The novel "The Surgeon’s Stories" by Zacharias Topelius has had a significant influence on the way people in Finland, and in Sweden, have come to understand their history. In the novel, the Lutheran faith has a key role in the depiction of Finland as an emerging nation. Lutheranism provides a model for the organization of society, but also dictates which religious minorities are excluded.
Legal proceedings addressing PFAS emissions are in progress in many municipalities in Sweden. Johanna Chamberlain, legal scholar and researcher in tort law, has analysed the relevant legislation and several ongoing cases. Her research results in proposals for making legal proceedings more efficient and making it more difficult to dismiss cases with reference to the statutory limitation period.
Patients who start their blood pressure treatment with ARB drugs continue with the same medicine to a greater extent than patients who start out with other drugs. Choosing the right drug from the outset can therefore improve both health and quality of life – as well as bringing down healthcare costs. This is shown in a new study based on data from 340,000 patients.
People from the Nordic countries are often selected as international mediators in wars and armed conflicts. Martti Ahtisaari, Erik Solheim, Anna Lindh among others. In a new book, peace researchers at Uppsala University describe what makes mediators specifically from the Nordic countries so popular. Where do they come from, why do they take on these missions and what sort of mandate do they have?
Mosasaurs, giant marine reptiles that existed more than 66 million years ago, lived not only in the sea but also in rivers. This is shown by new research based on analyses of a mosasaur tooth found in North Dakota and believed to belong to an animal that could reach a length of 11 metres.
In southern Africa, a group of people lived in partial isolation for hundreds of thousands of years. This is shown in a new study based on analyses of the genomes of 28 people who lived between 10,200 and 150 years ago in southern Africa. The researchers also found genetic adaptations that likely shaped Homo sapiens as a species.
A completely new order of marine sponges has been found by researchers at the Museum of Evolution, Uppsala University. The sponge order, named Vilesida, produces substances that could be used in drug development. The same substances support the hypothesis that sponges – and therefore animals – emerged 100 million years earlier than previously thought.
When males are forced to compete for females, new species form more rapidly. This has been shown when researchers compared beetles allowed to mate freely with groups of the same species where competition for mating was restricted. The experiments, which have been going on for 40 years, explain how important sexual selection is for the emergence of new species.
Women who have been exposed to multiple traumatic experiences during childhood have more difficult births than others. They are much more likely to need emergency caesarean sections, suffer major haemorrhages or pre-eclampsia, and need more antibiotics. These findings come from a new study involving 1,253 women, who were monitored from before giving birth to one year afterwards.
The malignant pediatric brain tumor medulloblastoma is driven by proteins deep within the cancer cells, for which there are often no effective drugs available. Researchers at Uppsala University have identified a new genetic technique that enables targeting of tumour cells with elevated levels of such proteins. The technique could be used to eliminate cells responsible for tumour relapse.
Pregnant women with vitamin D deficiency may develop osteomalacia – a form of bone softening. A new Swedish study shows that this condition increases the risk of needing vacuum-assisted delivery or emergency caesarean section fivefold. Muscle weakness due to vitamin D and calcium deficiency may be a possible explanation, in addition to the pelvic changes historically associated with osteomalacia.
The most comprehensive geoarchaeological survey of Egypt’s Karnak Temple complex has been carried out by an international research team led from Uppsala University. The temple is one of the ancient world’s largest temple complexes and part of a UNESCO World Heritage site within the modern-day city of Luxor.
AI can be used to detect cervical cancer in women in resource-limited parts of the world. However, for this method to work, investments are needed in healthcare staff, reliable supply chains and trust in these communities.
More than 100,000 people are estimated to have died as a result of extreme heat during the summers of 2022 and 2023 in Europe. A new study shows that it is possible to make accurate forecasts of heat-related mortality about a week in advance. The forecasts could be used in heat warnings to protect vulnerable groups.
How much people trust politicians affects their support for climate policies. The less trust we have in politicians, the less likely we are to accept climate policies that mean paying a price as individuals. And people are especially resistant towards taxes. These are the results of a new survey of over 6,000 respondents in four European countries, published in the Journal of Public Policy.
A new study has shown that there are different types of European cisco in Swedish waters that are each genetically adapted to fresh, saline or brackish water. Genetics also steers where European cisco spawn. The new knowledge from this study can be used in continuing the sustainable management of the species, and for investigating whether the spawning environment affects the quality of the roe.
Twenty years ago, vegetarian options in Swedish supermarkets were few and far between. Today there is a broad selection of products available including vegetarian sausages and fillets, and veggie balls, the vegetarian version of meatballs. New research shows how a range of actors have managed to drive this change, despite the fact that interest from politicians has been lukewarm at best.
Men assessed as healthy after a pathologist analyses their tissue sample may still have an early form of prostate cancer. Using AI, researchers at Uppsala University have been able to find subtle tissue changes that allow the cancer to be detected long before it becomes visible to the human eye.
Batteries in electric vehicles wear out too quickly and this is slowing down the electrification of the transport sector. Researchers at Uppsala University have now developed an AI model that can provide a much more accurate picture of battery ageing. The model could lead to longer life and enhanced safety for electric vehicle batteries.
Lakes have long been viewed as sources of carbon dioxide emissions, but new research suggests they may actually act as carbon sinks. A study led by Uppsala University reveals that lake shorelines store more carbon than previously believed, highlighting the need to include these littoral zones in calculations of the continental carbon balance.
