ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Friday, September 3, 2010
Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.
Model for implantable artificial kidney to replace dialysis unveiled (September 3, 2010) -- Researchers have unveiled a prototype model of the first implantable artificial kidney, in a development that one day could eliminate the need for dialysis. ... > full story
New type of anti-malarial compound discovered (September 3, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a promising new drug candidate that represents a new class of drug to treat malaria. Clinical trials for the compound are planned for later this year. ... > full story
Cuckoo chicks in Zebra finches: Eggs from other females can be found in every fifth nest (September 3, 2010) -- Some female zebra finches foist a part of their eggs on their neighbors. Scientists in Germany have discovered that in every fifth nest there is one egg that is not produced by its social parents. The female birds act in a very well-targeted way: eggs are being placed in “foster-care” shortly before the hosts commence their own egg laying. ... > full story
Scientists develop new method to identify glycosylated proteins (September 3, 2010) -- Various processes in our body are controlled by subsequent changes of proteins. Therefore, the identification of such modifications is essential for the further exploration of the human organism. Now, scientists in Germany have made a crucial contribution to this: Using a new method, they have been able to identify more than 6,000 glycosylated protein sites in different tissues and have thus established an important basis for the better understanding of all life processes. ... > full story
Edible nanostructures: Compounds made from renewable materials could be used for gas storage, food technologies (September 3, 2010) -- Sugar, salt, alcohol and a little serendipity led researchers to discover a new class of nanostructures that could be used for gas storage and food and medical technologies. And the compounds are edible. The porous crystals are the first known all-natural metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that are simple to make. Most other MOFs are made from petroleum-based ingredients, but the new MOFs you can pop into your mouth and eat, and the researchers have. ... > full story
How the male common snipe 'flies the flag' to get the girl (September 3, 2010) -- A new study -- using high speed video and feathers bought on eBay -- shows that when the male snipe sticks out his outer tail feathers, they flutter like flags in the wind, producing a highly seductive drumming sound. The winged Lothario also dives to increase the speed and therefore raise the pitch of the call in a bid to impress the female of the species. ... > full story
‘Green wall’ technology could double the plant diversity of the River Thames through London (September 3, 2010) -- Only half the number of plant species that could blossom along the walls of the River Thames finds a suitable place to grow, yet this could potentially double with the introduction of ‘green wall’ technology, according to new research. ... > full story
Natural disasters do not necessarily create peace, research finds (September 3, 2010) -- A devastating tsunami hit southern Asia in December 2004. After the tsunami, both politicians and journalists believed that the natural disaster could help to bring peace to Sri Lanka and the Aceh province of Indonesia. But did it? ... > full story
Water in Earth's mantle key to survival of oldest continents (September 2, 2010) -- Earth today is one of the most active planets in the Solar System, and was probably even more so during the early stages of its life. Thanks to the plate tectonics that continue to shape our planet's surface, remnants of crust from Earth's formative years are rare, but not impossible to find. A new paper examines how some ancient rocks have resisted being recycled into Earth's convecting interior. ... > full story
Antibacterial peptide could aid in treating soldiers' burn wound infections (September 2, 2010) -- An antibacterial peptide looks to be a highly effective therapy against infections in burn or blast wounds suffered by soldiers. ... > full story
New app shows 2-D structure of thousands of RNA molecules (September 2, 2010) -- For the first time, it's possible to experimentally capture a global snapshot of the conformation of thousands of RNA molecules in a cell. The finding is important because this scrappy little sister of DNA has recently been shown to be much more complex than previously thought. ... > full story
Ozone depletion: Paving the way for identification of rogue CFC release (September 2, 2010) -- A new discovery could make it possible in future to identify the source of banned CFCs that are probably still being released into the atmosphere. They have also discovered the largest chlorine isotope enrichment ever found in nature. ... > full story
Scientists unwrap DNA packaging to gain insight into cells (September 2, 2010) -- Scientists have built a clearer picture of how lengthy strands of DNA are concertinaed when our cells grow and divide, in a discovery could help explain how cell renewal can go wrong. ... > full story
Deepwater Horizon spill: New method successfully predicted how oil would spread (September 2, 2010) -- Prompted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, a scientist has come up with a new way of predicting how contaminants like oil will spread. He was able to forecast several days in advance that oil from that spill would wash ashore in particular parts of the Gulf of Mexico. ... > full story
Ancient brew masters tapped antibiotic secrets (September 2, 2010) -- A chemical analysis of the bones of ancient Nubians shows that they were regularly consuming tetracycline, most likely in their beer. The finding is the strongest evidence yet that the art of making antibiotics, which officially dates to the discovery of penicillin in 1928, was common practice nearly 2,000 years ago. The study finds that it's likely this prehistoric population was using empirical evidence to develop therapeutic agents. ... > full story
Mineral physicists find new scenery at Earth's core-mantle boundary (September 2, 2010) -- Using a diamond-anvil cell to recreate the high pressures deep within the earth, researchers have found unusual properties in an iron-rich magnesium- and iron-oxide mineral that may explain the existence of several ultra-low velocity zones at the core--mantle boundary. ... > full story
