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Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

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https://nordictimes.com/environment/study-1500-cows-to-be-kept-inside-for-18-months/

Environment

Study: 1500 cows to be kept inside for 18 months

Updated April 29, 2024, Published April 29, 2023
– By Editorial Staff
Current grazing rules for cows are said to have a negative impact on self-sufficiency.
3 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

1500 cows will be kept indoors for 18 months to study how they are affected. One of the reasons for this is that the Swedish Farmers' Union (LRF) has been working for some time to remove the grazing rights that exist in Sweden for cows, and together with Växa Sverige has succeeded in obtaining approval for the study from the Uppsala Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee.

Already in 2021, the association Växa Sverige together with LRF applied to start a study to investigate how it affected 2500 cows to be kept inside for a longer period, even during the grazing period. The application was made to the Gothenburg Animal Experimentation Ethics Board, which immediately stopped the project. The motivation for this was that it was noted that it was already known that cows benefit from being outdoors, through previous research, and that it was therefore not justified to expose the animals to suffering in order to investigate something that was already known, and which could not contribute to improvements for animals in the future.

In January this year, a new application was submitted, but this time to the Uppsala Animal Experimentation Ethics Board, where the number of cows was reduced to 1500. The study would involve the cows being indoors 24 hours a day for 18 months. The purpose has been stated to be to "investigate whether, and if so how, the welfare of dairy cows changes month by month during an 18-month period of housing", writes Djurskyddet, which has taken note of the application.

The reasoning is that the study should be carried out because Sweden should increase its self-sufficiency in dairy products, but that current grazing rules have a negative impact in some cases. While the Board said that "the benefits of the study could outweigh the suffering of the animals", it also considered that "the applicant does not convincingly demonstrate this" and therefore rejected the application.

In April, a third application was made, this time to the Uppsala Animal Experimentation Ethics Board, where, at the Board's request, the application was amended and made more specific.

The application has now been approved, which means that 1500 cows on Swedish farms will be kept indoors in loose housing for 18 months, including during the summer months. Seven herds have currently been recruited, says Växa Sverige in a press release. These are located in Västra Götaland, Jönköping, Kalmar, Gävleborg and Uppsala counties. They will then see how the cows are affected by this and predict that this will have a major impact on Sweden's future milk production.

- As the person in charge of the study, I am pleased that the Board has thoroughly examined our application and reached the same conclusions as we did about the current lack of knowledge, says Fredrik von Unge, Vana's trial manager.

For some time now, Sweden has had a law that allows cows to come out during the summer and have so-called "grazing rights". As early as 2020, LRF started a campaign against removing the cows' ability to graze and argued that they should instead be kept indoors, as reported by Natursidan. The association has been heavily criticized for this, with organic farmers saying it was "shameful". Even the Christian Democrats and the Moderates have, for example, in a survey from Djurskyddet in 2022, responded that they are in favor of abolishing the grazing right.

- We hope that the study provides a clear and scientific basis for good animal husbandry throughout the year. For one thing we have known for a long time: healthy and well-behaved animals produce more and better, says Peter Kofoed, head of LRF Mjölk.

The results of the study are expected to be available in 2024.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/environment/income-level-found-to-influence-garden-biodiversity/

Environment

Income level found to influence garden biodiversity

Biodiversity

Published October 27, 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Researchers see gardens as a potential tool for preserving biodiversity as global diversity declines.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Households with lower incomes tend to have more biodiversity in their gardens, according to a study from North Carolina State University in the United States. People with higher incomes prefer neatly mowed lawns instead.

In the study, published in HortScience, researchers examined attitudes toward biodiversity in the United States. They surveyed over 2,000 people and looked at whether they had any innate appreciation for biodiversity, something called biophilia.

The results showed that far from all people had an innate appreciation for biodiversity, and it varied greatly between individuals. However, it was not uncommon for it to develop early in life.

Biodiversity is declining globally and climate goals are often not met. Therefore, researchers have begun to see gardens as a tool for preserving plant and animal life. But to succeed, they must first understand who is willing to let their gardens grow wilder.

— While a single person’s garden isn’t going to do much individually, as a collective they could be a big part of conserving biodiversity. The question then becomes; how do you get those people to change their gardens in that way? says Vanessa Woods, doctoral student at NC University, in a press release. To do that, you must first identify the people who are receptive to these more natural gardens with greater biodiversity.

Income plays a role

The most important factor for biophilia was income level, the researchers conclude. The higher the income, the less inclined people were to have more biodiversity in their garden, preferring neatly mowed lawns.

The lower the income level, the more positively disposed people were to a more wild-grown garden. Households with an income below $25,000 per year showed the greatest interest in biodiversity. Additionally, people who lived more environmentally friendly lifestyles were also more open to a garden that promotes biodiversity.

Melinda Knuth, lead researcher and associate professor at North Carolina State University, believes it is important to identify those who are attracted to biodiversity in order to bridge the gap between intention and conservation actions.

— To do that, you first need to identify the people who will be receptive to those messier, more biodiverse types of gardens, she says.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/environment/leopard-seals-sing-lullabies/

Environment

Leopard seals sing lullabies

Published October 24, 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Male leopard seals sing up to 13 hours per day during mating season to attract females
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The mating calls, or songs, of leopard seals resemble human nursery rhymes and lullabies, new analyses show. Among other things, the song is reminiscent of "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep".

Leopard seals live in Antarctica where they mostly spend their time hunting penguins or relaxing on the floating sea ice. They can grow nearly four meters long and weigh between 300 and 500 kilograms. Males also have another repetitive occupation – and that is to find a female to mate with. To do this, the males "sing" when they are underwater. They do this every day from late October to early January.

