Science news

• Twitter suspends 125,000 accounts for promoting terrorism, most related to ISIS

  05-02-2016 23:26 via cbc.ca
  
  Twitter is now using spam-fighting technology to seek out accounts that might be promoting terrorist activity and is examining other accounts related to those flagged for possible removal, the company announced Friday.
  
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• Fusion power: Why it's still elusive despite 5 decades of promises

  05-02-2016 23:11 via cbc.ca
  
  German Chancellor Angela Merkel pushed the startup button on a new fusion reactor this week, raising hopes that truly clean energy may finally be only a decade or so away. But it’s a promise that’s been '10 years away' for the last half-century.
  
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• Satellite images show fuel trucks at North Korea launch site - think tank

  05-02-2016 23:03
  By David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Satellite images taken this week of North Korea's Sohae rocket launch site show apparent fuelling activity seen in the past one to two weeks before a rocket launch, a U.S. think tank said on Friday. North Korea has told U.N. agencies it will launch a rocket carrying what it called an earth observation satellite some time between Feb. 8 and Feb. 25, triggering international opposition from governments that see it as a long-range missile test. Commercial
  
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• ‘GMOs’ isn’t a four-letter word, but it is hard to define

  05-02-2016 22:57
  
  The definition of what constitutes a genetically modified organism is a challenge to those tasked with developing standards for labeling foods that contain GMOs.
  
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• EPA: Traces of contaminant found in 3 Colorado water systems

  05-02-2016 22:45
  
  DENVER (AP) — Traces of widely used and potentially harmful chemicals have shown up in three drinking water systems in Colorado, prompting officials to shut down three wells and start looking for the source.
  
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• China's Xi tells Obama China committed to Korean denuclearisation

  05-02-2016 22:32
  BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. President Barack Obama in a telephone call that China is committed to the goal of the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and to maintaining peace and stability, state news agency Xinhua said on Saturday. "The Chinese side supports safeguarding the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the international non-proliferation system," Xi added, Xinhua reported. North Korea has notified U.N. agencies that it will launch a rocket ca
  
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• Touchdown! Yes, Astronauts in Space Can Watch the Super Bowl

  05-02-2016 22:29
  
  When the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos square off Sunday, astronauts on the International Space Station will be able to watch the kickoff in real time. While NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Tim Kopra on the orbiting laboratory haven't announced their picks for the big game, they will be off duty and able to watch.
  
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• How and When to See the Brightest Planets in February's Night Sky

  05-02-2016 22:29
  
  In early February, there will not be a single bright planet in the sky at dusk, but as the night progresses, dazzling Jupiter becomes more and more apparent, rising in the eastern sky during evening twilight. Jupiter is high toward the south when Mars emerges above the horizon, and Mars, in turn, is followed 2 to 3 hours later by Saturn. It is followed closely by the innermost planet, Mercury, giving skywatchers an opportunity to see all five planets in the sky at once.
  
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• Edgar Mitchell, Sixth Astronaut to Walk on the Moon, Dies at 85

  05-02-2016 22:29
  
  Edgar Mitchell, who 45 years ago became the sixth man to walk on the moon, died on Thursday (Feb. 4), the day before the anniversary of his lunar landing. The lunar module pilot on board NASA's Apollo 14 mission in 1971, Edgar Mitchell died peacefully in his sleep after a short illness at a hospice facility located near his home in West Palm Beach, Fla., his family confirmed. "He was a hero in the classical sense," Karlyn Mitchell, the astronaut's oldest daughter, said in statement.
  
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• Pill measures gut gas

  05-02-2016 21:00
  
  A gas-sensing ingestible capsule tested in pigs could someday help doctors assess people’s gastrointestinal health.
  
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• US Air Force Launches GPS Satellite to Complete Navigation Constellation

  05-02-2016 20:53
  
  The final addition to a group of global positioning satellites successfully launched into orbit this morning. The GPS IIF-12 satellite took off today (Feb. 5) aboard an Atlas V 401 rocket from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 8:38 a.m. EST (1338 GMT). The satellite was built by Boeing, and is operated by the U.S. Air Force.
  
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• For many species, noise pollution can be deadly

  05-02-2016 20:53
  
  Some reef-dwelling fish are twice as likely to get gobbled up by predators in the presence of a noisy motorboat, according to a study released Friday.
  
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• 'Cosmonauts' Documentary Shows How Russia 'Won the Space Race'

  05-02-2016 20:53
  
  Originally produced by the BBC for broadcast in the U.K., "Cosmonauts" looks at the first half century of space exploration from a different perspective than most American-made retrospectives. "We all think we know the story of space — that it was conquered by the Americans," narrator Paul McGann, a British actor perhaps best known for his role as the eighth Doctor in the British sci-fi TV series "Doctor Who," states as "Cosmonauts" opens.
  
