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To Study Night-Shining Clouds, NASA Used Its 'Super Soaker' Rocket to Make a Fake One

In summer months above the North and South Poles, glowing clouds occasionally form naturally at sunset under the right conditions




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Twin Birth Rates Have Soared Globally in the Last Three Decades

The trend is a result of women deciding to have children later in life and the use of medically assisted reproduction methods




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The Madcap History of Mad Magazine Will Unleash Your Inner Class Clown

In a twist befitting its pages, the satirical, anti-establishment publication that delivered laughs and hijinks to generations of young readers gets the respect it always deserved with a new museum exhibition




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Why the World's First Pet Cemetery Was Revolutionary

A new book charts the history of pet cemeteries and honors the universal experience of grieving an animal companion




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This Savvy Librarian Was the True Force Behind New York’s Iconic Morgan Library

It fell to Belle da Costa Greene, a Black woman whose racial identity was kept secret for decades, to catalog J.P. Morgan's immense collection of books and art




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How the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Went From Its Modest Start to an American Tradition Rivaling Stuffing and Pumpkin Pie

A century on, the country’s most beloved Thursday spectacle reaches new heights




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Celebrate Day of the Dead With These 15 Scenes of Festivities and Remembrance

These images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest show how communities in Mexico and beyond mark Día de los Muertos.




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What Are Wind Phones, and How Do They Help With Grief?

A clinical social worker explains the vital role of the old-fashioned rotary phone for those dealing with death and loss




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How Snake Oil Became a Symbol of Fraud and Deception

The terms “snake oil” and “snake-oil salesperson” are part of the vernacular thanks to Clark Stanley, a quack doctor who marketed a product for joint pain in the late 19th century




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Bionic 'Pilots' Compete for the Gold at the Cybathlon

In the international competition, people with physical disabilities put state-of-the-art devices to the test as they race to complete the tasks of everyday life




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This Is What You're Paying for When You Buy a Bentley

Manufacturing a Bentley in the traditional way is a time-consuming nod to their brand heritage. Each hand-crafted wheel can take 4.5 hours to finish




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Marine Atlantic cancels ferry crossings due to rough weather

Adverse weather has cancelled ferry crossings between Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia heading into the long weekend.



  • News/Canada/Nfld. & Labrador

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A 350-voice youth choir aims to make remembrance relevant to young people

Shallaway Youth Choir is bringing a program of music to the Basilica in downtown St. John’s on Remembrance Day. Artistic director Kellie Walsh says the choir will sing about such topics as the Unknown Soldier and schoolchildren who care for Newfoundland graves in London. Where Once They Stood will be performed at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday.




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Newfoundland filmmaker explores raising son in era of toxic masculinity

Newfoundland filmmaker Justin Simms is releasing his latest film called Sons. It was prompted by the birth of his son and left him wondering how traditional masculine behaviour is learned.



  • News/Canada/Nfld. & Labrador

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Land & Sea: The legacy of Nellie Winters, a much-loved Inuit crafts legend

Nellie Winters is 87. From the time she was a child, her hands and mind have been busy pursuing her love of Inuit art and craft.



  • News/Canada/Nfld. & Labrador

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Man fatally electrocuted after downed power line in Torbay Saturday

Police have reported that a man was fatally electrocuted in Torbay on Saturday evening. Two others are being treated for injuries.



  • News/Canada/Nfld. & Labrador

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Hundreds mark Remembrance Day in Corner Brook to honour western Newfoundland's veterans

Large crowds came together at city hall in Corner Brook to lay wreaths and honour veterans on Monday. The ceremony portion was completed with a playing of the Last Post.




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The library is open — really! But the closed stairs are causing confusion

The A.C. Hunter Public Library wants people in St. John’s to know that it’s open and accessible, despite how the entrance looks. The main staircase is under repair but there’s plenty of signs directing folks to other entrances. Still, librarians say people are judging this book by its cover and assuming the library is closed.