Getting a tail up on conservation? New method for measuring lizard weight from size (September 2, 2010) -- A researcher in Israel has developed an improved tool for translating lizard body lengths to weights. The new equations calculate this valuable morphological feature to estimate the weight of a lizard species in a variety of different ecosystems. ... > full story
Too much aluminum in infant formulas, UK researchers find (September 2, 2010) -- The aluminum content of a range of the most popular brands of infant formulas remains high, researchers in the UK have found. ... > full story
Decrease in global carbon dioxide emissions; CO<sub>2</sub> from China, India on the rise (September 2, 2010) -- Global carbon dioxide emissions decreased in 2009, the first decrease recorded this decade. However, in China and India the emissions increased by 9 and 6 percent. ... > full story
Commercial organic farms have better fruit and soil, lower environmental impact, study finds (September 2, 2010) -- Side-by-side comparisons of organic and conventional strawberry farms and their fruit found the organic farms produced more flavorful and nutritious berries while leaving the soil healthier and more genetically diverse. The study is among the most comprehensive of its kind, analyzing 31 chemical and biological soil properties, soil DNA, and the taste, nutrition and quality of three strawberry varieties on more than two dozen commercial fields -- 13 conventional and 13 organic. ... > full story
Probing for principles underlying animal flock patterns: A model system for group behavior of nanomachines (September 2, 2010) -- A team of physicists from Germany has developed a versatile biophysical model system that opens the door to studying phenomena such as the seemingly choreographed motion of hundreds or thousands of fish, birds, or insects, and probing their underlying principles. Using a combination of an experimental platform and theoretical models, more complex systems can now be described and their properties investigated. ... > full story
Metal-mining bacteria are green chemists (September 2, 2010) -- Microbes could soon be used to convert metallic wastes into high-value catalysts for generating clean energy, say scientists. ... > full story
Live imaging puts new light on stem cell division (September 2, 2010) -- A long-held assumption about asymmetrical division of stem cells has cracked. Researchers report that the mitotic spindle does not act alone -- that cortical proteins help to position a cleavage furrow in the right location. ... > full story
New solar prediction system gives time to prepare for the storms ahead (September 2, 2010) -- A new method of predicting solar storms that could help to avoid widespread power and communications blackouts costing billions of pounds has been launched by researchers in the UK. ... > full story
Economic theory suggests symbiosis is driven by simple self-interest, not rewards or punishment (September 2, 2010) -- Applying employment contract theory to symbiosis, a new paper suggests mutually beneficial relationships are maintained by simple self-interest, with partners benefiting from healthy hosts much as employees benefit from robust employers. The new work discounts the theory that host species have evolved to promote symbiosis by promising rewards or threatening punishment. ... > full story
NASA and NOAA's newest GOES satellite ready for action (September 2, 2010) -- NASA and NOAA's latest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-15, has successfully completed five months of on-orbit testing and has been accepted into service. The satellite has demonstrated operational readiness of its subsystems, spacecraft instruments and communications services. GOES-15 is the third and final spacecraft in the GOES N-P Series of geostationary environmental weather satellites. ... > full story
Less waste with shelf-life indicator for food (September 2, 2010) -- Norwegian food retailers discard over 50,000 tonnes of food annually – much of it of perfectly good quality. New technology the TimeTemp company in cooperation with Norwegian research institutions could substantially reduce this wastefulness. TimeTemp has developed a new method of more precisely measuring the freshness of food items: a shelf-life indicator attached directly to the product. In addition to time, the company’s device also factors in the temperatures to which the item has been exposed. ... > full story
'Charitable' behavior found in bacteria (September 1, 2010) -- Researchers have discover "charitable" behavior in bacteria populations, where individuals with the highest antibiotic resistance sacrifice so the whole population can better fight off medication. ... > full story
Navigation satellites contend with stormy Sun (September 1, 2010) -- Just as we grow used to satellite navigation in everyday life, media reports argue that a coming surge in solar activity could render satnav devices useless, perhaps even frying satellites themselves. Is it true? No. ... > full story
Capacity for exercise can be inherited: Finding suggests pharmaceutical drugs can be used to alter activity levels in humans (September 1, 2010) -- Biologists have found that voluntary activity, such as daily exercise, is a highly heritable trait that can be passed down genetically to successive generations. Working on mice in the lab, they found that activity level can be enhanced with selective breeding. Their experiments showed that mice that were bred to be high runners produced high-running offspring, indicating that the offspring had inherited the trait for activity. ... > full story
Are wolves saving Yellowstone's aspen trees from elk? (September 1, 2010) -- Previous research has claimed that the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1995 is helping restore quaking aspen in risky areas where wolves prowl. But apparently elk hungry for winter food had a different idea. They did not know they were supposed to be responding to a "landscape of fear." ... > full story
Study shows increased risk of heart attack from physical exertion at altitude and low temperatures during winter sports vacations (September 1, 2010) -- A study carried out by cardiologists has investigated the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) amongst winter sports tourists to the Tyrolean Alps. The research shows that inadequate preparation for the intense physical exertion required, combined with the effects of altitude and low temperature, leads to an increase in heart attack incidents, particularly during the first two days of vacation. ... > full story
