Latest News

• Cancer

  Why does breast cancer often spread in obese women?

  Every year, approx. 5,000 Danish women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Obesity makes the cancer cells more aggressive, so they spread to other parts of the body. This is the focus of Rasmus Siersbæk’s research and he hopes to be able to find better treatment methods for this disease.

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• Sustainability

  Tomatoes from warm countries are better for the environment

  Tomatoes from greenhouses emit about eight times more CO2 than those that grow under the open sky. Scientists have uncovered the world’s most eaten vegetables´ climate footprint, and greenhouses are the big CO2 culprit.

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• Cell research

  Researchers want to map your cells. All 37 trillion of them!

  We are gradually learning more about the cells of the human body than any researcher has ever dared to dream of. But what’s the purpose?

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• Biogas

  Researchers convert CO2 into sustainable fuels

  The technology will soon be tested at one of Denmark's largest biogas plants, which looks into a future where biogas is not only created from manure and potato peels, but also CO2.

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• Plant based medicine

  The cannabis plant's long road to the medicine cabinet

  Billions have been invested, and the first Danish medicinal cannabis product is on the market. In the eye of the storm is researcher Rime Bahij, who dreams of mapping the ingredients of the cannabis plant. She hopes the evaluation of the two-year trial scheme of medicinal cannabis will open up to more research.

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• Archaeometry

  The Polar Explorer’s Last Hours

  Chemical analyzes of a black spot in a diary shed new light on the destiny and tragic death of legendary Inuit polar expedition member Jørgen Brønlund in Northeast Greenland in 1907.

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• Pharmaceuticals

  The whole world is looking at the possibility of drug repurposing

  The medicine of the future for a wide range of diseases may exist in the drugs that have already been developed. Researchers from SDU, among others, are looking for drugs that may have an effect on completely different diseases than the ones they have been approved for.

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• Virus protection

  SDU researchers and Abena join forces to create face masks that neutralise and alert about corona

  Nanoscientists from SDU and Abena, a production and trading company, want to create a face mask that not only neutralises the coronavirus but also alerts the user when the face mask comes in contact with the virus.

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• Deep sea research

  In search of the deepest secrets of the sea

  The hadal trenches are some of the least explored places on Earth. Most of what’s going on down there remains a mystery, but we’re on the brink of unlocking it, as a series of ambitious expeditions are planned.

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• New research

  Can carrots help combat diabetes?

  Researcher Eva Arnspang Christensen has for the first time shown a connection between the substance falcarindiol in carrots and diabetes. Now she is chasing money to test whether carrots can fight diabetes in a clinical trial.

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• Animal experiments

  New medicines without animal testing

  Researchers want to reduce the use of animal experiments when developing new medicines. Computer simulations are becoming increasingly better at handling the task.

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• Creativity

  Artists create economic growth

  Every year, big cities like New York and Los Angeles attract thousands of artists who dream of making a name for themselves as musicians, writers or actors. A new research project at SDU shows that the rich cultural life helps to create economic growth in the largest cities in the US.

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• Small revolutions

  Researcher uses mini-brains for disease research

  Professor Martin Røssel Larsen researches brain diseases. In order to better understand them, he makes mini-brains from stem cells in his laboratory.

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• Light in the dark

  The world is full of luminous animals

  Deep-sea researchers report that all the animals analysed from their dive have the ability to glow. Luminous organisms are more common than we think – also in Denmark.

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• Entrepreneurs

  Hybrid entrepreneurs stand a lesser chance of success

  If you try to start your own business at the same time as applying for a job, you are far less likely to succeed in your business. This is the result of a new study from SDU

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• Cultural heritage

  Danish King got enshrined in his own clothes – but appeared with his brothers’

  Scientific analysis solve puzzle about the age and destiny of precious silk textiles from AD 1100.

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• Work environment

  Employee-involvement to ensure that fewer employees are worn out

  Additional aids are necessary if social and health workers and bricklayers are to withstand working up until the age of 70. Unfortunately, too many aids end up gathering dust.

