Science and Nature News

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Mars cooperation near collapse

Monday, February 6, 2012 8:56:22 AM CST

US space agency officials let their European counterparts know that it is now highly unlikely that America will participate in joint missions to the Red Planet in 2016 and 2018.

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China in EU carbon scheme 'ban'

Sunday, February 5, 2012 10:24:23 PM CST

China tells its airlines not to pay charges to the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme, aimed at cutting carbon emissions.

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Race to drill into Antarctic lake

Monday, February 6, 2012 7:04:09 AM CST

Russian scientists are attempting to beat US and British rivals to be first to drill into an Antarctic sub-glacial lake.

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'Birth defect risk' for diabetics

Sunday, February 5, 2012 8:10:25 PM CST

The risk of birth defects increases four-fold if the pregnant mother has diabetes, a study of 400,000 pregnancies in England suggests.

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Transplant jaw made by 3D printer

Monday, February 6, 2012 8:07:11 AM CST

An 83-year-old woman is fitted with a jaw made by a 3D printer in what doctors say is the first operation of its kind.

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Contador given two-year drug ban

Monday, February 6, 2012 9:20:56 AM CST

Alberto Contador is handed a two-year ban for a doping offence - and is stripped of his 2010 Tour de France title.

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PM urged to cut wind farm subsidy

Sunday, February 5, 2012 9:15:53 AM CST

More than 100 Conservatives are among MPs who have written to the prime minister calling on him to slash subsidies for onshore wind turbines.

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Prince optimistic for fisheries

Friday, February 3, 2012 6:44:01 PM CST

Prince Charles says there are reasons to be optimistic about the state of the world's oceans, but it is "critically urgent" to tackle overfishing.

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Anti-fracking demo in Enniskillen

Saturday, February 4, 2012 12:10:29 PM CST

About 100 people gather in Enniskillen to demonstrate against the use of fracking to extract gas from shale rock in County Fermanagh.

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Oil spurs Canadian PM China visit

Friday, February 3, 2012 9:03:01 PM CST

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will visit China next week to discuss Canada's oil products, after the US blocked a key pipeline.

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Striking galaxy image from Hubble

Friday, February 3, 2012 3:35:10 AM CST

The Hubble space telescope captures an image of a "barred spiral" galaxy that could help us better understand our own Milky Way.

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Largest optical telescope created

Friday, February 3, 2012 4:15:02 AM CST

Astronomers at the Paranal observatory combine four telescope to create the world's largest virtual device with a 130m-mirror.

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Clan chief joins conservation row

Monday, February 6, 2012 8:40:37 AM CST

A clan chief is accusing the Scottish government and SNH of not listening to islanders' concerns about a conservation area.

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In pictures: Science meets art

Thursday, February 2, 2012 1:14:49 PM CST

Winners of science photography contest dazzle

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Malaria toll 'is twice as high'

Thursday, February 2, 2012 6:07:13 PM CST

The number of deaths worldwide from malaria has been underestimated, according to data published in the medical journal the Lancet.

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VIDEO: Art by animals goes on show

Thursday, February 2, 2012 6:06:30 PM CST

A work of abstract expressionism by a chimp and a still life of a flower by an elephant are part of a new exhibition in London of artworks created by animals.

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Brains may be wired for addiction

Thursday, February 2, 2012 1:03:24 PM CST

Abnormalities in the brain may make some people more likely to become drug addicts, according to scientists.

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More Galileo satellites ordered

Thursday, February 2, 2012 6:03:01 AM CST

The German-UK consortium building the operational spacecraft for Europe's Galileo sat-nav system wins a contract to provide an additional eight units.

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Super-Earth 'could support life'

Thursday, February 2, 2012 9:51:09 AM CST

Astronomers have found a fourth planet with conditions similar to Earth, which they say could support life.

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Mega volcanoes 'may be predicted'

Wednesday, February 1, 2012 12:09:54 PM CST

The eruption of some of the largest volcanoes on the planet could be predicted decades before the event, research suggests.

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Seagrass age surprises scientists

Thursday, February 2, 2012 6:31:11 AM CST

Meadows of seagrass, a keystone species in marine ecosystems, found in the Mediterranean Sea are likely to be tens of thousands of years old, a study shows.

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Humble moss 'brought on ice ages'

Thursday, February 2, 2012 3:52:50 AM CST

Research shows that primitive moss-like plants could have helped cool the Earth 470 million years ago, bringing on mini ice ages.

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'Supergiant' found in deepest sea

Thursday, February 2, 2012 2:54:42 AM CST

A huge crustacean called a supergiant - more than 30cm long - has been discovered 7km down in the waters north of New Zealand.

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'Big cat' theory ruled out by DNA

Thursday, February 2, 2012 6:37:44 AM CST

Scientists fail to find any evidence that "big cats" killed two roe deer found dead in Gloucestershire.

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Spider web's strength explained

Wednesday, February 1, 2012 12:01:53 PM CST

Explaining the remarkable strength of spiders' webs

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Ancient giant crocodile discovery

Wednesday, February 1, 2012 8:41:06 AM CST

'Shieldcroc' is an ancient, extinct crocodile that's been discovered by scientists studying fossils in Missouri in the US.

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VIDEO: Birds' paradise lost in Kashmir?

Sunday, February 5, 2012 7:31:17 AM CST

Nearly a million migratory birds visit Kashmir's wetlands every year, but this time the severe winter has made it nearly impossible for them to find food.