark, researchers from the UCPH will study how minerals are irregularly mined in Ghana and end up in technological products, only to return and dumped as e-waste.

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.

Vaccine ‘pocket money’ is controversial - but it works

Can a few hundred kroner motivate people to be vaccinated? Yes, to a certain extent, shows a research project anchored in the Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality, University of Copenhagen.

Farmers' share of food prices has fallen

The path from farm to fork is getting longer and longer on a global scale. In fact, most of what we pay for food doesn’t go to those who grow or raise foods, but to food processors, packagers, transporters and others. A…

Vocational education shapes students’ personality

Do young people become more conscientious by getting an education? Yes, if it is a vocational education, a new study reveals.

Study aims to prevent violence against staff working in residential care

Staff working in residential care institutions for children and youth are regularly exposed to violence and threats at work.

No strategy behind Danish war effort in Afghanistan – we followed USA

When Denmark decided to participate in the war in Afghanistan just three months after the terrorist attacks 11 September 2001, it was an act of solidarity with the United States. The efforts were not part of a long-term…

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…

New online course: Urbanisation and Health – Promoting Sustainable Solutions

Join our new online course, "Urbanisation and Health – Promoting Sustainable Solutions" for free now.

Ancient riddle solved: 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…

Ancient riddle solved: 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…

Covid-19 clinical trials ignore gender differences

Although the coronavirus affects men and women differently, most clinical trials do not mention sex/gender, a new analysis of 4,420 studies concludes. Ultimately, it can influence the treatment negatively.

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,…

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 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…

The sense of smell in older adults declines when it comes to meat, but not vanilla

Contrary to what science once suggested, older people with a declining sense of smell do not have comprehensively dampened olfactory ability for odors in general – it simply depends upon the type of odor. Researchers at…

Five types of passengers: How we respond to fines on the bus

As passengers we respond very differently when caught without a valid ticket on the bus. Using video analysis, sociologists have identified five typical patterns of reaction.

Welfare Reforms and the Division of Parental Leave

Thomas H. Jørgensen and Jakob E. Søgaard's CESifo working paper, featured in the latest CESifo newsletter.

New Associate Dean for Education at the Faculty of Social Sciences

On 1 September Professor Sara Hagemann takes up office as the new Associate Dean for Education at the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Researchers test virtual reality as a tool for promoting vaccination

234 random passersby got the opportunity to try a new virtual reality game, when researchers from the University of Copenhagen visited Fælledparken to test the efficiency of VR technology within health information.

Researchers test virtual reality as a tool for promoting vaccination

234 random passersby got the opportunity to try a new virtual reality game, when researchers from the University of Copenhagen visited Fælledparken to test the efficiency of VR technology within health information.

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…

Hybridity and change in cooking skills in everyday life: Conceptual contributions from a study of cooking with meal-box schemes

Professor Bente Halkier contributed to the journal Appetite with the article 'Hybridity and change in cooking skills in everyday life: Conceptual contributions from a study of cooking with meal-box schemes'. In a…

Querying into Data in Asylum Decision-making, Author: Trine Rask Nielsen

In this blogpost examples are given from the DATA4ALL project on the weekly ‘data crunching’ sessions. The sessions have been set up as an important step towards querying into data from asylum cases.