[As the space stuff from this weekend's gigantic solar burp rained down on earth, parts of northern Europe—including Norway—were treated to beautiful aurorae. Photo via Bjorn Li Photo.]

So, Western Civilization: it will collapse, soon. Every Wall Street computer will blow up and we'll all be killing each other over the remaining KFC buckets. Fortunately, our leaders in Washington are storing more seeds in the Arctic seed vault!

Who says doing time has to be a bad experience? The new Halden Fengsel prison in Norway is a criminal's dream: It boasts running trails, rock climbing, a recording studio, and offers cooking courses set in a sleek, Ikea-like facility.

The Prime Minister of Norway is stuck in New York because of that volcano in Iceland. Oh no! But don't worry: His press secretary told CNN that he "is running the Norwegian government... via his new iPad." [CNN] (h/t drunkexpatwriter)

Though Olympic fashion continues to revolve around flags and garish patriotic color, a strange undercurrent of hip infiltrated this year: jeggings-esque faux denim, a surfeit of plaid, and the world's most ironic mustache.

Will finding humorous moments on Google Street View ever get old? No. Never. Here is a most perplexing image of men dressed in scuba gear, chasing Google Street View with ad hoc weapons. [Google via Reddit]

Every week of 2009, Norseman Erik Solheim recorded a short video clip from the balcony of his apartment. During the first week of 2010, he editing all those clips together and made this beautiful time lapse video of last year.

[Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith were shadowed by the blue light of hope while hosting the Nobel Peace Prize Concert at Oslo Spektrum in Norway today. Image via Getty]

[Camera displays and cell phone screens glow as Barack and Michelle Obama greet the crowd from the Grand Hotel in Oslo, Norway, where President Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize today. Image via Getty]

Incredible spiral blue alien UFO laser beam explosion photographed over Norway. SERIOUSLY. [Daily Mail, Gizmodo has a full gallery of photos, and there's a video after the jump.]

A lot can happen in six days. Last Wednesday, the New York Times rhapsodized about the strength of the Norwegian economy. Today, the paper reports that Norway is in a recession.

A penguin that serves as something of a mascot for the military has just been knighted in Norway. Nils Olav, a 3-foot-tall King penguin, was bestowed the highest of honors in a fancy ceremony today-he inspected the ranks, and then returned to the zoo. In response to the wacky news, longtime rival nation Sweden announced plans to launch Björn Ulvaeus into outer space by spring 2009. [AP]