Science news

• Nigerian communities threaten to block crude pipeline due to oil spill

  30-10-2016 23:47
  By Anamesere Igboeroteonwu ONITSHA, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigerian communities affected by an oil spill in the Niger Delta hub have threatened to block access to a pipeline unless state oil producer NNPC provides a cleanup and compensation within one week, a statement said. Spills from blown-up or faulty pipelines have triggered an insurgency in the Delta, where militants fight for a greater share of oil revenues and a cleaner environment. A pipeline operated by NNPC that runs from Escravos to the
  
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• 15 spectacular creations from Nasa's pumpkin competition that will put your carving skills to shame

  30-10-2016 20:54
  
  Prepare to have some major pumpkin envy.
  
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• As crisis escalates, Venezuela's Maduro may meet opposition

  30-10-2016 20:25
  By Andrew Cawthorne and Daniel Kai CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro was expected to sit down on Sunday with members of the opposition and foreign mediators, a gesture his foes suspect is a time-wasting tactic to ease pressure on the unpopular socialist leader. The opposition Democratic Unity coalition has stepped up protests since authorities scuttled its push for a referendum this year on Maduro's rule, which polls showed he would have lost, triggering a presidential ele
  
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• With crisis escalating, Venezuela's Maduro to meet opposition

  30-10-2016 17:51
  By Andrew Cawthorne and Daniel Kai CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro was to sit down on Sunday with opposition representatives and foreign mediators, a gesture his foes suspect is a time-wasting tactic to ease pressure on the unpopular socialist leader. The opposition Democratic Unity coalition has stepped up protests since authorities scuttled its push for a referendum this year on Maduro's rule, which polls showed he would have lost, triggering a presidential election. M
  
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• 'Canada's UFO guy' long fascinated by mysterious lights in the sky

  30-10-2016 16:47 via cbc.ca
  
  After three decades being known as one of Canada's top UFO experts, Chris Rutkowski doesn't mind a bit of good-natured ribbing now and then.
  
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• Italian earthquakes could go on for weeks in domino effect - scientist

  30-10-2016 15:28
  By Gavin Jones ROME (Reuters) - The earthquakes that have buffeted central Italy over the last two months could continue in a devastating domino effect with one large quake leading to another along the central Apennine fault system, a leading seismologist warned on Sunday. An earthquake measuring 6.6 according to the U.S. Geological Survey struck on Sunday in the same region where a 6.2 quake on Aug. 24 killed 297 people. In between there have been thousands of smaller tremors, including a 6.1 q
  
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• Paralyzed climbers walk around Calgary hospital in exoskeleton for research

  30-10-2016 15:00 via cbc.ca
  
  Josh Pelland was what's lovingly known in the climbing community as a dirtbag. Then, a "small little hurdle" altered his life. Now, he's getting to walk again, with the help of a $100,000 exoskeleton.
  
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• Paralyzed climbers use rare $100,000 exoskeleton to walk again

  30-10-2016 15:00 via cbc.ca
  
  Josh Pelland was what's lovingly known in the climbing community as a dirtbag. Then, a "small little hurdle" altered his life. Now, he's getting to walk again, with the help of a $100,000 exoskeleton.
  
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• Astronauts return after 115-day mission on International Space Station

  30-10-2016 13:30
  Three astronauts from the US, Japan and Russia have returned to Earth after a 115-day mission on board the International Space Station. A Russian Soyuz space capsule carrying NASA's Kate Rubins, Japan's Takuya Onisihi and Russian Anatoly Ivanishin landed in a remote region near Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan on Sunday morning. Molecular biologist Rubins and Onishi were both returning from their first missions in space, while flight commander Ivanishin undertook a five-month mission at the ISS five ye
  
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• Multinational crew leaves space station, returns to Earth

  30-10-2016 13:28
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - A joint U.S., Russian and Japanese crew left the International Space Station on Saturday aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule and landed back on Earth, leaving behind three crew mates who arrived at the orbiting outpost just last week.
  
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• ‘A Most Improbable Journey’ offers scientific take on human history

  30-10-2016 13:00
  
  Walter Alvarez’s “A Most Improbable Journey” gives readers a tour of “Big History,” linking human history to unpredictable cosmic, geologic and biological events.
  
