Science News in Brief: Biological warfare an increasingly promising alternative to chemicals in combating pests

In other news, two of the major wind turbine companies lock horns and Danish women are increasingly turning to the ‘morning-after’ pill

Stephen Gadd

Fungi, viruses and bacteria can all be used as microbiological weapons to combat insect pests, but up until now it has not been fully understood how these different mechanisms interact – and what the long-term consequences might be.

New Danish research from the Institute for Plant and Environmental Science at the University of Copenhagen gives cause for optimism. A study has been done on the effects of the Metarhizium brunneums fungus on the aphid midge.

“There have been worries that the use of microbiological methods to attack pests with the fungus have a negative effect on the natural enemies that we also use in biological pest control,” said PhD student researcher Ana Gorete Campos de Azevedo.

“We found out that, overall, it is possible to use both forms of biological weapon together.”

Vestas sued by General Electric over alleged technology theft
Wind turbine producer Vestas, which is now the major player on the US market, is being sued by its main competitor General Electric (GE). The dispute is over patented technology that protects turbines from dramatic power fluctuations called ‘zero voltage ride through’, reports Ingeniøren. The US market is in a period of dramatic growth and GE and Vestas dominate, with a combined 83 percent of the projects contracted for turbines. GE also successfully went to court in 2010 against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries over the same patent.

Morning after pill usage increasing in Denmark – for better and worse
Danish women are increasingly turning to the ‘morning after’ pill, figures from Danmarks Apotekerforening reported in Politiken show. The good news is that fewer abortions are being carried out, but this is tinged with the bad news that there are more incidences of sexually-transmitted diseases being reported. Sales of the pill rose last year from 103,000 prescriptions to 107,000, and the amount is expected to increase again this year. Already on January 2 – traditionally a bumper sales day – 878 packets of the pills were sold as opposed to 690 the year before. The trend continued through the first quarter of 2017.

TOP STORIES

  • Copenhagen ranks 4th for international workforce quality of life

    Copenhagen ranks 4th for international workforce quality of life

    Copenhagen ranks 4th in the global Mercer’s Quality of Living City Ranking, maintaining its position from 2023. Zurich tops the list, with Vienna, Geneva, and Auckland rounding out the top five.

  • Ban on non-Nordic national flags from January

    Ban on non-Nordic national flags from January

    The new rules allow exceptions for certain countries, including Finland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland.

  • Municipalities can now establish zero-emission areas

    Municipalities can now establish zero-emission areas

    The new legislation responds to requests from several local governments that sought the legal framework to establish such zones but lacked the necessary authority.

  • International workers fraud exposed by DR

    International workers fraud exposed by DR

    The documentary, “På Statens Regning”, reveals wage fraud involving migrant workers on public construction projects in Denmark. Workers under the “pay limit scheme” are forced to return part of their wages, violating labor laws.

  • Novo is building a 3-billion-DKK lab in Hillerød

    Novo is building a 3-billion-DKK lab in Hillerød

    Novo Nordisk is investing 2.9 billion DKK in a 53,000-square-meter quality control laboratory in Hillerød. The construction is already taking place and will end in 2027. It will have 400 employees people, but it´s made for up to 650

  • Nurses return to work in Danish hospitals

    Nurses return to work in Danish hospitals

    For some years, there has been a shortage of nurses in Denmark. The tide is now changing. More nurses than before are now working full-time, and in some places, there is still a demand for international nurses

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Sign up here

Career

  • Copenhagen ranks 4th for international workforce quality of life

    Copenhagen ranks 4th for international workforce quality of life

    Copenhagen ranks 4th in the global Mercer’s Quality of Living City Ranking, maintaining its position from 2023. Zurich tops the list, with Vienna, Geneva, and Auckland rounding out the top five.

  • Employment in the green industry is growing

    Employment in the green industry is growing

    According to data from Statistics Denmark, employment in the green industry grew by an average of nearly 6% in one year. In some sub-sectors, this growth reached between 10% and 20%. These numbers make the green sector one of the fastest-growing in terms of employment in Denmark.

  • The intuition trap: leading Danes in cross-cultural teams

    The intuition trap: leading Danes in cross-cultural teams

    Signe Biering, an executive coach trained in psychology with a background in diplomacy, explains how over-reliance on intuition in decision-making can hinder cross-cultural collaboration. She highlights Denmark’s cultural tendency to trust gut feelings and authenticity but warns of its risks in diverse teams. Biering advocates for leaders to challenge instincts, embrace differences, and balance intuition with analytical thinking to foster trust, collaboration, and growth.

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Contact us

Jobs