Research news

Below is a selection of the latest news from the research at the University of Copenhagen. You can find all news from the University on the main news site.

Children improve their fraction skills by playing basketball in class

Combining fractions with basketball improves pupils’ mathematical skills in primary school, a new study from the University of Copenhagen concludes. The researcher behind it calls for the approach to be integrated into…

solitary confinement

‘Voluntary’ solitary confinement makes prisoners in Danish prisons ill

Eight per cent of prisoners in Danish prisons choose so‑called voluntary solitary confinement to avoid violence from other inmates. However, this ‘voluntary’ isolation is unregulated, and many vulnerable prisoners…

Why are young people’s sleep and mental health so poor? Researchers point to ‘vicious cycles’ as possible explanation

A new study from the University of Copenhagen maps a complex network of factors that may trap young adults in poor sleep patterns and mental distress.

Digital platform significantly reduces distress among children of divorce

A digital solution developed by researchers at the University of Copenhagen improves the mental health of children and young people after their parents’ divorce, according to a new study. The platform also reduces famil…

‘Garbage collectors’ of the brain grind to a halt in fatal disease

Surprising results point to an exhausted immune system in the brain as a potential explanation for aggressive brain disease

Uncertainty-based communication fuels vaccine scepticism

Even small changes in official health communication can have major consequences for both trust and behaviour regarding vaccination. This is shown by an international study using US data.

CHILDREN'S HEALTH

Mothers without specific fatty acid in the blood more often have children with asthma

A small molecule in the blood of pregnant women is linked to children’s risk of developing childhood asthma and respiratory infections, a new study shows.

First psychiatric admission marks the beginning of a long-term illness for most patients

By following a group of young people with mental health problems for 20 years, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have found that as many as 95 per cent come into contact with hospital psychiatry again. At th…

Stone age population collapse revealed by DNA study in France

DNA analyses of ancient skeletons show that a Stone Age population in present-day France collapsed around 5,000 years ago and was replaced by people migrating from southern Europe, according to a new international study…

Brain scan can reveal the risk of psychiatric hospitalisation

The brain’s reaction to negative emotions may help predict which people with depression or bipolar disorder are at heightened risk of psychiatric hospitalisation, according to new research from the University of…

Danish soldiers to receive mental training: New programme aims to strengthen both mental health and readiness

A new research-based programme is designed to equip Danish soldiers to cope with stress – both during missions and in everyday life. The programme will be rolled out in 2026 as a fixed part of basic training and will…

“Wake-up call” from leading sleep scientists: Night-time warming threatens the sleep of billions

Hotter nighttime temperatures disrupt our sleep to an alarming degree and the impacts appear to be accelerating, scientists warn. An international group of scientists is calling for the first global taskforce to help…