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• Sustainability

  Concrete absorbs large amounts of CO2

  Like trees, concrete buildings absorb CO2. New calculations show that concrete absorbs roughly 30 percent of the amount of CO2 that cement production emits.

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• Tech giants

  They give you funny cat videos online – do they get world domination in return?

  Professor of Computer Science Peter Schneider-Kamp is concerned that we are handing over too much power to Big Tech by allowing them to collect information on us.

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• Robot technology

  New milestone for composite production

  SDU researchers, alongside companies Terma and Technicon, have developed a complete robot technology system for the manufacturing of composite parts. The suction cup-based system may revolutionize the production of parts for aircraft, cars, and wind turbines.

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• COVID-19

  COVID-19: What impact has social distancing had on infection rates?

  Researchers have mined data from Google and Apple, revealing the effects of social distancing in Europe.

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• New medicine

  From scorpion venom to heart medicine

  New study reveals how scorpion venom can lead to the development of medicine for heart attacks.

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• Pandemic

  COVID-19: The next wave is on its way in Europe and it may be similar to the first

  Researchers predict that Europe will be hit by a new COVID-19 wave in September, and that it will subside after approx. two weeks.

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• Innovation

  New type of innovation has emerged during COVID-19

  Whisky and gin from Nyborg Distillery becomes hand sanitizer, Grundfos makes 100,000 visors and fibre materials are used for face masks instead of nappies. Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark have studied the redirection of resources in Danish companies to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) during the corona crisis, and they have discovered an entirely new type of innovation.

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• Enviroment

  New method to reduce emissions of ammonia and methane from manure

  A new environmental technology has shown impressive results in lab tests. In the best cases, ammonia emissions from pig manure were reduced by up to 95 % and methane emissions were reduced by as much as 99 %. The researchers behind the technology believe that the technology could revolutionise the efforts of the Danish livestock industry to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

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• Climate change

  Heavy rain after drought may cause fish kills

  Due to climate changes, many regions are experiencing increasingly warmer and dryer summers, followed by heavy rain. New study shows this is a fatal combination that can cause massive fish kills in lakes within a few hours.

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• Technology

  Thermographic cameras can detect critically ill patients

  Two software engineering students from SDU have developed an app that uses thermal imaging to calculate the difference in temperature between a patient’s nose and corner of the eye. A consultant doctor in emergency medicine believes that thermal imaging could be the future when it comes to detecting critically ill patients.

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• Innovation

  Student helps brain cancer patients with quick new test

  An engineering student has developed a test that can ensure faster and better treatment for cancer patients. The biotech company PentaBase calls the discovery groundbreaking.

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• Environmental challenge

  Threats from the micro universe

  Researchers today are concerned about possible health threats from the micro and nano universe. The invisible particles are all around us, in the food, in the water, in the air and even inside us, and while some may be harmful, others may be the next great medical revolution.

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• Marine biology

  Jellyfish contain no calories, but they still attract predators

  New study shows that jellyfish are an important food source for many animals. As jellyfish blooms become more frequent and more massive, this could affect marine ecosystems.

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• Covid-19

  Elephant robot to remind children to clean their hands

  Hand sanitizer and soap is important in the fight against Covid-19, but children in schools and kindergartens may not be fond of all that extra hygiene. As a part of a larger project, scientists from SDU are now building a child-friendly robotic interface to motivate kids to clean their hands.

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• Everyday dilemmas

  Can theatre help climate change?

  Students have been involved in improvised theatre to become aware of how to live more sustainably. Behind the project are researchers from SDU and they are impressed with the young people's dedication.

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• Food

  Crisps with less salt taste just as good

  The pleasure of eating crisps is not diminished by cutting the salt content significantly. Crisps taste just as good when containing 30 percent less salt. Researchers at the University of Southern Denmark have come to this surprising conclusion by testing 200 young persons’ taste in crisps.

