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Recent news

New study maps where wheat, barley and rye grew before the first farmers found them

Using advanced machine-learning and climate models, researchers have shown that the ancestors of crops like wheat, barley, and rye probably were much less widespread in the Middle East 12,000 years ago than previously…

Crisis volunteering

When Crisis Strikes, Denmark’s Volunteers Step Forward

A portion of the population is ready to take action when crisis hits and others need help. According to researchers from the Department of Sociology at the University of Copenhagen, these individuals make up a civilian…

Pregnancy changes women’s responses to infants

Pregnant women react more positively than non‑pregnant women when exposed to audio recordings, videos, and images of infants. This suggests that pregnancy mentally prepares women to process infant signals, according to …

Different mechanisms are responsible for underconfidence

As humans, we can underestimate ourselves, even when we perform just as well as others. Women and people with anxiety in particular are known to doubt their own choices – and this is due to two different mechanisms,…

Danish municipalities and foreign policy – what can and can't they do?

As a rule, municipalities can't say much about foreign policy. But there are exceptions to that rule. A new research article from the Faculty of Law looks at where the line is drawn for municipalities when it comes to…

Wetlands do not need to be flooded to provide the greatest climate benefit

Contrary to expectations, wetlands do not need to be completely flooded to provide the greatest climate benefit. Instead, the water table should be below the soil surface and remain stable, according to a new study from…

New research in mice sheds light on how the brain understands what is important – and what isn’t

New research from the University of Copenhagen shows that the brain in mice works in separate channels at the same time, when they respond to emotionally significant stimuli.

Banal but brutal: Career anxiety is a driving force behind authoritarianism

Career pressure – not ideology – causes military officers to protect or overthrow dictators. New research from the Department of Political Science shows that ambition and anxiety can transform ‘ordinary men’ into the…

Copenhagen researchers make the front page of Nature: Solving the mystery of the universe's ‘little red dots’

Since the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) went into operation, red dots in its images have puzzled researchers around the world. Now, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have explained these enigmatic…

How Many Ghost Particles All the Milky Way’s Stars Send Towards Earth

Every second, a thousand billion of the elusive ghost particles, the neutrinos, pass straight through your body. Now, astrophysicists from the University of Copenhagen have mapped how many ghost particles all the stars…

US wants to take over Greenland: Why this is a diplomatic extreme

The American president's demand for control over Greenland violates international law, international agreements and the constitution. This is the conclusion of a new study from the Faculty of Law.

Danish chemist's invention could make counterfeiting a thing of the past

Every year, companies lose billions of kroner when goods are copied or illegally resold. But a new digital and legally binding fingerprint developed at the University of Copenhagen makes products impossible to…