Viking Magazine - June 2018 - 9

EXPLORING THE MYSTERY OF
THE FIRST SCANDINAVIANS
Implementing
Sustainable
Streetlights
Norway is illuminating the way
to new sustainable technology
by launching its largest autodimming
streetlight project. The
local government has installed
LED lights on a nine-kilometer
stretch in Hole, Norway, just
northwest of Oslo. The lights
dim to 20 percent when no cars
are present. When an oncoming
car, cyclist or pedestrian passes
one of the 220 radar sensors, the
lights brighten to 100 percent. The
project will cut energy use up to
80 percent, saving 2,100 kWh each
week. That's the same amount
of energy used when watching
television on a plasma screen for
four hours.
In addition to reducing energy
usage, the new technology
helps lower light pollution and
CO2 emissions - but it's not
just the planet that will benefi t.
In four and a half years, the
investment will break even
and the equipment will last
another 15 to 20 years, proving
that it won't be a fi nancial
burden. Ottar Bjørnstad, a
senior engineer at Norway's
Public Roads Administration,
told Våre Veger, " This is in the
long-term very energy-saving,
environmentally friendly and, not
least, economical for operations
and maintenance. " Check out the
streetlights in action on blogger
Bjørn Nyland's YouTube channel.
Researchers have long known that the fi rst settlers arrived
in Scandinavia toward the end of the last Ice Age, but the
mystery of who those people were and where they came
from has lingered. However, a new study of ancient DNA
now brings scientists one step closer to uncovering the
origins of the fi rst Scandinavians.
In the study published early this year, researchers
set out to track the fi rst settlers' migration by analyzing
DNA from seven of Scandinavia's oldest human remains,
dating as far back as 9,500 years. When they compared
the genetic profi les with samples from other regions in
Europe, the results revealed close matches with DNA
from the southwest and northeast, suggesting that the fi rst
inhabitants arrived along two routes: fi rst, from modernday
Denmark and Germany, and later, from modern-day
Russia. Though many questions still remain, the study
marks a signifi cant advance in ancient DNA research.
Archaeologist and Stone Age expert Mikkel Sørenson told
Videnskab.dk, " It is the fi rst study to use genetics to discuss
Scandinavia's fi rst immigrants, but it is a part of a larger
breakthrough in fossil DNA, which over the past 10 years
has published better quality studies of our genetic origins. "
TOP
TV SHOWS
Norwegian thriller
" Valkyrien " ranked 9th on
BBC's list of " The 10 best
TV shows of 2017. " Dubbed
a Scandi-noir version of
" Breaking Bad, " the series
follows a rogue surgeon
who operates a secret
clinic in an old bomb
shelter. Here's a look
at the full list:
 " Twin Peaks: The Return "
 " The Handmaid's Tale "
 " Blue Planet II "
 " Big Little Lies "
 " Mindhunter "
 " The Good Place "
 " GLOW "
 " The Deuce "
 " Valkyrien "
 " Game of Thrones "
150
Years of
Friluftsliv
Spending time outdoors is a way of life for Scandinavians. The
Norwegian Trekking Association has nurtured al fresco pastimes
since banker and philanthropist Thomas Heftye created the
organization on January 21, 1868. Norway's largest outdoor life
group has plenty of ways to celebrate their 150th anniversary.
Ski on 4,300 km of breathtaking tracks the organization
maintains. Explore mesmerizing landscapes through a guided
tour. Absorb Norway's natural wonders by hiking 22,000 km of
foot trails. Unwind at one of the 550 idiosyncratic cabins. Trade
in your phone and latte for some hiking boots and a map to
discover the wonder of the great outdoors. english.dnt.no
sonsofnorway.com VIKING JUNE 2018 9
PHOTO BY MARIUS DALSEG SAETRE / DNT
http://www.Videnskab.dk http://english.dnt.no http://www.sonsofnorway.com
Viking Magazine - June 2018

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