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• Drones4Safety

  “Drone birds” to inspect bridges and railroads in Europe

  A major EU-project led by SDU will develop an automatic drone system to monitor bridges, railroads, and other critical infrastructure over the next three years. The drones will fly in swarms, photograph and analyze the constructions, harvest energy from power cables, and notify if repairs are needed.

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• Coronavirus Test

  Robot swabs patients’ throats for Covid-19

  Robotics researchers from the University of Southern Denmark have developed the world’s first fully automatic robot capable of carrying out throat swabs for Covid-19, so that healthcare professionals are not exposed to the risk of infection. The prototype has successfully performed throat swabs on several people. The scientists behind are cheering: The technology works!

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• Hearing loss

  Researchers want to phase out waiting time for hearing tests

  Patients with hearing loss wait for months for a hearing test. This must end. Researchers are developing a new hearing test that will save time for both patients and hospitals.

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• Environment

  You cannot avoid microplastics

  No human being on this earth comes through life without breathing, drinking water and consuming salt. For the vast majority of us, this also means involuntary ingestion of microplastics.

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• Macabas discovery

  Cannibalism helps invading invertebrates survive severe conditions

  Investing in the future: Researchers show how cannibalism among the invasive comb jelly enables adults to survive severe conditions at the edge of their ecological range with implications for the use and evolutionary origins of cannibalism.

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• Water plan

  SDU helping to ensure clean drinking water in India

  India is thirsty. Almost half the population is at risk of water shortages. The Indian government is therefore rolling out an epic water plan, which researchers in environmental technology are going to help put into practice.

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• Chemistry

  Breakthrough in molecular machines

  Molecular machines have the potential to revolutionize the future - if we can find a way to control them. SDU researchers now report that they have found a way to control the small machines so that they move in a certain direction - for example, into the bloodstream.

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• Recycling

  Sea wrack on the beach: Disgusting or valuable?

  Insulation, fertilizer and animal feed: For centuries, humans have been using sea wrack and washed-up eelgrass on the beach in a myriad of ways that also make sense today, scientists say and call for better utilisation.

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• Bacterial Research

  Streptococci: Starve them to death!

  Streptococcus is one of the bacteria that takes most lives globally. A new study suggest that the bacterium may be starved to death and thus become harmless.

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• Protection

  SDU and Engineers Without Borders provide face masks in Africa

  Scientists from the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute and the Department of Clinical Research at SDU have initiated a collaboration with Engineers Without Borders to produce and distribute face masks in Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau. The purpose is to limit contamination of COVID-19 and test the effectiveness of the masks.

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• Novel coronavirus

  New test under development: Can measure if you have coronavirus in less than ten minutes

  Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark and the Danish company Bioporto are collaborating on the development of a test that can quickly identify if a person has been infected with the coronavirus. The test could be critical in relation to preventing infection from person to person.

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• Hearing

  Surprising hearing talents in cormorants

  The great cormorant has more sensitive hearing under water than in air. This new knowledge may help protect vulnerable bird species.

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• Lifespan

  Female lifespan is longer in wild mammal animals than in humans

  Longer lives are not only for female humans: Mammalian female’s average lifespan is 18.6% longer than that of males. In humans the female advantage is on average 7.8%

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• Cannabis

  New study: Cannabis helps fight resistant bacteria

  Bacteria are increasingly becoming resistant to antibiotics. By combining antibiotics with the cannabis compound, cannabidiol, researchers have found a way to enhance the antibiotic effect.

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• COVID-19

  Data to ensure corona-distance in supermarkets

  Scientists from SDU, together with Vemco Group, are now creating a visual data overview to help customers in Danish supermarkets keep their distance in the queue. The goal is to limit infection with COVID-19

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• Kitchen Culture

  Bone analyzes tell about kitchen utensils in the Middle Ages

  Who in the Middle Ages cooked their dinner in copper pots? And where did they do it? Such information can be revealed by chemical analyzes of human bones.