Nanobiotechnology advances point to medical applications (September 1, 2010) -- Scientists have demonstrated the synthesis of nanosize biological particles with the potential to fight cancer and other illnesses. The research introduces new approaches that are considered "green" nanobiotechnology because they use no artificial compounds. ... > full story
Climate change implicated in decline of horseshoe crabs (September 1, 2010) -- A distinct decline in horseshoe crab numbers has occurred that parallels climate change associated with the end of the last Ice Age, according to a study that used genomics to assess historical trends in population sizes. ... > full story
Researchers exploring 'fusion strategy' against E. coli (September 1, 2010) -- Researchers are exploring a "fusion strategy" for making improved vaccines to protect pigs and humans against some strains of E. coli. ... > full story
Evolution rewritten, again and again (September 1, 2010) -- Palaeontologists are forever claiming that their latest fossil discovery will "rewrite evolutionary history." Is this just boasting or does our "knowledge" of evolution radically change every time we find a new fossil? ... > full story
Girls' early puberty linked to unstable environment via insecure attachment in infancy (September 1, 2010) -- Girls are hitting puberty earlier and earlier. One recent study found that more than 10 percent of American girls have some breast development by age 7. This news has upset many people, but it may make evolutionary sense in some cases for girls to develop faster, according to new research. ... > full story
Mosquitoes use several different kinds of odor sensors to track human prey (September 1, 2010) -- The malaria mosquito needs more than one family of odor sensors to sniff out its human prey, new research suggests. New research provides striking new evidence that Anopheles gambiae -- the species of mosquito that spreads malaria that infects some 250 million and kills 900,000 people annually -- has a second set of olfactory sensors that are fundamentally different from the set of sensors that scientists have known about and have been studying for the last 10 years. ... > full story
Researchers develop simulation to better understand the effects of sound on marine life (September 1, 2010) -- A combination of the biology of marine mammals, mechanical vibrations and acoustics has led to a breakthrough discovery allowing scientists to better understand the potential harmful effects of sound on marine mammals such as whales and dolphins. ... > full story
Off-the-shelf dyes improve solar cells (September 1, 2010) -- Scientists report success in boosting the ability of zinc oxide solar cells to absorb visible light simply by applying a blended mixture of various off-the-shelf dyes commonly used in food and medical industries -- in a soak-then-dry procedure not unlike that used to color a tee-shirt in a home washing machine. ... > full story
Lima beans domesticated twice (September 1, 2010) -- Lima beans were domesticated at least twice, according to a new genetic diversity study. Big seeded varieties known as "Big Lima" were domesticated in the Andean Mountains, while small seeded "Sieva" and "Potato" varieties originated in central-western Mexico. ... > full story
Diverse diet of veggies may decrease lung cancer risk (September 1, 2010) -- Adding a variety of vegetables to one's diet may help decrease the chance of getting lung cancer, and adding a variety of fruits and vegetables may decrease the risk of squamous cell lung cancer, especially among smokers. ... > full story
Moderate coffee consumption improves aortic distensibility in hypertensive elderly individuals, study finds (September 1, 2010) -- A detailed study conducted by researchers on the Aegean island of Ikaria has demonstrated that moderate consumption of coffee by hypertensive elderly individuals can lead to improvements in aortic distensibility. ... > full story
In drought-prone Sahel, scientists roll out innovative system for producing vegetables (September 1, 2010) -- With a major famine unfolding in Niger and other countries of West Africa's dry Sahelian region, an agricultural scientist reports new progress in disseminating an innovative system for irrigated vegetable production -- a valuable option in a region that is highly dependent on subsistence rainfed cropping. ... > full story
Virus related to smallpox rising sharply in Africa (September 1, 2010) -- Researchers report that 30 years after mass smallpox vaccination campaigns ceased, the rates of a related virus called human monkeypox has dramatically increased in the rural Democratic Republic of Congo, with sporadic outbreaks in other African countries and even the United States. ... > full story
A decade of studying the Earth's magnetic shield, in 3-D (September 1, 2010) -- Space scientists around the world are celebrating ten years of ground-breaking discoveries by "Cluster," a mission that is illuminating the mysteries of the magnetosphere, the northern lights and the solar wind. Cluster is a European Space Agency mission, launched in summer 2000. It consists of a unique constellation of four spacecraft flying in formation around Earth, studying the interaction between the solar wind and the magnetosphere. ... > full story
Seafood stewardship questionable, experts argue (September 1, 2010) -- The world's most established fisheries certifier is failing on its promises as rapidly as it gains prominence, according to leading fisheries experts. ... > full story
Snail mail beats phones to help feds sustain ample fish stocks in US coastal waters (September 1, 2010) -- Snail mail might be the answer to help federal officials protect US coastal waters from overfishing. Anglers say the feds currently rely on questionable data from a home phone survey to calculate recreational fishing volume and decide which locales to place off limits so stocks can rebuild. A new study found a snail mail survey netted a higher response rate and more complete data, says a statistician. ... > full story
Copyright 1995-2010 © ScienceDaily LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
|
 To update/change your profile click here  |