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Indigenous children in foster care should stay in home communities, says head of roundtable

A Labrador foster parent and head of a group working to better the Labrador foster care system is stressing the importance of keeping Indigenous children with Indigenous parents in their Indigenous communities.



  • News/Canada/Nfld. & Labrador

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Remembrance Day ceremony held for 1st time with Newfoundland's Unknown Soldier

Hundreds congregated in downtown St. John's Monday morning to pay tribute to Newfoundland and Labrador's fallen soldiers, and honoured the dead for the first time at the newly refurbished National War Memorial and tomb of the Unknown Solider. 



  • News/Canada/Nfld. & Labrador

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The province is falling into winter in this week's audience gallery

Have a photo you'd like us to see? Email us! Our address is nlphotos@cbc.ca.



  • News/Canada/Nfld. & Labrador

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With 45 years in business, this family's crafts are tied to N.L. traditions

The 50th Christmas Craft Fair gathered over a hundred vendors and thousands of customers in Torbay over the weekend. One family business was inspired by the early years of the fair and a passion to keep traditional crafts in style.



  • News/Canada/Nfld. & Labrador

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Who's sparking joy in your community? Let us know about the people making things better

CBC Newfoundland and Labrador would love to hear your suggestions of folks and organizations who are there when you need them — and all the other times, too.



  • News/Canada/Nfld. & Labrador

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Nurses' union blasts health authority over lack of job offers for nursing students

Nurses' union president Yvette Coffey says more must be done to ensure young nurses stay in the province. Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services says work is underway to match students with job openings.



  • News/Canada/Nfld. & Labrador

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I assure you, we're open: A.C. Hunter Public Library welcomes guests despite closure of main entrance

People using the library in the Arts and Culture Centre in St. John's are being forced to use alternate entrances due to an unsafe staircase in front of the building.



  • News/Canada/Nfld. & Labrador

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Doctors said her gangrenous appendix was just anxiety. She's not alone

A woman who says she was repeatedly denied emergency care last spring is blasting the Newfoundland and Labrador health-care system, saying she’s been left psychologically scarred after being told several times that her gangrenous appendix was simply anxiety or constipation.



  • News/Canada/Nfld. & Labrador

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KKK Halloween costumes symptom of growing far-right in Atlantic Canada, researcher says

A researcher studying the rise of extremism in Atlantic Canada warns Ku Klux Klan Halloween costumes are just one example of an insidious effort by far-right groups to normalize hateful attitudes.



  • News/Canada/Nova Scotia

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Nova Scotia NDP, candidate part ways after concerns raised by Jewish organizations

A candidate for the Nova Scotia NDP has apologized and is no longer running for the party in the provincial election after her comments on Israel and the Holocaust drew concern from the Jewish organizations. 



  • News/Canada/Nova Scotia

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School in Sipekne'katik First Nation commemorates Indigenous Veterans Day

The L'nu Sipuk Kina'muokuom school observed Indigenous Veterans Day with an event on Friday. Students, faculty and staff got together to honour Mi’kmaw military veterans and RCMP members.




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Cape Breton woman tracks down great-uncle's lost WWII medals in time for Remembrance Day

A Port Hawkesbury woman has long imagined a Remembrance Day with her great-uncle's war medals. It will happen this year for the first time thanks to some sleuthing and the kindness of her great-uncle's foster family.



  • News/Canada/Nova Scotia

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RCMP investigating after body found in burned vehicle in Pictou County

RCMP are investigating after officers discovered human remains in an abandoned, burned vehicle in Greenhill, N.S.



  • News/Canada/Nova Scotia

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Remembrance Day ceremony in Halifax held to honour those who served

About a thousand people stood solemnly in the rain at a cenotaph in downtown Halifax on Monday morning to pay tribute to veterans on Remembrance Day.



