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UNFORTUNATE WAVE POWER: When waves above 13 metres hit wind turbines, an unfortunate force arises at the rear of the turbine. This is called ringing. John Grue is now looking for a general mathematical formula that can explain the special phenomenon.
Published Feb 26, 2013 07:49 AM

Medium-sized waves can destroy wind turbines at sea, causing them to break like matches. Mathematicians are trying to explain why.

NORWEGIAN ROCK: The Norwegian element thorium can become an important resource in the use of uranium for nuclear weapons in nuclear power plants. Photo: Colourbox
Published Feb 12, 2013 07:30 AM

The USA uses uranium from Russian nuclear weapons as fuel in its civilian nuclear power plants. If the weapon-grade uranium is mixed with the Norwegian element thorium, the waste becomes 95 per cent less radioactive.

CHECKS THE CELL NUCLEI: Professors Håvard Danielsen and Fritz Albregtsen have developed a sophisticated computer programme that can calculate the malignancy of cancer tumours by studying the composition of the DNA strand in the cell nuclei. Photo: Yngve Vogt
Published Feb 6, 2013 10:07 AM

The number of incorrect cancer prognoses can be halved with computerised image analysis. In three years time, the method can be used on patients with bowel cancer, ovarian cancer and prostate cancer.

MEASURES STIFFNESS: As tumours do not have the same elasticity as health tissue, it is possible to detect tumours by measuring elasticity of soft tissue. This method is called elastography. "Wave velocity in ultrasound measurements increases the more dangerous the tumour is", explains Professor Sverre Holm (right) and Postdoctoral Fellow Peter Näsholm in the Department of Informatics at UiO. Photo: Yngve Vogt
Published Feb 4, 2013 08:21 AM

It will now be possible to detect cancer by measuring the elasticity of tumours. The method is cheap, safe and radiation-free.

MAGIC: Professor Aasmund Sudbø and Head of Research Erik Marstein have used all kinds of wonderful tricks with light to reduce the thickness of solar cells by 95 per cent. Photo: Yngve Vogt
Published Jan 29, 2013 07:49 AM

In five to seven years, solar cells will have become much cheaper and only one-twentieth as thick as current solar cells. The trick is to deceive the sunlight with microbeads.

LOOKING FOR DARK MATTER: Are Raklev, the university's leading theoretician in astroparticle physics, has launched a mathematical model that explains what dark matter may consist of.  Photo: Yngve Vogt
Published Jan 23, 2013 10:25 AM

The universe abounds with dark matter. Nobody knows what it consists of. UiO physicists have now launched a very hard mathematical explanation that could solve the mystery once and for all.

 

 

The sentence structure in Middle English - and thus also Modern English - is Scandinavian and not Western Germanic. (Illustration: Hanne Utigard)
 
Published Nov 27, 2012 11:28 AM

Contrary to popular belief, the British did not 'borrow' words and concepts from the Norwegian and Danish Vikings and their descendants. What we call English is actually a form of Scandinavian.  

FEWER CONFLICTS: "We predict a steady decrease in conflicts in the next 40 years," maintains Professor Håvard Hegre. Foto: Yngve Vogt
Published Nov 19, 2012 07:09 AM

Statistical analyses show that the world will be more peaceful in the future. In about 40 years only half as many countries will be in conflict. The decrease will be greatest in the Middle East.

HINDERS CANCER SPREADING:  "We hope our new knowledge will make it easier to find a substance that can prevent cancer spreading," says Professor Pål Falnes (left) and the principal person behind the study, former postdoc, Stefan Kernstock. Photo: Yngve Vogt
Published Nov 15, 2012 08:29 AM

Enzyme hunters at UiO have discovered the function of an enzyme that is important in the spreading of cancer. Cancer researchers now hope to inhibit the enzyme.

STRUGGLE OVER SYMBOLS: 'World Heritage is the foremost international recognition that a location can achieve, but the National Park symbol is often preferred', says Herdis Hølleland. (Photo: Mark Oldham) 
Published Aug 30, 2012 01:13 PM

Nearly one thousand wonders of the world - created by people or by nature - have been given status as World Heritage. New research shows that most people do not understand the concept of World Heritage or do not know why places are awarded this status.

X-RAY VISION: Professor Ute Krengel and PhD Candidate Julie Heggelund use a small x-ray machine at the Department of Chemistry to find the molecular structure of the cholera toxin. Photo: Yngve Vogt
Published Aug 27, 2012 09:47 AM

The likelihood of becoming seriously ill from cholera depends on your blood group. It is possible to find a new remedy for the feared illness by studying the molecular structure in the toxin in the cholera bacteria.

NUMBER CRUNCHING: Oncologist Hans Kristian Vollan and pathologist Hege Russness collaborate closely with bioinformatician Ole Kristian Lingjærde (on the left) to find the systematic connection between changes in the cancer genome and how serious the illness is. Photo: Yngve Vogt
Published Aug 23, 2012 12:23 PM

It is now possible to identify aggressive breast cancers by interpreting the mathematical patterns in the cancer genome.  

