All news

HEALTH

2026.07.03

Language barriers and culture clash: Frustrations among Ukrainian refugees with the Danish healthcare system

Several Ukrainian refugees have sought alternative medical care and received medication from their home country despite getting rapid access to the Danish healthcare system. There is a risk that frustrated patients fall…

Mental health

2026.07.01

ADHD and autism diagnoses have increased: New study points to broader diagnoses as an explanation

Far more people are being diagnosed with ADHD and autism today than in the past, and a new study from the University of Copenhagen shows that the genetic contributions have decreased over the past 20 years.

Health

2026.07.01

Researchers to teens: get to bed – it’s good for your blood sugar

If you’re 18, getting a bit more sleep could matter more than you think. New research from the University of Copenhagen and COPSAC shows that even in healthy young people, longer nights of sleep are linked to more stabl…

Dishonesty

2026.06.26

New research identifies the types of dishonesty that occur in a relationship – and their consequences

From ‘harmless’ white lies to infidelity, dishonesty in romantic relationships is a complex phenomenon that takes on many forms. New research from the University of Copenhagen shows that while dishonesty between partner…

Yo-yo dieting

2026.06.24

Why ‘yo-yo dieting’ may not be as harmful as often believed

A review of research on repeated weight loss and regain suggests that yo‑yo dieting is not necessarily as harmful as it is often portrayed.

food waste

2026.06.22

Scientists have designed a clay that can prevent fruits and vegetables from rotting too quickly

The gas ethylene causes fruit and vegetables to ripen faster and is responsible for millions of tons of food being lost annually during transport and storage. Now researchers from the University of Copenhagen, among…

Economics

2026.06.19

Competition from Chinese imports is causing CO₂ emissions to rise globally

Danish companies emit less CO₂ when they relocate certain tasks abroad. At the same time, emissions rise correspondingly in those countries. However, global emissions increase when companies are under pressure from chea…

Safe drinking water

2026.06.18

Researchers behind new spinout: Only a fraction of the chemicals in drinking water are tested for

Much of our drinking water contains hundreds of chemicals, but today we test for only a fraction of them. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have now launched a company offering an exceptionally broad…

ANCIENT DNA

2026.06.17

Oldest strains of plague caused deadly outbreaks 5,500 years ago

A new study published in Nature reconstructs the earliest known plague genomes and for the first time shows that early forms of plague caused deadly outbreaks – long before the Black Death killed up to half the…

Psychology

2026.06.17

First graduates from new psychology programme

A new master’s programme at the University of Copenhagen, run in collaboration with Region Zealand, has now produced its first graduates. This marks the culmination of a targeted effort to provide a more…

Artificial intelligence

2026.06.16

AI gigafactories require political decisions – not just technological investments

The EU plans to build massive AI gigafactories, and Denmark has thrown its hat into the ring. But according to a new research brief from CAISA – the National Centre for AI in Society – there is a lack of broad political…

Mental health

2026.06.15

New scale measures mental health promoting behaviour

With the help of a nine-item scale, researchers from the University of Copenhagen are now able to measure mental health promoting behaviour and gain insight into how it affects our well-being.

Psychology

2026.06.11

Danish intelligence test may underestimate the abilities of bilingual young people

Even highly educated young people who have grown up and been educated in Denmark risk being underestimated when their IQ is tested. New research points to hidden cultural bias in one of the most widely used intelligence…

Movement

2026.06.10

Children improve their fraction skills by playing basketball in class

Combining fractions with basketball improves pupils’ mathematical skills in primary school, a new study from the University of Copenhagen concludes. The researcher behind it calls for the approach to be integrated into…

Social media

2026.06.04

AfD Dominated TikTok in the German Election

The right-wing party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) dominated TikTok during the German federal election in 2025. Its visibility was primarily driven by regular users – not by the party itself.

Plants

2026.06.02

From flat moss to forests and flowers: New discovery may explain how plants conquered land

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have identified a previously unknown protein that may help explain how plants managed to colonize land more than 400 million years ago.

solitary confinement

2026.05.25

‘Voluntary’ solitary confinement makes prisoners in Danish prisons ill

Eight per cent of prisoners in Danish prisons choose so‑called voluntary solitary confinement to avoid violence from other inmates. However, this ‘voluntary’ isolation is unregulated, and many vulnerable prisoners…

The Board

2026.05.22

Henrik Plougmann Olsen appointed as new member of the University of Copenhagen Board

With experience from several major public-sector organisations, Henrik Plougmann Olsen will join the Board of the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) as an external member from 1 July 2026.

PUBLIC HEALTH

2026.05.21

Why are young people’s sleep and mental health so poor? Researchers point to ‘vicious cycles’ as possible explanation

A new study from the University of Copenhagen maps a complex network of factors that may trap young adults in poor sleep patterns and mental distress.

Corals

2026.05.21

Warming oceans can disrupt coral oxygen supply and trigger coral death

A new study from the University of Copenhagen shows that marine heatwaves can disrupt microscopic moving structures on the surface of corals that support oxygen uptake.

Science commiunication

2026.05.20

18 UCPH Researchers Bring Science to Roskilde Festival

The University of Copenhagen and Roskilde Festival have entered a new partnership aimed at giving young people a different kind of encounter with research. This summer, researchers will move onto the festival grounds…

Innovation

2026.05.20

Digital platform significantly reduces distress among children of divorce

A digital solution developed by researchers at the University of Copenhagen improves the mental health of children and young people after their parents’ divorce, according to a new study. The platform also reduces famil…

social media

2026.05.18

Alternative SoMe algorithms can help users form more accurate and less polarized beliefs

The algorithms that most social media platforms like Facebook, X, and TikTok use today might be contributing to political conflict and polarization. But a new study from the University of Copenhagen suggests that simple…

BRAIN RESEARCH

2026.05.18

‘Garbage collectors’ of the brain grind to a halt in fatal disease

Surprising results point to an exhausted immune system in the brain as a potential explanation for aggressive brain disease

Climate

2026.05.08

Green initiatives can cause conflict and inequality in Africa

Several African countries are keen to brand themselves through ambitious climate projects. But these green initiatives can, in some cases, fuel conflict – and because they are part of the global green transition, they…

2026.05.07

Industrial waste used to develop non-toxic wood protection

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have developed a new, non-toxic method for protecting wood that could eventually replace conventional pressure-treated timber.

climate

2026.05.07

Scientists stunned: Volcano cleans up after itself by removing methane from the air

A violent volcanic eruption in the South Pacific has revealed a surprising natural mechanism that could potentially help slow global warming. The finding provides entirely new insights into atmospheric chemistry and may…

Extremism

2026.05.07

Artificial intelligence may accelerate the path to radicalisation

AI algorithms and psychological vulnerabilities can interact and increase the risk of violent extremism. This is demonstrated by a new theoretical model developed by an international team of researchers.

Health

2026.05.05

Uncertainty-based communication fuels vaccine scepticism

Even small changes in official health communication can have major consequences for both trust and behaviour regarding vaccination. This is shown by an international study using US data.

Animal ethics

2026.05.05

Dog training choices reflect owners’ ethical views on animals

A new study from the University of Copenhagen explores how dog owners’ ethical views on animals are reflected in the training methods they use.