  • News/Canada/Nova Scotia

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Woman urges N.S. candidates to help people on income assistance stay cool

As Nova Scotia politicians make their fall election promises, Julie Leggett is urging them to commit to helping people on income assistance stay cool during heat waves.



  • News/Canada/Nova Scotia

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Rising opioid overdose deaths should be N.S. election issue, advocate says

As Week 3 of the provincial election campaign begins, there are questions about how Nova Scotia's major political parties plan to combat the rising number of opioid overdose deaths. 



  • News/Canada/Nova Scotia

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Rail transit advocate says more highways not the solution to Halifax's traffic woes

Building highways isn't the only solution to the growing problem of traffic congestion in and around the Halifax Regional Municipality, says the head of an organization that advocates for rail-based public transit.



  • News/Canada/Nova Scotia

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CBRM to seek new CAO, but not before municipality's financial situation is known

The new mayor and council are planning big changes for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, and one of those is at the top of the staff organizational chart now that chief administrative officer Marie Walsh is set to retire.



  • News/Canada/Nova Scotia

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'We're all here together': Montreal English theatre shows its resilience with award ceremony

The Montreal English Theatre Awards ceremony is being held this evening at Le Gesù theatre. For the community, it's a time to celebrate their achievements and resilience coming out of the pandemic, together.




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You can now flag issues in the Montreal Metro system by text

The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) has established a non-urgent text line for transit users to signal security issues in the Metro network.



  • News/Canada/Montreal

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Veterans honoured at Remembrance Day ceremonies across Quebec



  • News/Canada/Montreal

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Video game shines light on Indigenous history and voices

Two Falls (Nishu Takuatshina) was developed in Montreal by a local studio that collaborated closely with Indigenous designers and consultants.




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Montreal says it's making it easier for groups to build off-market housing

The City of Montreal wants to sell more land to community organizations, housing co-ops and other groups to build off-market housing. 



  • News/Canada/Montreal

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Music still a ‘passion,’ not a job for Montreal funk band The Brooks as they drop 5th album

Ten years after their formation, the members of The Brooks discuss how they’ve evolved and how they view their collaboration.




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Labour minister forcing end of negotiations at Quebec ports marks 'dark day for workers' rights,' union says

The union representing dockworkers in Montreal says Canada's labour minister forcing its members back to work at ports in Montreal and Quebec City marks a "dark day for workers' rights."



  • News/Canada/Montreal

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Body found in Montreal nature park was that of kidnapped cryptocurrency influencer, police say

Quebec provincial police have confirmed that the body found in a Montreal nature park on Oct. 30 was that of kidnapping victim and cryptocurrency influencer Kevin Mirshahi.



  • News/Canada/Montreal

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Canada launches AI watchdog to oversee the technology’s safe development and use

Amid rapid global advances and deployment of artificial intelligence technologies, the federal government has invested millions to combine the minds of three existing institutes into one that can keep an eye on potential dangers ahead.




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Whole-Mount Immunofluorescent Labeling of the Mosquito Central Nervous System

Mosquito-borne disease is a major global public health issue. One path toward the development of evidence-based strategies to limit mosquito biting is the study of the mosquito nervous system—in particular, the sensory systems that drive biting behavior. The central nervous system of insects consists of the brain and the ventral nerve cord. Here, we describe a protocol for dissecting, immunofluorescent labeling, and imaging both of these structures in the mosquito. This protocol was optimized for Aedes aegypti and works well on Anopheles gambiae tissue. It has not been tested in other mosquito species, but we anticipate that it would work on a range of mosquitoes, and, if not, our protocol will provide a starting point from which to optimize. Notably, a limited number of antibodies cross-react with Ae. aegypti proteins. This protocol is intended for use with validated antibodies and can also be used to test new antibodies as they are generated. It has been successfully used to visualize protein tags, such as green fluorescent protein, that have been introduced into the mosquito to amplify or detect their presence.