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• Sustainability

  H.O.R.T.U.S. XL absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere

  The art installation is the world’s first 3D printed bioreactor. It was created by the CREATE Group from the University of Southern Denmark using a technology that can help solve the major climate challenges.

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• New research

  SDU intensifies its research in artificial skin

  Researchers want to develop and 3D print skin for humans. The Novo Nordisk Foundation provides DKK 15 million for a new research project.

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• Recycle

  95 % of platinum can be recycled with new method

  Today, industrial scrap metal is burned in order to recycle the rare and costly metal platinum, but a researcher from SDU has developed a method to recycle over 95 % of platinum.

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• Sustainability

  Students develop sustainable sanitary towels from plants

  Three students were tired of not being able to find sustainable sanitary towels. So, they developed one from plant fibres that is just as absorbent as conventional sanitary towels. Now they are looking for patents and investors.

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• Shipping

  Drones to make short cut through the Arctic safe

  Global warming has opened the Northeast and Northwest Passage and allowed ships to take a shortcut between Europe and Asia. Unfortunately, icebergs are still roaming and pose a danger to the ships. Now, drones are to help make the Passage safe.

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• Economy

  Researchers are calling for better data on inequality

  For us to be able to reduce inequality in and between the countries of the world, we need better data on inequality. There is no international system for measuring inequality’, is the message from Professor Paul Sharp and more than 50 other economists.

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• Energy

  Will the future’s super batteries be made of seawater?

  The race is on to develop even more efficient and rechargable batteries for the future. One promising option is to make batteries based on sodium, which is found in abundance in seawater.

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• Behavioral research

  Parrots collaborate with invisible partners

  New study shows that peach-fronted conures have a surprisingly advanced talent for collaboration when it comes to finding food. This is important knowledge for biologists working with conservation of wild bird populations.

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• SDGs

  Can philosophical dialogues counteract eco-anxiety?

  Is water or knowledge our most important resource? The major philosophical questions have become a popular extracurricular activity among more than 100 children in Billund Municipality, while philosophers from SDU have held philosophical dialogues on the UN Sustainable Development Goals in collaboration with CoC Playful Minds.

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• Social anxiety

  Virtual training to overcome anxiety

  More and more people are struggling with anxiety, but researchers hope that patients can overcome their anxiety by practicing the anxiety-inducing situations in a safe, virtual space.

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• New technology

  New spinout: Scanning platform to be used for patients with arthritis

  Robot Scientist Thiusius Rajeeth Savarimuthu and Senior Consultant Søren Just have developed a scanning platform that can measure the amount of disease activity in arthritis patients. The invention is now to be developed further in the new company, Ropca Holding Aps.

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• Robotics

  New technology to make robots attractive to smaller companies

  Many companies avoid the use of robots, because they are simply too difficult to operate. A new research project aims to develop a robot technology tailor-made for small productions, which will be able to handle assembly processes and can easily be adjusted to new tasks.

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• Health and mobile technology

  Can cell phones raise the standard of health in Tanzania?

  It is obvious that the cell phone should be incorporated into the health strategy of poor countries. But it requires more knowledge, a researcher points out

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• Microplastic

  Microplastic to be mapped in the North Atlantic Ocean

  Every day, thousands of tons of microplastic are washed from the EU coastline into the North Atlantic Ocean. Researchers now set out to investigate how harmful this is to the North Atlantic animals and environment.

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• Deep-sea exploration

  Expedition sets off to investigate unknown life forms in the Pacific Ocean

  Life can flourish under the most extreme conditions. This can be observed in the waters off the pacific island Rapa Nui, where some unusual light-dependent microbes and corals recently have been found at surprisingly great depths.

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• Cities and Sustainability

  Cities must prepare for rising sea levels and global warming

  SDU is currently building a research group that will focus on how cities can address both causes and effect to climate change, in a wider sustainable development perspective.

