ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Friday, June 25, 2010
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Behavior breakthrough: Like animals, plants demonstrate complex ability to integrate information (June 25, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered that a plant's strategy to capture nutrients in the soil is the result of integration of different types of information. They found plants also have the ability to integrate information about the location of both food and competitors. As a result, plants demonstrate unique behavioral strategies to capture soil resources. ... > full story
Higher wetland methane emissions caused by climate warming 40,000 years ago (June 25, 2010) -- 40,000 years ago rapid warming led to an increase in methane concentration. The culprit for this increase has now been identified. Mainly wetlands in high northern latitudes caused the methane increase. This result refutes an alternative theory dis-cussed amongst experts, the so-called "clathrate gun hypothesis." ... > full story
Researcher develops green, bio-based process for producing fuel additive (June 25, 2010) -- A new green, bio-based method for producing a much-used fuel additive and industrial chemical that is currently made from petroleum products has been developed. ... > full story
Was Venus once a habitable planet? (June 24, 2010) -- The European Space Agency's Venus Express is helping planetary scientists investigate whether Venus once had oceans. If it did, it may even have begun its existence as a habitable planet similar to Earth. ... > full storyHow embryos fight retroviral infection (June 24, 2010) -- Some viruses insert themselves into the host's DNA during infection in a process called retroviral integration, causing several diseases, including AIDS and cancer, notes a researcher who specializes in fetal diseases. However, stem cells that give rise to the early embryo and yolk sac fight back, inhibiting further infection by aggressively silencing the invading viral DNA, he says. ... > full story
Moldy homes a serious risk for severe asthma attacks in some (June 24, 2010) -- Exposure to high levels of fungus may increase the risk of severe asthma attacks among people with certain chitinase gene variants, according to a new study. ... > full story
Babies' first bacteria depend on birthing method, says new study (June 24, 2010) -- A new study indicates different delivery methods of newborn babies has a big effect on the types of microbial communities they harbor as they emerge into the world, findings with potential implications for the heath of infants as they grow and develop. ... > full story
Analyzing food and beverages with magnetic levitation (June 24, 2010) -- Scientists are reporting development of a new use for magnetic levitation, or "maglev," the futuristic technology best known for enabling high-speed passenger trains to float above the tracks. They describe putting maglev to use in an inexpensive sensor for analyzing food, water, and other beverages. ... > full story
Gut bacteria could be key indicator of colon cancer risk (June 24, 2010) -- A new study suggests that a shift in the balance between the "good" bacteria and the "bad" bacteria that populate our gut could be a harbinger of colon cancer. ... > full storyLanguage of RNA decoded: Study reveals new function for pseudogenes and noncoding RNAs (June 24, 2010) -- The central dogma of molecular biology holds that genetic information is transferred from DNA to functional proteins by way of messenger RNA (mRNA). This suggests that mRNA has but a single role, that being to encode for proteins. Now, a cancer genetics team suggests there is much more to RNA than meets the eye. ... > full story
New method of peptide synthesis makes it easier to create drugs based on natural compounds (June 24, 2010) -- A team of chemists has developed a novel method for chemically synthesizing peptides that promises to lower the cost and increase the availability of drugs based on natural compounds. ... > full story
Evolution of bird bills: Birds reduce their 'heating bills' in cold climates (June 24, 2010) -- The evolution of bird bills is related to climate, according to latest research. ... > full story
Skins prone to sunburn may be capable of a normal tan (June 24, 2010) -- As the beaches of Southern Europe prepare for this summer’s influx of pale skinned British sun worshippers, new research from the UK has found that redheads are just as capable of making the melanin needed for a tan as the olive-skinned locals. ... > full storyStudies confirm presence, severity of pollution in US national parks (June 24, 2010) -- Toxic contamination from pesticides, the burning of fossil fuels, agriculture, industrial operations and other sources are a continuing concern in US national parks of the West, two new studies confirm. ... > full story
Discovery of how coral reefs adapt to global warming could aid reef restoration (June 24, 2010) -- Discoveries about tropical coral reefs are expected to be invaluable in efforts to restore the corals, which are succumbing to bleaching and other diseases at an unprecedented rate as ocean temperatures rise worldwide. ... > full storyPolio research gives new insight into tackling vaccine-derived poliovirus (June 24, 2010) -- A vaccine-derived strain of poliovirus that has spread in recent years is serious but it can be tackled with an existing vaccine, according to a new study. ... > full story
New areas prone to moderate earthquakes identified in Iberian Peninsula (June 24, 2010) -- Some areas of the Iberian Peninsula, where earthquakes of moderate magnitude have never yet been recorded, such as certain parts of the Cordillera Cantábrica mountain range, the far west of the Cordilleras Béticas mountains and the north of Valencia, could have the potential to generate such quakes, according to a new study. ... > full storyAbusive mothering aggravates the impact of stress hormones (June 24, 2010) -- In a new study, researchers have dissected the behavior of mother rats and their infant pups, modeling nurturing by stroking and abuse with electric shock. In this animal model of infant abuse, they took into consideration the unique infant neurobehavioral learning attachment system that ensures infant rats’ attachment to their caregiver regardless of the quality of care received. ... > full story
