It didn't take long for Meta's new chatbot to say something offensive
Meta's new chatbot can convincingly mimic how humans speak on the internet: for better and worse.
Science News | Technology News | CTV News
Sci-tech
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'The future of science in Canada is at risk': Researchers call for pay raise
Hundreds of scientists and researchers are expected to gather on Parliament Hill today to call for a raise.
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100-year-old colour perception theory had a math mistake: study
The 3D mathematical model used for more than 100 years to describe how our eyes distinguish colours has been found to have an important math error.
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Social media offers parents more controls. But do they help?
As concerns about social media's harmful effects on teens continue to rise, platforms from Snapchat to TikTok to Instagram are bolting on new features they say will make their services safer and more age appropriate. But the changes rarely address the elephant in the the room -- the algorithms pushing endless content that can drag anyone, not just teens, into harmful rabbit holes.
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WhatsApp will start rolling out two big changes to all users this month
Two new features being introduced on WhatsApp, which will let you choose who can see when you're active, and to leave groups silently, will start rolling out to all WhatsApp users this month.
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Twitter reintroduces election misinformation rules ahead of U.S. midterms
Twitter will revive features on the social media site to promote accurate information about the November U.S. midterm election and clamp down on false and misleading posts, the company said in a blog post on Thursday.
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'Sturgeon moon': Last supermoon of the year rises tonight
The last supermoon of the year, known as the 'sturgeon moon,' will rise in the evening sky tonight.
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3D modelling reveals how dinosaurs supported their massive weight
In a digital reconstruction study, 3D modelling was used to test the function of foot bones of different sauropods. The research discovered how the dinosaurs' feet were capable of supporting their weight.
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2,300-year-old Chinese chemistry formula deciphered after analyzing ancient coins
The ingredients in a 2,300-year-old ancient Chinese chemistry formula have finally been identified, revealing new secrets about metallurgy in ancient China.
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New image of colliding galaxies previews the fate of the Milky Way
A new telescope image showcases two entangled galaxies that will eventually merge into one millions of years from now -- and previews the eventual, similar fate of our own Milky Way galaxy.
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Snapchat rolls out option to let parents see who their teens are messaging
Snapchat on Tuesday introduced its first parental control center, nearly 10 months after an executive from the company told Congress it was developing tools aimed at helping parents keep their teens safe.
Top Tech Videos
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How the RCMP uses spyware to access mobile devices
![Cyber security expert Ritesh Kotak explains how the RCMP gains access to mobile devices with spyware, and what that access lets them do.]()
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B.C. telescope detects 'heartbeat' radio signal from space
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Rogers executives to answer questions about network outage
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Ontario man uses Apple AirTags to track down stolen vehicle
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New type of artificial skin can feel pain: U.K. researchers
![U.K. researchers say they've developed a new type of artificial skin that can feel pain and can remember different types of touch.]()
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Remote-controlled lunar robots tested on Sicily's volcano
![Similar geological characteristics between the moon and Mount Etna make it the perfect site to test lunar robots.]()
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Dr. Bogoch on why the COVID Alert app failed
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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
Climate and Environment
Newfoundland wildfires could be sign of what climate change has in store for province
A climatologist says the wildfires that have been burning for more than two weeks in central Newfoundland could be a sign of what's to come as the province feels the impacts of climate change.
Plastics producers ask court to quash planned federal ban on single-use straws, cups
More than two dozen plastic makers are asking the Federal Court to put an end to Ottawa's plan to ban several single-use plastic items but Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says he's confident the attempt will fail.
Large wildfire burning amid drought on Hawaii's Big Island
A large wildfire in a rural area of Hawaii's Big Island is not threatening any homes, but high winds and extremely dry conditions are making it difficult for crews to contain the blaze.
Wildfires spread, fish die off amid severe drought in Europe
Firefighters from across Europe struggled Thursday to contain a huge wildfire in France that has swept through a large swath of pine forest, while Germans and Poles faced a mass fish die-off in a river flowing between their countries.
Europe reels as repeated heatwaves cause chaos
Western Europe was battling Thursday to deal with the fallout from extreme heat and drought, with wildfires causing evacuations in France and Italian farmers losing up to 80% of their harvest due to severe drought.
Satellite data finds landfills are methane 'super emitters'
Landfills are releasing a significant amount of planet-warming methane into the atmosphere from the decomposition of waste, a study suggests.