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• Obama, China's Xi say North Korea missile test 'provocative' action - White House

  05-02-2016 20:50
  U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping in a phone call on Friday agreed that North Korea's planned ballistic missile test would represent a "provocative and destabilising action," the White House said. "The leaders emphasized the importance of a strong and united international response to North Korea's provocations, including through an impactful UN Security Council Resolution," the White House said in a statement. Obama and Xi also said they would coordinate efforts to res
  
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• White-tailed deer have their own form of malaria

  05-02-2016 20:18
  
  The otherwise well-studied white-tailed deer turns out to carry the first malaria parasite discovered in any deer.
  
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• New Estimate Boosts the Human Brain's Memory Capacity 10-Fold

  05-02-2016 20:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  A new study has found the brain’s information storage capacity may be around a quadrillion bytes
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Canadian Netflix-unblocker UnoTelly cut off by PayPal

  05-02-2016 19:53 via cbc.ca
  
  A Canadian company that helps people watch U.S. Netflix from Canada can no longer accept PayPal after the online payment processor cut off its service.
  
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• Apple will soon give you credit for a broken iPhone

  05-02-2016 19:51 via cbc.ca
  
  Apple for the first time is accepting banged up iPhones as a trade-in from those wanting to upgrade.
  
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• U.S. CDC widens Zika virus guidelines for pregnant women

  05-02-2016 19:39
  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday revised its guidelines for pregnant women to include a recommendation that even those without symptoms of the Zika virus should be tested after returning from affected areas. The updated guidelines recommend pregnant women be offered testing two to 12 weeks after returning from places where the virus has infected people. Obstetricians have said that since 80 percent of those infected by the virus show no symptoms, it leaves many pregn
  
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• Harvester ants are restless, enigmatic architects

  05-02-2016 19:30
  
  Florida harvester ants dig complex, curly nests over, then leave and do it again.
  
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• Zimbabwe declares 'state of disaster' over drought

  05-02-2016 19:01
  
  Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe on Friday declared a "state of disaster" in many rural areas hit by a severe drought, with more than a quarter of the population facing food shortages.
  
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• Alaska seabird die-off investigation hindered by data gaps

  05-02-2016 18:43 via cbc.ca
  
  A preliminary investigation into the massive die-off of common murres, one of the Northern Hemisphere's most abundant seabirds, off Alaska's coast is revealing gaps in basic information on North Pacific waters and the wildlife that inhabit them.
  
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• Colombian minister sees link of Zika, Guillain-Barre, three deaths

  05-02-2016 18:41
  Colombia's health minister said on Friday he believes there is a connection between the Zika virus, Guillain-Barre syndrome and the deaths of three Colombians, as the virus continues its rapid spread throughout the Americas. Colombia has around 20,500 confirmed cases of the mosquito-borne virus, including more than 2,100 pregnant women, making it one of the most affected countries in the region after Brazil. Zika was considered a mild disease until recently, but concern rose after Brazil reporte
  
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• Chinese New Year 2016: Conservationists hope Year of the Monkey brings the species luck

  05-02-2016 18:35
  Conservationists around the world are hoping that the Year of the Monkey will put the spotlight on the threat to primates worldwide and especially in Asia. Primate populations in Asia and particularly China are coming under increasing pressure from humans who hunt them for food, traditional medicine, for the pet trade and are destroying their natural habitat. World renowned primatologist, Dr Jane Goodall said she hoped the Year of the Monkey would bring the species luck.
  
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• NASA says big asteroid could pass near Earth next month

  05-02-2016 18:34
  By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - NASA is monitoring a 100-foot (30-meter) wide asteroid that could make a close pass by Earth next month but has no chance of hitting it, the U.S. space agency said on Friday. First spotted in 2013, the asteroid could fly as close as 11,000 miles (17,700 km) from Earth on March 5, according to scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The asteroid was visible for just three days during its last approach to Earth i
  
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• Tarantula in Black: Dark, Hairy Spider Named After Johnny Cash

  05-02-2016 17:49
  
  A newly discovered tarantula sports a black coat that is as dark and brooding as its celebrity namesake: the renowned singer Johnny Cash. Tarantulas, the hairy spiders that stole movie scenes and won hearts in popular films like "Home Alone," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," and "Dr. No," take a starring role in a new study that reorganizes their group, reclassifying the majority of 55 known tarantula species and adding 14 new ones, including the creepy-crawly named for Cash. The study researchers&nbs
  
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• 'Wrong type of trees' boost warming

  05-02-2016 16:44 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Scientists say replacing broadleaved species with conifers over the past two centuries has increased global temperatures.
  