Males can sing for up to 13 hours per day. Females also sing, but only for a few days a year when they are in heat.

— It’s big business for them. They’re like the songbirds of the Southern Ocean. During the breeding season, if you drop a hydrophone into the water anywhere in the region, you’ll hear them singing, says Professor Tracey Rogers, from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), in a press release.

Now researchers have analyzed recordings of the male seals' songs to better understand their structure and patterns. There they discovered that the structure of leopard seal songs resembles nursery rhymes or lullabies.

"Baa, baa, black sheep"

In total, songs from 26 different males were studied and it was found that the sounds were very similar in pitch and length, but that the order and pattern in which the sounds were emitted varied considerably between individuals.

"We think this is a deliberate strategy. While leopard seals are solitary animals, the males need their call to carry clearly across vast stretches of icy ocean, to woo a mate", the researchers write in Science Direct.

The researchers compared the song with several different styles of human music and discovered that it consisted of five key notes. What also stood out were the similarities between the predictability of nursery rhymes and leopard seal calls. Nursery rhymes are characterized by being simple, repetitive and easy to remember, something that the seals' songs also were.

Among other things, they found similarities with the well-known rhymes "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star", "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" and the classic "Rock-a-bye Baby". The simple melodies likely make it possible for the male leopard seal to continue singing his unique mating call for several days, which is important to avoid changes in pitch or frequency as this could create misunderstandings among other leopard seals.

— It’s the order and pattern that matters. They’ve stylised it to an almost boring degree, which we think is a deliberate strategy, so their call carries a long distance across the ice, says Professor Tracey Rogers.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/environment/finnish-city-tests-forest-microbes-in-playgrounds-to-boost-childrens-health/

Environment

Finnish city tests forest microbes in playgrounds to boost children’s health

Biodiversity

Published October 17, 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The sandbox consists of fallen trees filled with sand and humus. If the test succeeds, the concept could be expanded to more playgrounds.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

A new type of sandbox has been installed in Kupittaa Park in Turku, Finland. Instead of regular sand, it contains soil from the forest floor filled with microorganisms that, according to research, strengthen children's immune systems.

The city of Turku is now taking a unique step to counteract health problems in children growing up in urban environments. In Kupittaa Park, the country's first sandbox has been built that mixes traditional play sand with humus and microbes from the forest.

The initiative is based on research from the Natural Resources Institute Finland, the University of Helsinki, and Tampere University, which shows that exposure to forest microbes improves the regulation of children's immune systems.

The study showed that children who played in sand enriched with forest soil exhibited improved immune regulation. The discovery is particularly important because urban children are increasingly affected by immune-related diseases such as allergies, asthma, atopy, and type 1 diabetes.

The cause is linked to the fact that city children have limited contact with the diversity of microorganisms found in nature.

Follow-up will determine the future

The new play box is constructed from logs – naturally fallen trees – and filled with a mixture of sand and humus from the forest floor. The design is deliberately simple so it can be replicated if the concept proves successful.

— I became enthusiastic about the Natural Resources Institute's research showing that sand mixed with soil containing microbes from the forest improved children's resistance. I thought the box would be easy to test at a playground in the city. Based on user experiences, we will assess whether such a play box could be implemented on a larger scale, says Anna-Kaisa Hatakka, responsible project manager at the City of Turku, in a press release.

The city will now monitor how popular the new play box becomes among children and parents. If the project succeeds, it could mean a new direction for Turku's playgrounds, where in recent years rubber mats have increasingly been chosen over natural surfaces such as grass and gravel.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/environment/pfas-levels-declining-in-swedens-major-lakes/

Environment

PFAS levels declining in Sweden’s major lakes

Published October 10, 2025
– By Editorial Staff
PFAS levels have been measured in fish from Lake Vättern, Lake Vänern, and Lake Mälaren, three of Sweden's largest lakes.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Bans on dangerous PFAS substances have shown results in Sweden's major lakes. However, levels still remain above limit values in Lake Vättern.

PFAS are environmental toxins often called "forever chemicals" because they break down very slowly and therefore accumulate in soil, water, animals and even humans.

Certain PFAS substances can be harmful to humans, with several studies having pointed to their potential to cause cancer, liver damage, impaired reproductive ability, intestinal diseases and thyroid disorders, among other health issues.

It was recently discovered that Swedish wild animals have unusually high levels of these substances, with forest voles among others likely suffering liver damage due to the forever chemicals.

Decreased since the 2000s

In a new study conducted by the Swedish Museum of Natural History, commissioned by the Water Conservation Associations, researchers measured the occurrence of these substances in fish in Swedish lakes. This was done using samples from the museum's environmental sample bank, which dates back to the early 1970s.

The results show that PFAS levels have generally decreased in Swedish lakes. In Lake Mälaren and Lake Vänern, levels have decreased since the early 2000s, and in Lake Vättern since 2008.

Problems remain

The reason for the decrease is believed to be the international banning of the most well-known PFAS substances. However, Arctic char in Lake Vättern still exceed the Water Framework Directive's limit value for PFOS, one of the PFAS substances that has been banned.

— Our results show that measures and bans have had an effect, but also that the PFAS problem is far from solved, says Suzanne Faxneld from the Environmental Analysis and Research unit at the Swedish Museum of Natural History, in a press release.

Stricter limit values for these chemicals are now being discussed in the EU. If these are implemented, Faxneld believes that Sweden's major lakes will exceed the new limit values. The study shows that preparations should be made for stricter regulations from the EU.

— It's also very important to prevent these substances from entering the environment in the first place, she says.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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