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Collecting, Storing, and Hatching Aedes aegypti Eggs

Laboratory study of natural populations of mosquitoes can play a key role in determining the underlying causes of variation in burdens of mosquito-borne disease. Aedes aegypti is the main vector of the viruses that cause dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever, making it a high priority for laboratory study. Ae. aegypti eggs provide an ideal starting point for new laboratory colonies. Eggs can be collected using ovicups, which are small plastic cups lined with seed-germination paper and partially filled with leaf-infused H2O. Once collected, dry eggs will remain viable for months and can be safely transported long distances back to the laboratory as long as they are properly stored. This protocol provides step-by-step instructions for preparing for collecting, storing, and hatching Ae. aegypti eggs and has successfully yielded laboratory colonies from locations across both the native and invasive range of this species.




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Whole-Brain Electrophysiology in Drosophila during Sleep and Wake

Sleep studies in Drosophila melanogaster rely mostly on behavioral read-outs to support molecular or circuit-level investigations in this model. Electrophysiology can provide an additional level of understanding in these studies to, for example, investigate changes in brain activity associated with sleep manipulations. In this protocol, we describe a procedure for performing multichannel local field potential (LFP) recordings in the fruit fly, with a flexible system that can be adapted to different experimental paradigms and situations. The approach uses electrodes containing multiple recording sites (16), allowing the acquisition of large amounts of neuronal activity data from a transect through the brain while flies are still able to sleep. The approach starts by tethering the fly, followed by positioning it on an air-supported ball. A multichannel silicon probe is then inserted laterally into the fly brain via one eye, allowing for recording of electrical signals from the retina through to the central brain. These recordings can be acquired under spontaneous conditions or in the presence of visual stimuli, and the minimal surgery promotes long-term recordings (e.g., overnight). Sleep and wake can be tracked using infrared cameras, which allow for the measurement of locomotive activity as well as microbehaviors such as proboscis extensions during sleep. The protocol has been optimized to promote subject survivability, which is an important factor when performing long-term (~16-h) recordings. The approach described here uses specific recording probes, data acquisition devices, and analysis tools. Although it is expected that some of these items might need to be adapted to the equipment available in different laboratories, the overall aim is to provide an overview on how to record electrical activity across the brain of behaving (and sleeping) flies using this kind of approach and technology.




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Validating Single-Guide RNA for Aedes aegypti Gene Editing

Creating transgenic mosquitoes allows for mechanistic studies of basic mosquito biology and the development of novel vector control strategies. CRISPR–Cas9 gene editing has revolutionized gene editing, including in mosquitoes. This protocol details part of the gene editing process of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes via CRISPR–Cas9, through testing and validating single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs). Gene editing activity varies depending on the sequence of sgRNAs used, so validation of sgRNA activity should be done before large-scale generation of mutants or transgenics. sgRNA is designed using online tools and synthesized in <1 h. Once mutants or transgenics are generated via embryo microinjection, sgRNA activity is validated by quick genotyping polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing.




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Ventral Nerve Cord Dissection and Microscopy of Drosophila Embryos

The technique of visualizing axon pathways in the embryonic ventral nerve cord using antibody labeling has been fundamental to our understanding of the genetic and developmental mechanisms underlying nervous system wiring in Drosophila. High-resolution microscopic examination of the ventral nerve cord remains an essential component of many experiments in Drosophila developmental neuroscience. Although it is possible to examine the ventral nerve cord in intact whole-mount embryos, to collect the highest-quality images it is often useful to isolate the nervous system away from the other embryonic tissues through embryo dissection. This protocol describes methods for dissecting ventral nerve cords from Drosophila embryos that have been fixed and stained via immunofluorescence or horseradish peroxidase (HRP) immunohistochemistry. The process of making fine dissection needles for this purpose from electrolytically sharpened tungsten wire is also described. Dissected and mounted ventral nerve cords can be examined and imaged using a variety of microscopy techniques including differential interference contrast (DIC) optics, epifluorescence, or confocal microscopy.