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• U.S. and allies aim to track North Korean rocket; launch window from Monday

  05-02-2016 16:38
  By Jack Kim and Tim Kelly SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States has deployed missile defence systems that will work with the Japanese and South Korean militaries to track a rocket North Korea says it will launch some time over an 18-day period beginning Monday. North Korea has notified U.N. agencies it will launch a rocket carrying what it called an earth observation satellite some time between Feb. 8 and Feb. 25, triggering international opposition from governments that see it as a long-ran
  
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• China's Xi says dedicated to maintaining peace on Korean peninsula

  05-02-2016 16:15
  BEIJING (Reuters) - China is dedicated to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, Chinese President Xi Jinping told South Korea's president on Friday, China's Foreign Ministry said. "We hope all sides can act bearing in mind the broader picture of maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula, and calmly deal with the present situation," Xi said. North Korea has notified U.N. agencies that it will launch a rocket carrying what it called an earth observation satellite some tim
  
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• Dutch Police Deploy Drone-Disabling Birds of Prey

  05-02-2016 15:59
  
  For law enforcement officers around the world, partnering with animals is a time-honored tradition. In a statement released Jan. 31, the Dutch National Police Corps announced a new initiative using birds of prey to intercept unwanted drones. The program was developed and tested in partnership with Guard from Above (GFA), a Dutch company located in the Hague that specializes in training large, predatory birds to "hunt" and subdue robotic prey.
  
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• Conquer Mont Blanc from Your Couch with Google Street View

  05-02-2016 15:59
  
  It's now possible to scale the brilliant, snowcapped peaks of Mont Blanc, one of Europe's tallest mountains, from the comfort of your couch.
  
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• Fine-Tune the World with 'Augmented Reality' Earbuds

  05-02-2016 15:58
  
  In the future, these devices could enable translation of live speech, much like the "universal translators" in "Star Trek," said researchers at Doppler Labs, where the Here system was invented. "We believe in a future where supercomputers can fit in the ears," Noah Kraft, co-founder and CEO of Doppler Labs, told Live Science. The Here system differs from both virtual reality and augmented reality headsets.
  
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• Room-temperature superconductors get 1 step closer

  05-02-2016 14:48 via cbc.ca
  
  Canadian scientists have made an important advance that could one day lead to a science-fiction world of levitating trains and batteries that don't lose their juice sitting in the drawer.
  
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• Hungry sea lion pup spends the night in San Diego restaurant

  05-02-2016 14:38
  Workers at a San Diego restaurant got the shock of their lives on Thursday 4 February when they found a hungry and disgruntled sea lion pup sitting at a booth in their restaurant. After making the unusual discovery, staff at the Marine Room restaurant called SeaWorld for help. Jody Westberg, who was part of the SeaWorld rescue team, said: "We received a phone call early this morning from the Marine Room restaurant in La Jolla stating that they had an animal in one of their booths.
  
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• Here's the Happiest State in the Country

  05-02-2016 14:28
  
  Hawaii has been ranked the top state for well-being, regaining its "happy spot" from last year's winner, Alaska, according to a new survey. The survey, conducted by Gallup Healthways between December 2015 and January 2016, found that the Aloha State topped the list based on factors such as its residents having a sense of purpose, sense of community, financial well-being and physical well-being. Other healthy and happy states included those in the Mountain West, such as Montana, Colorado and Wyom
  
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• Millennials See Themselves As Narcissistic, Too (And It Bothers Them)

  05-02-2016 14:26
  Millennials, roughly defined as the generation born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s, often hear that they're the most narcissistic, entitled generation of all time. Millennials do view themselves as a bit more narcissistic than generations before them, but not to the extent that older generations do, according to new research presented Jan. 29 at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) in San Diego. Different research methods have found that ind
  
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• Weird Ancient Wildebeest Sported Duck-Billed Dinosaur Nose

  05-02-2016 14:23
  
  Duck-billed dinosaurs and an ancient wildebeest-like animal lived tens of millions of years apart, but they have strikingly similar, peculiar noses, a new study finds. "The nasal dome is a completely new structure for mammals — it doesn't look like anything you could see in an animal that's alive today," Haley O'Brien, a doctoral student of paleophysiology at Ohio University in Athens, said in a statement. The idea for the study surfaced in 2009, when study co-author J. Tyler Faith, a lect
  
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• In Indonesia, an experiment with bacteria to tackle Zika