FIFTY PER CENT LESS RADIATION:  The particle physicists Erlend Bolle, David Volgyes, Michael Rissi and Kim-Eigard Hines have developed a completely new technology that makes it possible to halve radiation from a PET scanner. The PET scanner is also built at such a small scale that it can be placed inside an MR scanner. This makes it possible to take the MR and PET images at the same time. Photo: Yngve Vogt
Published Aug 22, 2012 09:46 AM

Particle physicists have developed a new medical technology that combines PET and MRI in one. Benefit: Improved image quality and less radiation.

SELF-MADE: "20 satellites will be filled with instruments from University of Oslo," says Tore André Bekkeng.
Published May 14, 2012 12:47 PM

The northern lights interfere with radio communications, GPS navigation and satellite communications. Researchers are now going to launch 20 satellites containing world class instruments from the University of Oslo to find out why.  

SUPERNOVA EXPLOSION: Today astrophysicists are struggling to perform computer simulations of a supernova (a massive star explosion). New knowledge about atomic nuclei from the University of Oslo may make such simulations easier. Photo: NASA  
Published May 8, 2012 08:00 AM

New insight into the behaviour of atomic nuclei may explain how gigantic star explosions, or supernovas, have formed the elements that are crucial to mankind.

GLIMPSE INTO PRIMORDIAL TIMES: Genetic analyses of a micro-organism that lives in the sludge of a lake in Ås, 30 km south of Oslo i Norway, are providing researchers with an insight into what the first life on Earth looked like. Foto: UiO/MERG
Published Apr 25, 2012 05:15 PM

Mankind's remotest relative is a very rare micro-organism from south-Norway. The discovery may provide an insight into what life looked like on earth almost one thousand million years ago.

MAGIC: This photograph shows a section of the 2.5 metre papyrus on magic in the Oslo collection. It contains 19 magic recipes and is illustrated with drawings of demons that must be drawn as part of the magic. (UB)
Published Mar 20, 2012 02:37 PM

Some of the most important papyri on magic in the world are housed at the University of Oslo. Papyri show that though we tend to associate Antiquity with rationality and science, it was also characterised by several alien and obscure practices.

UNDISCOVERED NICHE: Professor Johanna Olweus has found a completely new method of using the immune system to attack cancer. Photo: Yngve Vogt
Published Feb 3, 2012 12:00 AM
Immune cells from healthy individuals can be the new immune cure for cancer. This treatment can kill cancer cells without destroying neighbouring cells. The hope is to eradicate cancer for ever.
ALL TYPES OF CANCER: Professor Gustav Gaudernack hopes that his most recent cancer vaccine can be used against all types of cancer. Photo: Yngve Vogt
Published Feb 1, 2012 12:00 AM
A professor at the University of Oslo has developed a cancer vaccine that can prolong the life expectancy of patients with pancreatic cancer. Now he is testing a new vaccine that hopefully is able to kill all types of cancer cells.
INFLUENZA: “The new invention Vaccibody can also be used to make vaccines against flu,” comment PhD student Gunnveig Grødeland and Professor Bjarne Bogen. Photo: Yngve Vogt
Published Jan 30, 2012 12:00 AM
The vaccines of the future against infections, influenza and cancer can be administered using an electrical pulse and a specially-produced DNA code from the University of Oslo. The DNA code programs the body’s own cells to produce a super-fast missile defence against the disease.
SELF-INVENTED EQUIPMENT: Professor Jon Petter Omtvedt will be taking along a van load of self-invented equipment for the chemical experiments that will be conducted abroad. Photo: Yngve Vogt
Published Nov 17, 2011 12:00 AM
In order to find the chemical properties of super-heavy elements, chemists must conduct one of the world's most demanding chemical experiments in a matter of seconds. In this effort, the University of Oslo is at the global cutting edge.
EXTENSION: Professor Jon Petter Omtvedt hopes to extend the periodic table with elements 119 and 120. Photo: Yngve Vogt
Published Nov 17, 2011 12:00 AM
All heavy elements are created in gigantic supernova explosions. Now scientists are competing to create the world's heaviest element in a laboratory. Production time: less than one atom per month. Lifetime: a few modest microseconds.
HOT AND COLD WATER: Ole Martin Løvvik demonstrates thermoelectricity with one glass of cold and one glass of hot water. The new technology utilises the temperature difference and generates enough energy to operate a rapidly rotating fan. Foto: Yngve Vogt
Published Nov 9, 2011 12:00 AM

Over half of all the energy in the world is lost as useless waste heat. Much of this heat loss can now be converted to electricity.

KILLS CANCER CELLS: University of Oslo researchers have discovered that certain inflammatory reactions are part of the body's natural defences against cancer. The picture shows macrophages, which are typical inflammatory cells (green) that kill cancer cells (blue and red). PHOTO: Clara Hammarström
Published Aug 30, 2011 12:00 AM
Many have believed that inflammation can lead to cancer. On the contrary, University of Oslo researchers have now found that inflammation can fight cancer. This means that in the future, cancer may be treated with inflammation-promoting immunotherapy.
BURN DANGEROUS FAT: Eili Tranheim Kase has found a new substance which can birn fat around intestines and muscles. Photo: Yngve Vogt
Published Aug 30, 2011 12:00 AM
Researchers at the University of Oslo have discovered a substance which can fight obesity. The pharmaceutical industry is interested and the potential market value is estimated to a billion dollars per year.