Science news

• Unknowns about Zika virus continue to frustrate

  12-02-2016 23:28
  
  As worry about the Zika virus outbreak continues to ratchet up, scientists are scrambling to understand what threats the virus poses and how to stop it from spreading.
  
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• BBC visits wildfire front in haze-choked Indonesia

  19-10-2026 03:57 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The BBC is in central Kalimantan, where a toxic haze fuelled by wildfires is choking millions of residents.
  
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• Former Marineland beluga whale dies at California theme park

  19-10-2026 03:49 via cbc.ca
  
  A California aquarium says a beluga rescued from Marineland in Ontario has died, adding to the number of deaths of animals relocated over the summer from the now-closed Canadian facility.
  
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• Mission set to blast off for Mars to grab a piece of its moon

  19-10-2026 01:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A spacecraft is set to launch on an ambitious mission to bring 10g of Martian moon dust back to Earth.
  
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• Fuel leak spreads more than two miles along River Taff

  18-10-2026 21:20 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Public Health Wales advises people living nearby to shut their doors and windows due to the smell.
  
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• Students gather in Dartmouth to pitch ocean solutions

  18-10-2026 16:43 via cbc.ca
  
  Some kids and teens struggle with increasing climate anxiety, but they haven't lost hope. Students from across the globe gathered at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth to share some of their ideas on fixing ocean-related issues at the 2026 Brilliant Blue Challenge.
  
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• Free clear-up has big engagement on social media

  18-10-2026 12:59 via bbc.co.uk
  
  One man's battle against weeds and overgrown pathways makes a big difference to the town
  
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• Pony herd gathering raises money for air ambulance

  18-10-2026 12:25 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Kristina Auckland said the herd was made up of around 100 ponies.
  
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• Turning the tides: Could hidden sea power energise our coastal towns?

  18-10-2026 10:12 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Engineer David Mummery has developed a tidal energy generator that he says can change lives for people living in coastal communities.
  
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• Seal pups spotted at nature reserve for 12th year

  18-10-2026 08:20 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Two pups have been recorded at South Walney, home to Cumbria's only breeding grey seal colony.
  
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• Corby metal pollution may harm people, says study

  18-10-2026 07:37 via bbc.co.uk
  
  However, the Environment Agency says it has not found evidence that could cause significant harm.
  
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• Fast-moving California wildfire burns homes as people are ordered to leave

  17-10-2026 21:13 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Fanned by the fierce Santa Ana winds, the Norte Fire is one of 13 burning across the state.
  
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• In Canada's drone-killing 'Sandbox,' companies compete for a $1M prize

  17-10-2026 10:00 via cbc.ca
  
  As part of Canada's drive to jump-start a domestic defence drone industry, two dozen companies showcased their technologies and competed for a million-dollar prize at a military base in Suffield, Alta., over the last several weeks. CBC News visited the site of the competition, where Ukrainian representatives were there to observe the results — and offer their own experience in drone warfare.
  
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• Avian flu and costs among reasons for loss of captive birds at Castle Espie

  17-10-2026 07:10 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Difficulties in transporting animals since Brexit has contributed to the decline in the number of captive birds.
  
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• Brazil sees record fall in Amazon deforestation as key election looms

  17-10-2026 04:33 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The Amazon rainforest is a crucial buffer against climate change - but deforestation had expanded under former president Jair Bolsonaro.
  
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• Why hasn't the UK had any named storms yet?

  17-10-2026 03:53 via bbc.co.uk
  
  So far this autumn wet and windy weather patterns have been steered away from the UK. When could we see that change?
  
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• Evacuation orders as fast-moving California wildfire burns homes

  17-10-2026 03:36 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Fanned by the fierce Santa Ana winds, the Norte Fire is one of 13 burning across the state.
  
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• Anti-aging secrets from a 194-year-old tortoise, and more…

  16-10-2026 22:50 via cbc.ca
  
  Also today: A Nobel Prize for a neutrino hunter, 150-million-year-old fossilized vomit from a sea monster, why a wildfire fighter became a wildfire researcher and nuclear clocks push for more precise timekeeping
  
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• Ontario toddler survives rattlesnake bite, partly thanks to 18 doses of antivenom

  16-10-2026 21:00 via cbc.ca
  
  A 15-month-old boy from Sarnia, Ont., is recovering at home after being bitten by an eastern massasauga rattlesnake on the Thanksgiving long weekend while visiting a family cottage on the Bruce Peninsula. The bite required treatment at two hospitals and 18 doses of antivenom.
  
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• Alberta removes habitat protections for endangered greater sage grouse to support industrial development

  16-10-2026 20:00 via cbc.ca
  
  Habitat protections for one of Canada's most imperiled animals have been quietly removed by the Alberta government. Through amendments to the Public Lands Act in July, the province eliminated protections for greater sage grouse in designated protection and recovery zones. That same month, helium extraction company Thor Resources had a site approved within the bird's habitat.
  
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• See the Amazon rainforest wildfires that have politicians pointing fingers amid Brazil presidential elections

  16-10-2026 17:45 via cbc.ca
  
  Brazilian authorities are investigating whether a recent surge in wildfires in the Amazon rainforest have been set on purpose for political motives ahead of the second round of presidential elections later this months.
  
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• Tesla unveils Roadster that can flip in the air and land using thrusters

  16-10-2026 16:32 via cbc.ca
  
  Tesla has unveiled a redesigned Roadster powered with rocket-style thrusters and said it would start production in 2028, more than a decade after it first ‌showed a next-generation version of its electric sports car.
  
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• US senators call for investigation into Ukraine's Starlink restrictions

  16-10-2026 16:19 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Ukraine says temporary speed limits to the Starlink internet network disrupted its battlefield missions.
  
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• Watch: Did Tesla really just unveil a flying car?

  16-10-2026 14:32 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Tesla CEO Elon Musk showcased the vehicle at a facility owned by his SpaceX company, which helped develop the model.
  
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• What is behind the success of dark skies festival?

  16-10-2026 12:13 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Stargazers are preparing to enjoy an annual festival that celebrates the beauty of the night sky.
  
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• Living with a stink? Technology might help

  16-10-2026 01:18 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Smells from rubbish dumps and industrial facilities are being more carefully monitored.
  
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• Suspected fly tippers shamed with online photos

  15-10-2026 20:05 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Hillingdon Council has shared social media posts showing people allegedly dumping rubbish illegally.
  
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• Eels keep dying in hydro dam turbines. A new design could change that

  15-10-2026 20:00 via cbc.ca
  
  In this issue of our environmental newsletter, we learn how hydro dam turbines kill migrating eels and check out technology that could save them, see how a heat pump works and find out why an airship was spotted floating over a central Alberta town last week.
  
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• Watch: What does Starlink have to do with the Ukraine-Russia war?

  15-10-2026 19:31 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Ukraine's president has told Elon Musk that any restriction on the Starlink's system cost lives.
  
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• Severe drought declared and hosepipe bans in force - is your area affected?

  15-10-2026 17:42 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Parts of southern England have entered "severe drought", while about 30 million people are under hosepipe ban.
  
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