ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Monday, August 9, 2010
Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.
NASA's hurricane quest set to begin (August 9, 2010) -- In less than two weeks, NASA scientists will begin their quest for the holy grail of hurricane research. The exact conditions required to kickstart a tropical depression into a hurricane largely remain a mystery. Though scientists know many of the ingredients needed, it is unclear what processes ultimately drive depressions to form into the intense, spinning storms that lash the U.S. coasts each summer. ... > full story
Butterflies shed light on how some species respond to global warming (August 9, 2010) -- Researchers have begun studying the genetic explanation for how two species of butterflies respond to warming. They are investigating what genes are responsible for the individualized responses, and will use genomic tools to learn which genes are involved when the species is experiencing climate change. ... > full story
Scientists post lower speed limit for cell-signaling protein assembly (August 9, 2010) -- The apparently random self-assembly of molecular threads into the proteins that make the body work is far less frantic than previously thought, scientists say. That discovery could be a key to help unlock the nature of some diseases. How proteins spontaneously "fold" from wiggling chains of amino acids into a wide variety of functional -- or malfunctioning -- 3-D molecules is one of the biggest mysteries in biochemistry. ... > full story
Is biochar the answer for agriculture? Long-term study digs up new information on biochar’s ability to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from soils (August 9, 2010) -- Scientists have found that over several months, biochar applied to soil can significantly reduce emissions of nitrous oxide and leaching of nitrates. ... > full story
Protein that shuttles RNA into cell mitochondria discovered (August 8, 2010) -- Researchers have uncovered a role for an essential cell protein in shuttling RNA into the mitochondria, the energy-producing "power plant" of the cell. ... > full story
NOAA still expects active Atlantic hurricane season; La Niña develops (August 8, 2010) -- The Atlantic Basin remains on track for an active hurricane season, according to the scheduled seasonal outlook update issued Aug. 5, 2010 by NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. With the season's peak just around the corner -- late August through October -- the need for preparedness plans is essential. ... > full story
Death dance reveals secrets of apoptosis in dissociated human embryonic stem cells (August 8, 2010) -- Researchers in Japan have unraveled the mystery of why human embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis) when cultured in isolation. By unlocking the potential of cell therapy techniques, the discovery promises new hope to sufferers of debilitating degenerative diseases. ... > full story
First satellite measurement of water volume in Amazon floodplain (August 8, 2010) -- For the first time, scientists have been able to measure the amount of water that rises and falls annually in the Amazon River floodplain. The result -- 285 billion metric tons, or 285 cubic kilometers of water by volume -- sounds like a lot. That amount is over half the volume of Lake Erie, which is the world's 15th largest lake. ... > full story
NASA instrument tracks pollution from Russian fires (August 8, 2010) -- Drought and the worst heat wave Russia has seen in 130 years have sparked a devastating outbreak of wildfires across the nation this summer, primarily in the country's western and central regions. ... > full story
Federal science report details fate of oil from BP spill (August 8, 2010) -- The vast majority of the oil from the BP oil spill has either evaporated or been burned, skimmed, recovered from the wellhead or dispersed much of which is in the process of being degraded. A significant amount of this is the direct result of the robust federal response efforts, according to a new report. ... > full story
Looking for the coolest forms of life on Earth (August 7, 2010) -- Two UK scientists are traveling to one of the coldest places on Earth to help them understand how life could exist on other planets in our Solar System. During their trip to Ny-Ålesund on the island of Svalbard, they will investigate how the snow and ice there was first colonized by extremophiles – organisms that thrive in harsh conditions. ... > full story
Greenland glacier calves island four times the size of Manhattan (August 7, 2010) -- A researcher reports that an "ice island" four times the size of Manhattan has calved from Greenland's Petermann Glacier. The last time the Arctic lost such a large chunk of ice was in 1962. ... > full story
