Two worms, same brains – but one eats the other

IF TWO animals have identical brain cells, how different can they really be? Extremely. Two worm species have exactly the same set of neurons, but extensive rewiring allows them to lead completely different lives. Ralf Sommer of the Max Planck Institute...

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Psy to perform at Malaysia ruling coalition party

KUALA LUMPUR: South Korea's Psy will perform his famous "Gangnam Style" dance at an event organised by Malaysia's ruling coalition, an official said Sunday as the bloc tries to attract young voters ahead of polls.Psy will perform the hit, which made history as the most-watched video on YouTube, at a Chinese New Year party on the northern island of Penang on February 11, said Loh Hock Hun...

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Body of missing American found in Turkey

STORY HIGHLIGHTSBody of New York woman found in IstanbulShe disappeared almost two weeks agoSarai Sierra was a mother a twoShe failed to arrive at Newark, New Jersey, airport(CNN) -- The family of an American woman who went missing in Istanbul nearly two weeks ago is in mourning after learning that Turkish police found her body Saturday.Steven Sierra wept during a phone call with CNN, as he waited...

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Town mourns for slain bus driver amid Ala. standoff

Updated 9:45 PM ET MIDLAND CITY, Ala. As the police standoff with an Alabama man accused of holding a 5-year-old boy hostage continued Saturday, a nearby community prepared to bury the beloved bus driver who was shot to death trying to protect children on his bus when the episode began days earlier. Charles Albert Poland Jr., 66, who was known around town as Chuck, was described by folks in his...

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Gun Violence 'Depletes Precious Natural Resource'

It took the mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, to prompt lawmakers to call for stricter gun legislation. But the reality is that in a city like Chicago, where 515 murders took place last year and more than 100 shooting incidents have occurred since January 1, gun violence is an ongoing issue and it has been for years. Only, these shootings have become so common that they don't...

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Astrophile: A scorched world with snow black and smoky

Astrophile is our weekly column on curious cosmic objects, from the solar system to the far reaches of the multiverse Object: Titanium oxide snowLocation: The hot-Jupiter planet HD 209458b There is something magical about waking...

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S. Korea, US in naval drill amid N. Korea tensions

SEOUL: South Korea and the United States will hold a joint naval exercise next week, a report said Saturday, a move seen as a warning to North Korea ahead of its widely-expected nuclear test.The three-day exercise involving a US nuclear submarine and other warships will begin on Monday in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) off the South Korean port city of Pohang, Yonhap news agency reported."It...

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Parole board: Release member of 'Manson family'

By Michael Martinez and Kyung Lah, CNNupdated 10:06 PM EST, Fri February 1, 2013Bruce Davis was sent to prison on April 21, 1972, for the 1969 first-degree murders of two men.STORY HIGHLIGHTS"He earned it," defense attorney says of recommendationCalifornia parole board formally recommends parole for Bruce Davis, 70Governor must modify, affirm or reverse the recommendation in 30 daysDavis is serving...

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Twitter: 250,000 users' data compromised in hacking attacks

#1157946: Twitter bird logo, social networking and microblogging service, graphic element on white / AP Graphics Twitter said today that it recently detected a series of attempts to hack into user data, and that the attackers may have successfully absconded with some users' information. In a blog post Friday afternoon, Twitter explained the situation, and the steps it has taken to fight...

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Gov's Handling of Sandusky Case Under Investigation

The newly-elected attorney general of Pennsylvania is going after the state's governor, Tom Corbett, who was attorney general when child sex allegations against Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky were first brought forward.Kathleen Kane, a Democrat who was sworn in as attorney general on Jan. 15, said that she will name a special prosecutor in the coming days to investigate Corbett's...

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Swarm-mongering: Brainless blobs flock together

Birds of a feather flock together and now so do brainless, inanimate blobs. Made of microscopic particles, the artificial swarms could shed light on the mysterious mechanisms behind the natural swarming seen in fish and birds. They might also lead to materials with novel properties like self-healing. ...

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Chua Chu Kang TC new managing agent's plans to improve services

SINGAPORE: Feedback from residents of estates managed by Chua Chu Kang Town Council will be tracked more efficiently, while officers can directly record defects into the estate maintenance system using their smartphones.These are some of the changes planned by the town council's new managing agent, CPG Facilities Management (CPGFM).It was appointed following an open tender and took over...

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Tough questioning from conservatives for Hagel

STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Hagel says he regrets some past comments; struggles at times under conservative poundingNEW: Obama administration official says Hagel had some difficulty, but "we think he's on his way"Republicans hone in on Iran, Israel, troop surge in sharp questioning of HagelHagel is a decorated Vietnam veteran; says experience influenced life, but does not consume himWashington (CNN) -- Former...

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Investigators eye slain prosecutor's cases after his murder outside courthouse

(CBS) KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas -- Authorities in Kaufman County, in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, are looking into past criminal cases and those that were on the calendar of Chief Prosecutor Mark Hasse, who was shot dead Thursday morning in a parking lot across from the county courthouse, CBS DFW reported.Kaufman Police Chief Chris Aulbaugh told the station that Hasse's shooting appears to have been...

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Arias' Lawyer Shows Ex-Boyfriend's Lewd Photos

Accused murderer Jodi Arias was kept away from the Mormon friends of her lover Travis Alexander and their torrid sex affair was kept secret by Alexander, even as he sent lewd photos of himself to her online, according to court testimony today.The testimony in Arias' trial for killing Alexander in 2008 was intended to bolster the defense's argument that she killed him in self...

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Today on New Scientist: 30 January 2013

Timbuktu's precious scientific texts must be saved Islamist militants in Mali have burned documents that attest to science in Africa before European colonisation - what remains must be protectedThink that massage feels good? Try adding drugs Nerve bundles that respond to stroking have been identified and chemically activated in miceHow Obama will deliver his climate promise The US is set to...

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2 new commercial belts to bring jobs closer to homes

SINGAPORE: Jobs will be brought nearer to the homes to help ease the congestion in the city centre, with two new commercial belts.The government, which outlined these developments in its Land Use Plan, will also make it easier for people to use public transport. And, it hopes to see 75 per cent of all journeys made by public transport by 2030, compared with the current 60 per cent.The...

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Teen who performed at inaugural events shot dead

STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Chicago mayor: "We have a responsibility to see a stop to this"Hadiya Pendleton, 15, was shot dead in Chicago on TuesdayLast week she performed in events surrounding President Obama's inauguration"Just a matter of days after the happiest day of her life, she's gone," Sen. Dick Durbin saysChicago (CNN) -- A teen who performed at events around President Barack Obama's inauguration...

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Obama: "No doubt" Congress will pass immigration, gun bills

Play VideoObama: "No doubt" gun, immigration bills will pass in coming monthsThere's more bipartisan support in Congress for comprehensive immigration reform than gun control legislation, President Obama said tonight during an interview with Univision, but qualified that even under his proposal, illegal immigrants shouldn't be harboring expectations that they'll be granted citizenship "manana." ...

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Former Police Captain Cleared of Ex-Wife's Murder

A former Ohio police captain has been cleared in the murder of his ex-wife and released from prison, where he had been for 15 years -- but prosecutors say they plan to appeal the ruling."I'm just a jumble of emotions and I just can't wait to hug all of my family," Douglas Prade told reporters outside the prison when he was released Tuesday afternoon, according to ABC News' Cleveland...

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