  05-02-2016 13:49
  By Randy Fabi and Kanupriya Kapoor YOGYAKARTA/JAKARTA, Indonesia (Reuters) - A researcher sits in a laboratory in Indonesia, his arms extended over clear plastic boxes buzzing with mosquitoes: over the next 20 minutes, tiny bumps develop on his skin as the insects bite dozens of times. The voluntary "feeding", at which researchers take turns, is part of a programme in the city of Yogyakarta to try to eliminate mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever and - scientists now hope, as concerns mount
  
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• Comets May Not Explain 'Alien Megastructure' Star's Strange Flickering After All

  05-02-2016 13:31
  
  It's looking less likely that a swarm of comets or an "alien megastructure" can explain a faraway star's strange dimming. The star (nicknamed "Tabby's Star," after its discoverer, Tabetha Boyajian) made major headlines last October when Jason Wright, an astronomer at Pennsylvania State University, suggested that it could be surrounded by some type of alien megastructure. Now, Bradley Schaefer, an astronomer at Louisiana State University, has probed the star's behavior over the past century by lo
  
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• The Original Starship Enterprise from 'Star Trek' Is Getting a Face-Lift

  05-02-2016 13:30
  
  The voyages of "Star Trek's" USS Enterprise now include an extensive restoration at the hands of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Work on preserving the 11-foot (3.4 meters) model craft is now underway, in an effort to make the ship resemble how it looked in the episode "The Trouble with Tribbles." That episode was the last known modification to the model during the run of "Star Trek." The model appeared in all 79 episodes of the original "Star Trek" TV se
  
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• The Moon or Mars? NASA Must Pick 1 Goal for Astronauts, Experts Tell Congress

  05-02-2016 13:30
  
  NASA can't afford to put humans on Mars while also pursuing missions to put astronauts back on the moon, according to a panel of experts who testified to the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Space yesterday (Feb. 3). "Today the future of NASA's human spaceflight program is far from clear," said Tom Young, former director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. NASA has been advertising its "Journey to Mars" campaign, with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden saying that humans could go
  
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• Sakurajima volcano erupts spectacularly in southern Japan

  05-02-2016 12:24
  
  TOKYO (AP) — One of Japan's most active volcanos erupted spectacularly Friday evening with a fiery blast that sent lava rolling down its slope.
  
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• Japan: Sakurajima volcano erupts 30 miles from Sendai nuclear plant spewing lava and ash 2km into sky

  05-02-2016 12:24
  Japan's Sakurajima volcano – located just 30 miles from the Sendai nuclear power plant – has erupted, sending lava flowing down the mountain's side and producing lightning flashes. The Meteorological Agency said the eruption began at around 7pm local time. A 2km radius no-go zone has been established around Sakurajima.
  
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• Sakurajima volcano erupts in southern Japan

  05-02-2016 12:06 via cbc.ca
  
  Japan's Meteorological Agency said Sakurajima, a well-known volcano on the island of Kyushu in southern Japan, erupted Friday evening with a fiery blast that sent lava rolling down its slope.
  
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• Rare 5 planet line-up best viewed this week

  05-02-2016 11:00 via cbc.ca
  
  The next few days present your best chance to catch a rare view of five planets lined up in a row across the sky.
  
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• U.S., allies aim to track North Korean rocket; launch 'window' from Monday

  05-02-2016 10:33
  By Jack Kim and Tim Kelly SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States has deployed missile defence systems that will work with the Japanese and South Korean militaries to track a rocket that North Korea says it will launch some time over an 18-day period beginning on Monday. North Korea has notified U.N. agencies that it will launch a rocket carrying what it called an earth observation satellite some time between Feb. 8 and Feb. 25, triggering international opposition from some governments that se
  
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• Mouse study offers clues to brain’s response to concussions

  05-02-2016 09:05
  
  The brain needs time to recover between head hits, a study in mice suggests.
  
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• Bears hibernate 'with bacterial help'

  05-02-2016 09:05 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A Swedish study suggests that changes in the gut flora of brown bears help them to cope with the weird metabolic demands of hibernation.
  
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• Where infants sleep may affect how long they are breastfed

  05-02-2016 06:00
  
  (Wiley) A new study indicates that mothers who frequently sleep, or bed-share, with their infants consistently breastfeed for longer than mothers who do not bed-share.
  
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• When older adults stop driving, it may impact health and well-being

  05-02-2016 06:00
  
  (American Geriatrics Society) In a new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, researchers reviewed 16 studies that examined the health and well-being of older adults after they stopped driving. The researchers concluded that, when older adults stop driving, their health is impacted in a variety of ways.
  
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