Ball pythons — long believed to be solitary creatures, and often kept as solo pets — seem to enjoy each other’s company, according to a new study out Ontario’s Wilfrid University. Ball pythons, long thought solitary, repeatedly chose to eschew individual shelters and coil up together. There’s no single agreed …
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Samples from far side of the moon show history of ancient volcanoes
The first surface samples retrieved from the dark side of the moon show that there used to be erupting volcanoes there, just as there were on the near side billions of years ago, according to new research. Fragments of volcanic rocks date back 4.2 billion years. The first surface samples …
Read More »Data shows many Halifax lakes have high salt levels
Halifax is exploring ways to limit the salt ending up in the region’s waterways, after new data showed high levels of salinization in more than a dozen freshwater lakes. 10 lakes exceed national salt guidelines, including Lovett, Banook, Micmac. Halifax is exploring ways to limit the salt ending up in …
Read More »This elephant gives herself nice showers with a hose. But another elephant keeps ruining them
Not only does Mary the Asian elephant prefer to shower herself, but she’s really good at it. So good, in fact, that her dexterous bath-time ritual is the subject of a new study about animal tool use. Scientists aren’t sure if the younger elephant’s hose-kinking behaviour is pettiness or play. …
Read More »Gus the penguin makes mysterious solo trip to popular Australian beach
An emperor penguin found malnourished far from its Antarctic home on the Australian south coast is being cared for by a wildlife expert, a government department said Monday. Researchers say this is the first time an emperor penguin from the Antarctic has turned up in Australia. An emperor penguin found …
Read More »Dalhousie researchers design low-cost device that can help fight water scarcity
A dome-shaped device floating in Halifax’s Northwest Arm could easily be confused with a buoy, but it is actually a contraption meant to turn ocean water into fresh water. Two Dalhousie University researchers hope it can help with water scarcity in the real world. Desalination device powered by sunlight uses …
Read More »Deer in distress in Kenora, Ont., sparks calls from resident for more wildlife support
Every day, Deena Foy’s dog receives a visit in the yard from one particular deer. The animals sit and stare at each other until the doe moves on to its usual grazing spots around Kenora, Ont., and then comes back in the morning. “It’s a regular thing,” Foy told CBC …
Read More »Those strange clouds over Vancouver are called ‘asperitas,’ and they are very rare
The rare type of cloud, whose name is Latin for “roughness,” was first observed in 2006 by an amateur cloudspotter in Iowa. Clouds that look like a ‘turbulent, choppy sea’ first observed in 2006. A striking cloud formation, known as asperitas, formed over Vancouver on Friday. The rare type of …
Read More »Contest invites teams to design a ‘generation starship’ for a 250-year journey
A voyage in this kind of spacecraft — while still conceptual — would take multiple lifetimes, crossing unimaginable gulfs of interstellar space. The theoretical exercise puts aside technical problems, including the propulsion system, and focusses on the design of the habitat and society. Theoretical exercise puts aside many technical problems …
Read More »What are the private flights of the 1% doing to the planet? The numbers are in
When it comes to aviation in general, it contributes roughly 2.5 per cent of all CO2 emissions and has thus far contributed to roughly four per cent of global warming. But just how much CO2 emissions are these private jets emitting? A lot, according to a new study. Some who …
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