Seoul vows to move families from 'Parasite'-style basement homes after flooding deaths
Seoul has vowed to move some of the city's poorest families out of underground and semi-subterranean homes after 13 people were killed in flooding caused by record-breaking rainfall this week, sparking public horror and calls for government accountability.
The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet, new research shows
As sea ice vanishes, Greenland melts and wildfires scorch the planet's northernmost forests, new research confirms what scientists are sounding alarms about: the Arctic has warmed much faster than the rest of the world in the past several decades.
Dutchman convicted in farmers' roadblock over emissions
A man was convicted Thursday of dumping straw on a Dutch road last month and sentenced to 80 hours of unpaid community service work, one of the first cases stemming from widespread protests by Dutch farmers against government plans to slash nitrogen emissions.
Canada
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Police investigating attack on Brampton, Ont. media personality as attempted murder
A Brampton, Ont. media personality who was attacked with a machete and axe in his driveway will need months of physical rehabilitation to recover, a close friend says.
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EXCLUSIVE
EXCLUSIVE | B.C. cop stalked ex-girlfriend for years using police computers, misconduct probe finds
A high-ranking B.C. officer used police resources to conduct at least 92 searches on his ex-girlfriend and her family while stalking her over a period of five years, according to documents exclusively obtained by CTV News.
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Woman found with gunshot wounds in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside
A woman was badly injured in what Vancouver police say is the third shooting in five days in the city.
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Power restored in Toronto after hours-long outage likely caused by crane hitting transmission line
Power has been restored in Toronto's downtown core after a widespread outage caused major disruptions in the city Thursday.
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Will you be eligible for one of Ontario's new tax credits? Here's the breakdown
The Ontario government is planning to move forward with several tax credits for residents as it formally tabled its 2022-23 budget on Tuesday.
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'Devastating': Search continues for Sask. mushroom picker missing for 7 days
It’s been seven days since 74-year-old Lois Chartrand went missing while mushroom picking in the forest north of Smeaton, Sask.
World
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Hostage standoff at Beirut bank ends with gunman's arrest
A gunman demanding a Beirut bank let him withdraw his trapped savings to pay his father’s medical bills took up to 10 people hostage in a seven-hour standoff Thursday before surrendering in exchange for what a family lawyer said was US$35,000 of his money.
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Death toll from weekend Israel-Gaza fighting rises to 48
The Palestinian death toll from last weekend's fighting between Israel and Gaza militants rose to 48 Thursday after an 11-year-old girl and a man died from wounds they suffered during the worst cross-border violence in over a year.
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Iowa governor asks court to allow blocked 2018 abortion ban
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds asked the state courts on Thursday to allow her to implement a law banning most abortions that a judge permanently blocked in 2019.
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OSHA investigates deaths of Amazon workers in New Jersey
Federal work-safety investigators are looking into the death of an Amazon worker and an injury that potentially led to the death of another employee, adding to a probe already underway following a third fatality during the company's annual Prime Day shopping event in mid-July.
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San Francisco paramedic sedated abortion rights protester involuntarily
A protester has filed a federal civil lawsuit against the city of San Francisco claiming that a paramedic, under the direction of a police sergeant, injected her against her will with a sedative while she was handcuffed after being removed from a Golden State Warriors championship game for demonstrating in favour of abortion rights.
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Seoul vows to move families from 'Parasite'-style basement homes after flooding deaths
Seoul has vowed to move some of the city's poorest families out of underground and semi-subterranean homes after 13 people were killed in flooding caused by record-breaking rainfall this week, sparking public horror and calls for government accountability.
Entertainment
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Olivia Newton-John to receive state memorial service in Australia
Olivia Newton-John, the singer and 'Grease' star who died on Monday in the United States, will receive a state memorial service in Australia, Victorian state Premier Dan Andrews announced Thursday.
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Beyoncé calls Madonna a 'masterpiece genius' for joining her on 'Break My Soul' remix
For lending the iconic melody from 'Vogue' to Beyonce's new 'Break My Soul' remix, Madonna received a new title: 'masterpiece genius,' bestowed upon her by Bey herself.
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'They want to honour the music': Teenage Head continues tour after guitarist's death
Canadian punk rock band Teenage Head will continue their tour, including a stop in Winnipeg next week, after the death of guitarist Gord Lewis.