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• Sustainable fuel

  This is how scientists plan to produce sustainable aviation fuel

  It is only a matter of years before we can produce sustainable aviation fuel in Denmark. That is the conclusion to a new report by researchers from the University of Southern Denmark. The researchers estimate that the production facilities for 100 % green aviation fuel could be ready as early as 2025.

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• Health-tech innovation

  Camera pill detects far more potential cancer tumors

  A camera pill detects 70 % more colon polyps than a colonoscopy. The surprising result means that SDU and Odense University Hospital are now initiating the world’s largest study of 2015 patients who are at risk of developing colon or rectal cancer.

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• Neurorobotics

  Algorithm to help understand wild fishes

  Researchers have developed an algorithm to help determine the growth and wellbeing of wild fishes. The algorithm provides biologists with a long-needed tool to very accurately measure the effects of environmental impacts and climate change on the growth of wild fishes.

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• Antique pigments

  Discovered: Unknown yellow colors from Antiquity

  Antique artefacts have been studied by chemists, revealing a hitherto unknown use of yellow in Ancient Egypt.

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• Vocal development

  Monkeys can also thank their body for vocal development, not only their brain

  Development of vocal behavior during maturation is typically attributed to the brain. But the body itself is also capable of guiding this development. New experiments with marmoset monkeys show that we should not ignore the body’s own amazing capabilities.

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• Environmental innovation

  Satellites to stop ammonia emissions

  Ammonia is a growing environmental problem, but satellites can help the agricultural sector minimize emissions. A PhD student from SDU has been awarded the European Space Agency’s sustainability award for developing a system that uses satellites to measure the evaporation of ammonia from fields.

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• High-tech warfare

  Drones are moving into the battlefield

  The use of drones has changed the character of war, where modern warfare has once again become bloodier and more unpredictable.

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• Plastic pollution

  What happens to our plastic waste?

  Professor Gang Liu has tracked the global trade in plastic after China in 2018 stopped importing plastic. The researcher is in no doubt that some of our collected plastic still ends up in Asia, and no doubt that some of our collected plastic ends as an environmental problem in Asia.

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• Circular Economy

  Can Circular Economy save the earth?

  The challenge lies in understanding and overcoming all the complex mechanisms in society in order to materialise the necessary changes. At SDU we are working hard towards just that. Take part in our research by sharing your consumer preferences.

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• Ageresearch

  Researchers from SDU: We are living longer and ageing slower

  Humans’ biological age would previously be determined from biomarkers in blood samples and fitness tests, and even photos. New research shows that elderly Danes today look younger at a given age than those of 10 years ago at the same age.

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• The transformation of Danish agriculture

  Danish economy boosted by German migrants

  Researchers reinterpret Danish economic history, which goes further back than the transformation of Danish agriculture in the 1880s. The conclusion is that German speaking estate owners laid the basis for the cooperative movement in the late 18th century.

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• Environmental innovation

  GoJelly works on removing microplastic pollution using jellyfish

  Jellyfish are found everywhere from the polar regions to tropical waters. GoJelly is an international research project, which will explore jellyfish properties to be used to clean seawater for microplastic and served as feed and food, anti-aging cream or fertilizers.

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• Technology Comprehension

  Coding taught using Lego

  The Danish Ministry of Education is introducing the subject Technology Comprehension into selected primary and lower secondary schools so that children become competent in disciplines such as coding, sensors and 3D printing. At the same time, researchers are developing pedagogical tools to help the youngest pupils develop an interest in technology.

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• Researcher develops a robot insect

  What does a headless chicken have to do with robots?

  The talented researcher has already developed his first robot animal: a robot insect that crawls on pipes and can keep its footing in rough terrain. Now he is underway with his next project - developing a robot brain inspired by animals.