Brave brains: Neural mechanisms of courage uncovered in study of fear of snakes (June 23, 2010) -- A fascinating new study combines snakes with brain imaging in order to uncover neural mechanisms associated with "courage." The research provides new insight into what happens in the brain when an individual voluntarily performs an action opposite to that promoted by ongoing fear and may even lead to new treatment strategies for those who exhibit a failure to overcome their fear. ... > full story
Underwater gliders may change how scientists track fish (June 23, 2010) -- Tracking fish across Alaska's vast continental shelves can present a challenge to any scientist studying Alaska's seas. Researchers have successfully tested a possible solution in the form of underwater gliders. ... > full storyNew medical weapons to protect against anthrax attacks (June 23, 2010) -- The 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States are fostering development of a new generation of vaccines, antibiotics, and other medications to protect people against the potentially deadly bacteria in any future bioterrorist incident. ... > full story
Separation between Neanderthal and Homo sapiens might have occurred 500,000 years earlier, DNA from teeth suggests (June 23, 2010) -- The separation of Neanderthal and Homo sapiens might have occurred at least one million years ago, more than 500,000 years earlier than previously believed, according to recent research in Spain using DNA-based analyses of teeth and computer modeling. ... > full storyNew vaccine strategies could safely control Rift Valley fever (June 23, 2010) -- Two new approaches could form the basis for the first-ever human vaccine for Rift Valley fever, an infectious disease that threatens both farm animals and people, say researchers. Experimental vaccines developed with these approaches produced strong immune responses in mice and may be safer than the only available RVF vaccine, which is limited to animal use. ... > full story
Chicken litter has advantages over conventional fertilizers (June 23, 2010) -- Chicken litter is much more valuable as a fertilizer than previously thought, according to an agricultural study showing its newfound advantages over conventional fertilizers. ... > full story
Humans have a mighty bite, new research shows (June 23, 2010) -- The robust jaws and formidable teeth of some of our ancestors and ape cousins may suggest that humans are wimps when it comes to producing a powerful bite: but a new study has found the opposite is true. The surprise findings suggest that early modern humans did not necessarily need to use tools and cooking to process high-nutrient hard foods, such as nuts, but may have lost an ability to eat very tough items, such as tubers or leaves. ... > full storyHigh levels of fructose, trans fats lead to significant liver disease, says study (June 23, 2010) -- Scientists at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center have discovered that a diet with high levels of fructose, sucrose, and of trans fats not only increases obesity, but also leads to significant fatty liver disease with scar tissue. ... > full story
Striped mice -- the neighbors from hell (June 23, 2010) -- Fighting, paternity tests and infidelity. No, not a daytime talk show, but the results of new research examining why the fur will fly if a four-striped grass mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio) wanders into his neighbor's territory. Researchers investigated aggression in the mammalian species, finding that breeding males are much more concerned with repelling their neighbors than with defending their partners from complete strangers. ... > full story
Organic pesticides not always 'greener' choice, study finds (June 23, 2010) -- A new study reveals some organic pesticides can have a higher environmental impact than conventional pesticides. Researchers investigated the effectiveness and environmental impact of organic pesticides to those of conventional and novel reduced-risk synthetic products on soybean crops. The researchers found the organic pesticides required larger doses and were more harmful to pests that help protect the crop compared to the synthetic pesticides. ... > full story
Impacts of Chilean salmon farms on coastal ecosystem discovered accidentally (June 23, 2010) -- Until recently, the disastrous scale of the threat posed by salmon farms to the fauna and National Park of the Aysén region of southern Chile was entirely unknown. The unexpected discovery was made by researchers who were studying acoustic communication among the native whales in the region. The researchers not only discovered that the salmon industry is rapidly spreading to the hitherto largely unspoiled south of the region; they also documented the previously unknown threat to the region's native sea lions. ... > full story
Coffee may protect against head and neck cancers (June 23, 2010) -- Data on the effects of coffee on cancer risk have been mixed. However, results of a recent study add to the brewing evidence that drinking coffee protects against cancer, this time against head and neck cancer. ... > full storyNo link between early childhood cancers and living near mobile phone base station during pregnancy, says study (June 23, 2010) -- A new study looking at the patterns of early childhood cancers across Great Britain has found no association between a mother living near to a mobile phone base station during her pregnancy and the risk of that child developing cancer before reaching the age of five. ... > full story
Peruvian moth could devastate California’s avocados, entomologist warns (June 23, 2010) -- Entomologist Mark Hoddle is in Peru to look for known avocado pests, in particular, the avocado seed moth, Stenoma catenifer, that could wreak havoc on California's avocados should the pest make its way to the state. This pest could also attack and survive on California bay laurel, a plant native to California that is closely related to the avocado. Peruvian avocados are already being imported into California. ... > full story