Health
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Ontario health minister says health-care access through OHIP won't change
Ontarians will not have to pay out of pocket for health-care services, the province's health minister said Thursday, a day after she came under fire for refusing to rule out further privatization in the system.
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Doctors call for action as intentional sodium nitrite poisoning deaths rise in Canada
Doctors are among those calling for tighter regulation of sodium nitrite as a growing number of Canadians are dying after intentionally ingesting unsafe quantities of the common food preservative in its pure form.
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Vegetarian women more likely to suffer hip fractures: study
A study out of the United Kingdom’s University of Leeds reports women who don’t eat meat are 33 per cent more likely to break their hips later in life.
Politics
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Federal Conservatives running to the 'extremes,' says former B.C. premier Christy Clark
Former British Columbia premier Christy Clark is endorsing Jean Charest to be the next leader of the federal Conservatives at a time when she says the party is running to the extremes.
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'The future of science in Canada is at risk': Researchers call for pay raise
Hundreds of scientists and researchers are expected to gather on Parliament Hill today to call for a raise.
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More Ukrainian refugees could come to Canada if visa policy eased: report
A new report says Canada needs to change its federal visa policy to speed up the admission of Ukrainian refugees, which has slowed to a trickle.
Sci-Tech
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It didn't take long for Meta's new chatbot to say something offensive
Meta's new chatbot can convincingly mimic how humans speak on the internet: for better and worse.
-
'The future of science in Canada is at risk': Researchers call for pay raise
Hundreds of scientists and researchers are expected to gather on Parliament Hill today to call for a raise.
-
100-year-old colour perception theory had a math mistake: study
The 3D mathematical model used for more than 100 years to describe how our eyes distinguish colours has been found to have an important math error.
Business
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S&P/TSX rises, U.S. markets lose ground on mixed trading day
Canada's main stock index posted another day of triple-digit gains and U.S. markets were mixed Thursday against the backdrop of mounting evidence that inflation may be beginning to ease.
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Pianist Oscar Peterson becomes first Black Canadian featured on a circulation coin
Canadians will soon be able to carry a piece of national music history in their wallets with the launch of a coin commemorating legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson.
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New Zealand welcomes back first cruise ship since COVID hit
New Zealand on Friday welcomed the first cruise ship to return since the coronavirus pandemic began, signalling a long-sought return to normalcy for the nation's tourism industry.
Autos
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Gas prices dip just below US$4 for the first time in 5 months
Gasoline prices in the U.S. dipped to just under the US$4 mark for the first time in more than five months -- good news for consumers who are struggling with high prices for many other essentials.
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Unifor calls for national auto strategy, dedicated ministry to capture EV potential
Unifor is calling for a national auto strategy, and a dedicated federal government ministry to lead it, to capture the significant potential offered by the transition to electric vehicles.
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Bolivia's 'Death Road' once haunted drivers. Now it's a wildlife haven
Bolivia's decision to open an alternate route to its historic 'Death Road' - a serpentine dirt path across the towering Andes hills known for its deadly cliffs - has led to a resurgence of wildlife in the area, according to an environmental group.
Lifestyle
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Vancouver man the first non-American to be president of magicians' society
A Vancouver man is the first outside of the United States to be made president of a very specific group: the Society of American Magicians.
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U.S. President Biden begins summer vacation with family in South Carolina
U.S. President Joe Biden arrived in South Carolina on Wednesday to begin what is expected to be at least a seven-day vacation with members of his family.
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Missing mascot found: Team New Brunswick's gnome arrives at the Canada Games
The unofficial mascot of Team New Brunswick -- who had been reported missing -- has finally arrived at the Canada Summer Games in Ontario's Niagara region.
Sports
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Hockey Canada looks to hire director of sport safety to address abuse, harassment
Hockey Canada has its sights set on hiring a 'director, sport safety - maltreatment, harassment and abuse' to strengthen its overall sport safety framework.
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Toronto Maple Leafs great Borje Salming diagnosed with ALS
Former Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Borje Salming announced on Wednesday he has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
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Oilers mourn six-year-old fan who lost battle with brain cancer
The Edmonton Oilers are mourning the death of Ben Stelter, a six-year-old fan who died after a battle with cancer.