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• Drone technology

  Drones to fly blood samples and doctors between hospitals

  For three years, blood samples and medical equipment will be flown with drones between Odense, Svendborg and Ærø. Later, drones will also transport highly specialized healthcare professionals who need to arrive quickly. This will ensure better treatment and save the Danish health care system for almost DKK 200 million a year.

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• Nanooptics

  Distinguished award to master of light

  Professor Sergey I. Bozhevolnyi is a pioneering figure in the field of nanooptics. The Russian-born Danish top-scientist receives the Villum Kann Rasmussen Annual Award in Science and Technology.

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• Early animals thrived in only very little oxygen

  Fossils from northernmost Greenland reveal that animals thrived in oxygen-poor conditions on Earth 520 million years ago.

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• Sad music when you are 'killed' increases the pleasure of playing

  A game of checkers becomes much more fun when music reflects your next move. Research shows that dynamic music strengthens players' involvement in games, and the computer game industry is starting to realise the value of soundscapes.

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• Harbour porpoises have a new enemy: They grey seal

  Biologists have long suspected this, but now there is DNA evidence: Grey seals hunt, kill and eat harbor porpoises.

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• Robots take the lead in composite construction

  A robot mounted with 80 suction cups is to build aircraft parts at Terma. With a grant from Innovation Fund Denmark, robot researchers at the University of Southern Denmark are well on the way to automating the production of composite parts, thereby securing Danish companies a great competitive advantage.

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• For DKK 150, we can completely avoid fossil fuels

  For the same price as a fitness centre subscription, we can completely avoid fossil fuels. The technology is already here, but the green transition needs political action, according to the master's thesis of two newly graduated engineers, and now PhD students at the Faculty of Engineering

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• Nanoparticles in the environment can be more hamful than we think

  Researchers warn that a combination of nanoparticles and contaminants may form a cocktail that is harmful to our cells. In their study, 72 pct. of cells died after exposure to a cocktail of nano-silver and cadmium ions.

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• Is fucoidan the new wonder drug?

  Researchers have received 17 million DKr to investigate asubstance from brown algae. The researchers will investigate the ability of the drug to strengthen the body and combat aging.

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• Virtual reality to help combat youth drinking

  For many years, young Danes have occupied first place in European alcohol consumption statistics, but now virtual reality will teach young people to say no to alcohol.

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• Food waste: Which initiatives work?

  Efforts work best when multiple actors join forces to reduce food waste, points out SDU researcher Johanna Gollnhofer, who for one week took it upon herself to go dumpster diving.

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• Robots are to be equipped with artificial animal brain

  Robot researchers from SDU are developing a nervous system inspired by animals for robots. The artificial brain will enable robots to go, adapt, and make decisions. The robots will even be able to learn new skills like dogs through reward.

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• Drones to inspect high-voltage cables

  ​ Drone researchers at SDU are developing autonomous drones which can inspect overhead power lines. Equipped with camera, sensors and the ability of self-charging, the drones will replace expensive helicopters.

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• New study: What happens when sea levels rise and coastal land gets flooded?

  Don’t just expect a disaster: Coastal land has a strong potential to develop into well-functional marine ecosystems, if it gets flooded with seawater.

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• We buy and discard more and more electronic devices

  E-waste is today the fastest-growing type of waste and poses a global threat to the environment. “We need to get rid of our use–and-throw-away culture and think in terms of circular economics,” says a researcher from the University of Southern Denmark.

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• Scientists are leaving port ​to explore the depths of the Atacama Trench in the East Pacific Ocean

  The aim of the expedition is to explore life at 8,000 m water depth and to understand the importance of the trench for regional carbon and nitrogen cycling.

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• Novel hypothesis on why animals diversified on Earth

  ​Can tumors teach us about animal evolution on Earth? Researchers believe so and now present a novel hypothesis of why animal diversity increased dramatically about half a billion years ago. A biological innovation may have been key.

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• Researchers test people’s reactions to drones

  The altitude of the flight is a deciding factor in whether drones are a disturbance and a cause for concern when they fly over people's houses and gardens.

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