Insular evolution: Large and big-footed voles in an outer archipelago (August 7, 2010) -- According to evolutionary theory, natural selection favors traits that enhance dispersal of populations to new habitats. The empirical evidence supporting this theory, however, is relatively scarce. Scientists now report on the rapid evolution of traits facilitating dispersal in an outer archipelago. ... > full story
Secret of life on Earth may be as simple as what happens between the sheets -- mica sheets, that is (August 6, 2010) -- That age-old question, "where did life on Earth start?" now has a new answer. If the life between the mica sheets hypothesis is correct, life would have originated between sheets of mica that were layered like the pages in a book. ... > full story
Image of new antibiotic in action opens up new opportunities to combat antibacterial resistance (August 6, 2010) -- Detailed pictures reveal how a new type of experimental antibiotic can kill bacteria that are already resistant to existing treatments. The findings could ultimately help scientists to develop new antibiotics to tackle the bacteria responsible for many hospital and community-acquired infections. ... > full story
Worst impact of climate change may be how humanity reacts to it (August 6, 2010) -- The way that humanity reacts to climate change may do more damage to many areas of the planet than climate change itself unless we plan properly, an important new study by a group of leading scientists has concluded. ... > full story
Newts' ability to regenerate tissue replicated in mouse cells (August 6, 2010) -- Scientists have taken a big step toward being able to confer a regenerative capacity on mammalian muscle cells; they accomplished this feat in experiments with laboratory mice in which they blocked the expression of just two tumor-suppressing proteins. The finding may move us closer to future regenerative therapies in humans -- surprisingly, by sending us shimmying back down the evolutionary tree. ... > full story
Novel bee venom derivative forms a nanoparticle 'smart bomb' to target cancer cells (August 6, 2010) -- The next time you are stung by a bee, here's some consolation: a toxic protein in bee venom, when altered, significantly improves the effectiveness liposome-encapsulated drugs or dyes, such as those already used to treat or diagnose cancer. This research shows how modified melittin may revolutionize treatments for cancer and perhaps other conditions, such as arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and serious infections. ... > full story
Reading zip codes of 3,500-year-old letters: Non-destructive X-ray scanning of archaeological finds (August 6, 2010) -- A researcher in Israel uses a hand-held device based on x-ray fluorescence, a device that can be found in many chemistry labs, to non-destructively ascertain the chemical composition of ancient tablets. Using an index that he's developed, he can determine the geographical origin of coins, ancient plasters, glass and tablets to investigate the secrets of ancient history. ... > full story
A 'crystal ball' for predicting the effects of global climate change (August 6, 2010) -- In trying to predict how species will respond to climate change caused by global warming, researchers and scientists are turning to comparative physiology, a sub-discipline of physiology that studies how different organisms function and adapt to diverse and changing environments. Overall, the comparative approach gives researchers insights into the effects of global warming that they wouldn't otherwise have. ... > full story
Children's vegetable intake linked to Popeye cartoons (August 6, 2010) -- Popeye cartoons, tasting parties and junior cooking classes can help increase vegetable intake in kindergarten children, according to new research. Researchers in Thailand found the type and amount of vegetables children ate improved after they took part in a program using multimedia and role models to promote healthy food. ... > full story
Bats facing regional extinction in Northeastern US from rapidly spreading white-nose syndrome (August 6, 2010) -- A new infectious disease spreading rapidly across the northeastern United States has killed millions of bats and is predicted to cause regional extinction of a once-common bat species, according to new findings. Estimates show over 99 percent of Northeast's little brown bat population may become extirpated in 20 years due to white-nose syndrome. ... > full story
First evidence of genetically modified plants in the wild, scientists report (August 6, 2010) -- Scientists currently performing field research in North Dakota have discovered the first evidence of established populations of genetically modified plants -- canola -- in the wild. ... > full story
Global tropical forests threatened by 2100 (August 6, 2010) -- By 2100 only 18-45 percent of the plants and animals making up ecosystems in global, humid tropical forests may remain as we know them today, according to new research. This is one of the first studies to combine effects from new deforestation and selective logging data with climate-change projections for all humid tropical forest ecosystems. The work will help conservationists be more effective. ... > full story