Enzyme trio for biosynthesis of hydrocarbon fuels (June 23, 2010) -- Scientists have identified a trio of bacterial enzymes that can catalyze key steps in the conversion of plant sugars into hydrocarbon compounds for the production of green transportation fuels. ... > full story
American scientists help protect Guatemala's Lake Atitlan from harmful algae blooms (June 23, 2010) -- A team of US scientists has returned from a two-week expedition to Guatemala's tropical high-mountain Lake Atitlan, where they are working to find solutions to the algae blooms that have assailed the ecosystem and the drinking water source for local residents. ... > full storyInsight into cells could lead to new approach to medicines (June 22, 2010) -- A surprising discovery about the complex make-up of our cells could lead to the development of new types of medicines, a study suggests. ... > full story
Unusual rhino beetle behavior discovered: Invasive species severely impact small islands (June 22, 2010) -- The coconut rhinoceros beetle continues to munch its way through the crowns of coconut trees on the northwest coast of Guam. Rhino hunters are ready to get tough with bio-control measures that will decrease the rhino beetle population. ... > full storyLemurs lose weight with 'life-extending' supplement resveratrol (June 22, 2010) -- The anti-obesity properties of resveratrol have been demonstrated for the first time in a primate. Researchers studied the compound, generated naturally by plants to ward off pathogens, which has received much interest as a dietary supplement for its supposed life-extending effects. ... > full story
Competition puts the brakes on body evolution in island lizards (June 22, 2010) -- Millions of years before humans began battling it out over beachfront property, a similar phenomenon was unfolding in a diverse group of island lizards. Often mistaken for chameleons or geckos, Anolis lizards fight fiercely for resources, responding to rivals by doing push-ups and puffing out their throat pouches. But anoles also compete in ways that shape their bodies over evolutionary time, says a new study. ... > full story
Citizen science: Birders contribute valuable data on invasive plant species (June 22, 2010) -- In an effort to assess ties between birds' feeding habits and the spread of nonnative invasive plants, researchers provided ornithologists from four US states with questionnaires on daily bird-plant encounters. The 1,143 unique interactions reported by the birders laid the groundwork for a study on the role of native birds in the seed dispersal of invasive plants throughout the US. ... > full story
World's first plastic antibodies in live organisms: Stop spread of bee venom in mice (June 22, 2010) -- Researchers have developed the first "plastic antibodies" successfully employed in live organisms -- stopping the spread of bee venom through the bloodstream of mice. ... > full storyBacteria in the nose and throat: Most comprehensive comparative analysis (June 22, 2010) -- Scientists have completed the most comprehensive comparative analysis to date of bacterial communities inhabiting the human nose and throat, which could provide new insights into why some individuals become colonized with pathogens while others do not. ... > full story
Chimpanzee gangs kill for land, new study shows (June 22, 2010) -- Bands of chimpanzees violently kill individuals from neighboring groups in order to expand their own territory, according to a 10-year study of a chimp community in Uganda that provides the first definitive evidence for this long-suspected function of this behavior. ... > full story
More than skin deep, tanning product of sun's rays (June 22, 2010) -- People who remain pale and never tan can blame their distant ancestors for choosing to live in the northern reaches of the globe and those who easily achieve a deep tan can thank their ancestors for living in the subtropical latitudes, according to new research. ... > full storyHarmful bacteria carried by pigeons (June 22, 2010) -- Sampling of pigeons captured on the streets of Madrid has revealed the bacterial pathogens they carry. Researchers found two bugs that were highly prevalent in the bird population, Chlamydophila psittaci and Campylobacter jejuni, both of which cause illness in humans. ... > full story
Gender-bending fish problem in Colorado creek mitigated by treatment plant upgrade (June 22, 2010) -- Male fish are taking longer to be "feminized" by chemical contaminants that act as hormone disrupters in Colorado's Boulder Creek following the upgrade of a wastewater treatment plant in Boulder in 2008, according to a new study. ... > full story
Agricultural scientists take a long look at livestock and locoweed (June 22, 2010) -- Keeping livestock away from poisonous locoweed during seasons when it's a forage favorite is one way ranchers can protect their animals and their profits, according to researchers. ... > full story
Of lice and man: Researchers sequence human body louse genome (June 22, 2010) -- Like an unwelcome house guest or itinerant squatter, the human body louse shows up when times are bad and always makes them worse. Now scientists report that it has sequenced the body louse genome, an achievement that will yield new insights into louse -- and human -- biology and evolution. ... > full story
Ocean stirring and plankton patchiness revealed by computer simulation (June 22, 2010) -- Computer simulations show how oceanic stirring and mixing influence the formation and dynamics of plankton patches in the upper ocean. Researchers applied the methods of synchronization theory -- previously used to explain such phenomena as the coordinated flashing of fireflies along whole riverbanks. Initially they studied the balance between localized increases in phytoplankton populations and small-scale mixing, such as that due to breaking waves, in creating patches. Patchiness was found to persist despite the mixing which might be expected to smooth out the patches by blending them together. ... > full storyCopyright 1995-2010 © ScienceDaily LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
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