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• Syrian state media say militants fire poison gas in Aleppo

  30-10-2016 12:42
  Syrian state media said militants fired poison gas at a government-held area of Aleppo on Sunday, causing 35 people to choke, a report which a rebel official called a lie. State news agency SANA said "shells containing poison gases" had been fired at the residential district of al-Hamdaniya. Rebels launched a major counter-attack against government forces in Aleppo on Friday, aiming to break a siege on the insurgent-held eastern sector of the city.
  
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• Soyuz space capsule returns to Earth from 115-day mission

  30-10-2016 12:27
  
  MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian Soyuz space capsule has landed in Kazakhstan, bringing three astronauts from the United States, Japan and Russia back to Earth from a 115-day mission aboard the International Space Station.
  
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• Saudi security officer killed in drive-by shooting in Qatif - Arabiya

  30-10-2016 10:24
  A Saudi security officer was killed and a second was wounded on Sunday in a drive-by shooting in the Eastern Province city of Qatif, state-owned Al Arabiya television reported. The shooting occurred while the security men were on patrol, Al Arabiya said. Eastern Province is home to much of Saudi Arabia's oil production as well as to many Shi'ite Muslims, who form a minority in the conservative Sunni Muslim kingdom.
  
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• Growth of residential solar power slowed by 'zero incentive' for renters

  30-10-2016 10:00 via cbc.ca
  
  The future of solar heating in Canada remains "highly speculative," according to the National Energy Board. That's because although installation costs are falling, there's another barrier: home ownership.
  
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• Soyuz space capsule returns to Earth

  30-10-2016 05:57
  A Russian Soyuz space capsule has landed in Kazakhstan, bringing back three astronauts from the United States, Japan and Russia back to Earth from a 115-day mission aboard the International Space Station. ...
  
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• Soyuz Space Capsule Lands Safely with Crew of 3

  30-10-2016 05:56
  
  Three space travelers are safely back on Earth after a 115-day stay on the International Space Station. Returning on a Russian Soyuz space capsule, U.S. astronaut Kate Rubins of NASA, Russian cosmonaut and Expedition 49 Commander Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos and Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi landed near Kazakhstan at 9:58 a.m. local time on Sunday (Oct. 30), or 11:58 p.m. EDT (0358 GMT). "Touchdown confirmed," NASA spokesman Rob Navias said during the agency's landing webcast
  
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• International space crew returns to Earth

  30-10-2016 05:26 via cbc.ca
  
  A joint U.S., Russian and Japanese crew left the International Space Station on Saturday and headed back to Earth in a Russian Soyuz capsule, leaving behind three crew mates who arrived at the orbiting outpost just last week.
  
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• Astronauts return to Earth on Soyuz space capsule after 115-day mission

  30-10-2016 05:26 via cbc.ca
  
  A joint U.S., Russian and Japanese crew left the International Space Station on Saturday and headed back to Earth in a Russian Soyuz capsule, leaving behind three crew mates who arrived at the orbiting outpost just last week.
  
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• Top-level football refs are better at spotting fouls because of enhanced visual perception

  30-10-2016 05:00
  
  (BioMed Central) Top-level professional football referees have enhanced visual perception, which means that they are better at spotting foul play and issuing the correct disciplinary action than lower-level referees, according to new research published in the journal Cognitive Research.
  
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• The more connected we feel to others, the more socially responsible we are

  30-10-2016 05:00
  
  (INSEAD) Those who feel a high degree of social connectedness feel their actions have a greater impact on others. This encourages them to act in a more responsible way.
  
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• New MutChromSeq technique makes valuable genes easier to find

  30-10-2016 05:00
  (John Innes Centre) Scientists at the John Innes Centre in Norwich have applied an innovative technique to wheat and barley genomes that makes it easier to pinpoint specific genes that might be used in crop improvement programs.
  
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• Most British scientists cited in study feel Richard Dawkins' work misrepresents science

  30-10-2016 05:00
  (Rice University) A new Rice University study of British scientists reveals that a majority who mentioned Dawkins' work during research interviews reject his approach to public engagement and said his work misrepresents science and scientists.
  
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• Advancing our understanding of how the disease lupus is prevented in healthy individuals

  30-10-2016 05:00
  (Tokyo Medical and Dental University) Researchers have identified a molecule called CD72 expressed on B cells that prevents these cells from mistaken activation by a self-antigen. The absence or dysfunction of this molecule leads to development of the autoimmune disease lupus. CD72 was shown to act specifically to avoid activation of self-antigen-specific B cells only. This work opens up a new and promising field of study in the pursuit of treatments for lupus and systemic lupus erythematosus.
  
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