♻️ Denmark’s bottle deposit system is among the best in the world, with 99.7% of collected bottles and cans being recycled into new ones. That’s a nearly 4% improvement from the previous year, thanks to higher return rates for glass and plastic. In 2024, we returned 2.1 billion bottles and cans, placing Denmark at the top globally. Beyond the money, the system has saved 234,000 tons of CO2 by reducing the need for new materials.
📞 More people than ever are reaching out for help with alcohol problems. In 2024, a record 4,648 people contacted Alkolinjen, a 10% increase from the previous year. The biggest change? More young people and women are using the chat function, which was expanded to make it easier for them to seek help. Half of those who contact Alkolinjen are family members looking for advice, often before the person with the problem does. Most who seek help are referred to public treatment.
🎉 Aarhus teens are all in for Princess Isabella’s birthday. The royal family has invited young Aarhusians to celebrate her upcoming 18th birthday, and sign-ups are flooding in. The city sent out over 11,000 invitations, and within 24 hours, nearly 3,000 had already said yes. Only 50 lucky ones will be chosen by lottery to attend the event at Aarhus City Hall.
🐰 Hares are moving into the city, and they’re loving it. A new study shows that Aalborg and Aarhus have become hare hotspots, with the animals thriving in the green spaces between apartment blocks. Unlike in rural areas, where pesticides have wiped out their favorite foods like dandelions and daisies, urban lawns are pesticide-free and packed with snacks.
🐶 Guard dogs are keeping piglets safe in Jutland. A pair of large Pyrenean dogs are protecting free-range piglets from attacks by foxes, a problem that once led to the loss of up to 100 piglets a month. Since the dogs arrived, attacks have dropped significantly, proving that these livestock guardians are an effective and humane solution. Experts say the same method could help sheep farmers defend their flocks against wolves.
🐄 A dating app for cows has reached the finals of Denmark’s biggest science competition for young researchers. Two high school students created MooMatch, an app that pairs cows based on genetic diversity to reduce inbreeding and disease in cattle farming. Instead of swiping on interests like equivalent apps for us humans, cows would be matched through DNA tests linked to their ear tags.
🪵 A mysterious wooden totem pole has appeared near the coast of Bornholm, and no one knows who put it there or why. After a Facebook user posted a picture, theories exploded; some believe it represents an old Slavic god, while others think it’s just an artistic oddity. The engravings aren’t runes, but experts say they spell out “Perkunas,” the Baltic god of thunder, which might explain the pole’s placement by the sea.
🚀 A metal part 3D-printed in space has landed in Denmark, marking a breakthrough for future space missions. Designed by our researchers and printed on the International Space Station, the experiment tests whether weightlessness improves metal printing. If it does, it could change everything from repairing space equipment to building massive solar farms on the Moon. Printing structures in space would save enormous costs and resources, as materials wouldn’t need to withstand Earth’s gravity or rocket vibrations.
📞 More companies are launching dedicated helplines for people with invisible disabilities. The latest to join is Denmark’s largest telecom provider (TDC), offering extra support for customers with autism, ADHD, or other special needs. Similar lines already exist in banks, insurance companies, and major retailers, helping those who find regular customer service overwhelming. The initiative is part of the global Solsikkeprogrammet, which started with sunflower lanyards to signal hidden disabilities.