When flowers turn up the heat (August 6, 2010) -- Could a "hot" flower attract pollinators by serving as a reward in a plant-pollinator mutualism? Many flowering plants produce nectar and pollen as rewards in exchange for pollination services by insects and other animals. Interestingly, however, a few plants have flowers that also produce heat metabolically -- so what is the adaptive function of this flower heating? ... > full story
Artificial bee eye gives insight into insects’ visual world (August 6, 2010) -- Despite their tiny brains, bees have remarkable navigation capabilities based on their vision. Now scientists have recreated a light-weight imaging system mimicking a honeybee's field of view, which could change the way we build mobile robots and small flying vehicles. ... > full story
High levels of carbon dioxide threaten oyster survival (August 6, 2010) -- It has been widely reported that the build up of carbon dioxide in the air, which is caused by human behavior, will likely lead to climate change and have major implications for life on earth. But less focus has been given to global warming's evil twin, ocean acidification, which occurs when CO2 lowers the pH of water bodies, making them more acidic. This lesser known phenomenon may have catastrophic effects on all sea life. ... > full story
Frogs evolution tracks rise of Himalayas and rearrangement of Southeast Asia (August 6, 2010) -- Asian spiny frogs are named for the nubby spines on their chests and arms, which they use to grasp females during mating in swift streams. Biologists have conducted a genetic analysis of 24 species of spiny frogs and correlated their diversification with the rise of the Himalayas and Tibet. The findings support a theory that India not only uplifted the mountains, but shoved Southeast Asia toward the Pacific. ... > full story
H1N1 flu virus used new biochemical trick to cause pandemic (August 6, 2010) -- In a report in the August 5 PLoS Pathogens, an international team of scientists shows that the recent pandemic-causing H1N1 flu virus used a new biochemical trick to spread efficiently in humans. ... > full story
Cutting Japanese carbon dioxide emissions (August 6, 2010) -- Last year, heat-pump technology cut Japan’s CO2 emissions by 1.1 million tons. The savings are about the same as we would gain by permanently parking around half a million modern private cars. The source of these "green" savings is climate-friendly heating of ordinary tapwater. ... > full story
How viruses jump from hosts: Secrets of rabies transmission in bats discovered (August 6, 2010) -- HIV-AIDS. SARS. Ebola. Bird flu. Swine flu. Rabies. These are emerging infectious diseases where the viruses have jumped from one animal species into another and now infect humans. This is a phenomenon known as cross-species transmission and scientists are working to determine what drives it. ... > full story
Supply and demand: Scientists identify proteins that ensure iron balance (August 6, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered that a group of proteins called IRPs ensure that iron balance is kept and as such are essential for cell survival. More specifically, they found that IRPs are required for the functioning of mitochondria, the cell's energy factories. ... > full story
NOAA divers capture invasive lionfish in the Virgin Islands National Park (August 6, 2010) -- Divers identified and killed a 15-cm-long lionfish in Fish Bay along the southern coast of St. John, making this the fourth such capture and kill of the invasive fish in the Virgin Islands National Park. ... > full story
New way to boost vaccines (August 5, 2010) -- As the medical community searches for better vaccines and ways to deliver them, one scientist believes he has discovered a new approach to boosting the body's response to vaccinations. He found that the same molecules used in drugs that treat diabetes also stimulate B cells in the immune system, pushing them to make antibodies for protection against invading microorganisms. ... > full story
Coastal creatures may have reduced ability to fight off infections in acidified oceans (August 5, 2010) -- The ocean is filled with a soup of bacteria and viruses. Animals living in these environments are constantly under assault by pathogens and need to be able to mount an immune response to protect themselves from infection, especially if they have an injury or wound that is openly exposed to the water. Researchers are studying the effects of low oxygen and high carbon dioxide on these organisms' immune systems. ... > full story
Ancient Hawaiian glaciers reveal clues to global climate impacts (August 5, 2010) -- Boulders deposited by an ancient glacier that once covered the summit of Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii have provided more evidence of the extraordinary power and reach of global change, particularly the slowdown of a North Atlantic Ocean current system that could happen again and continues to be a concern to climate scientists. ... > full story
Research breakthrough on the question of life expectancy (August 5, 2010) -- Why do we grow old and what can we do to stop it? This is the question asked by many, but it appears that we are now closer to an answer thanks to the discovery of a small set of genes in mitochondria (a membrane-enclosed organelle found in most eukaryotic cells), passed only from mothers to offspring. ... > full story
Human embryonic stem cells and reprogrammed cells virtually identical (August 5, 2010) -- Human embryonic stem cells and adult cells reprogrammed to an embryonic stem cell-like state -- so-called induced pluripotent stem or iPS cells -- exhibit very few differences in their gene expression signatures and are nearly indistinguishable in their chromatin state, according to researchers. Contrary to some recent research, the current findings rekindling hopes that, under the proper circumstances, iPS cells may hold the clinical promise ascribed to them earlier. ... > full story
Stress hormones help lizards escape from fire ants (August 5, 2010) -- When some fence lizards are attacked by fire ants they "stress out" with elevated levels of stress hormones -- a response that helps the species to flee quickly and survive. The discovery is helping scientists to understand the impact of invasive species on native populations. ... > full story
Travelling by car increases global temperatures more than travelling by plane, but only in the long term (August 5, 2010) -- Driving alone in a car increases global temperatures in the long run more than making the same long-distance journey by air according to a new study. However, in the short run traveling by air has a larger adverse climate impact because airplanes strongly affect short-lived warming processes at high altitudes. ... > full story
A hop from South America: Tracking Australian marsupials (August 5, 2010) -- Debates have raged for decades about how to arrange the Australian and South American branches of the marsupial family tree. While marsupials like the Australian tammar wallaby and the South American opossum seem to be quite different, new research shows otherwise. ... > full story
'Guardian of the genome': Protein helps prevent damaged DNA in yeast (August 5, 2010) -- Like a scout that runs ahead to spot signs of damage or danger, a protein in yeast safeguards the yeast cells' genome during replication -- a process vulnerable to errors when DNA is copied, according to new research. ... > full story
Homes of the poor and the affluent both have high levels of endocrine disruptors (August 5, 2010) -- Homes in low-income and affluent communities in California both had similarly high levels of endocrine disruptors, and the levels were higher in indoor air than outdoor air, according to a new study believed to be the first that paired indoor and outdoor air samples for such wide range of these substances. ... > full story
Taking the twinkle out of the night sky: Breakthrough in adaptive optics (August 5, 2010) -- A team of astronomers has developed a technique that allows them to switch off star twinkling over a wide field of view, enabling Earth-based telescopes to obtain images as crisp as those taken with the Hubble Space Telescope -- and much more quickly. ... > full story
New light on speciation and biodiversity of marine microorganisms (August 5, 2010) -- The world’s oceans are host to an enormous diversity of drifting, microscopic organisms, known as plankton. How this biodiversity has arisen has puzzled biologists for decades. An international team of researchers has now succeeded in elucidating how new planktonic species are formed, providing an explanation for the large biodiversity seen today. ... > full story
Genome of ancient sponge reveals origins of first animals, cancer (August 5, 2010) -- A team of researchers has published a draft genome sequence of the sea sponge, an organism that wasn't recognized as an animal until the 19th century. The genome gives insight into the origins of multicellular animals and of cancer. ... > full story
Pancreatic cancers use fructose, common in the Western diet, to fuel their growth (August 5, 2010) -- Pancreatic cancers use the sugar fructose, very common in the Western diet, to activate a key cellular pathway that drives cell division, helping the cancer to grow more quickly, a study has found. ... > full story
Gaming for a cure: Computer gamers tackle protein folding (August 5, 2010) -- Computer scientists and biochemists two years ago launched an ambitious project harnessing the brainpower of computer gamers to solve medical problems. Results now show more than 55,000 players have played protein-folding Tetris, and beat the world's most powerful computers on problems that required radical moves, risks and long-term vision. ... > full story
Copyright 1995-2010 © ScienceDaily LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
|
 To update/change your profile click here  |
