ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Tuesday, September 7, 2010
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Melting rate of icecaps in Greenland and Western Antarctica lower than expected (September 7, 2010) -- The Greenland and West Antarctic ice caps are melting at half the speed previously predicted, according to analysis of recent satellite data. ... > full story
Cells can eat parts of themselves, with help from one protein (September 7, 2010) -- Like some people, cells eat when they are under pressure -- but they consume parts of themselves. A multi-function protein helps control this form of cannibalism, according to a new article. ... > full story
Fears of a decline in bee pollination confirmed (September 7, 2010) -- Widespread reports of a decline in the population of bees and other flower-visiting animals have aroused fear and speculation that pollination is also likely on the decline. A recent study provides the first long-term evidence of a downward trend in pollination, while also pointing to climate change as a possible contributor. ... > full story
Blue breed: Rare hibiscus color is achieved thanks to flower breeding project (September 7, 2010) -- Scientists working on a winter-hardy hibiscus breeding project have achieved a rare color for the plant: blue. ... > full story
Chronic Lyme disease: How often is it diagnosed and treated? (September 7, 2010) -- The existence of chronic Lyme disease is an issue of sharp debate within the medical community. Many doctors are concerned with the potential dangers associated with the prolonged and intensive use of oral and intravenous antibiotics (the recommended treatment for chronic Lyme disease), such as blood clots and life threatening infections. A new study attempts to determine how often chronic Lyme disease is actually being diagnosed and treated. ... > full story
Fashion student designs edible clothes (September 7, 2010) -- Emily Crane's research into growing edible materials has enabled her to bring a touch of haute cuisine to her haute couture. ... > full story
Role of key genetic catalyst for human diversity discovered (September 6, 2010) -- One of the key drivers of human evolution and diversity, accounting for changes that occur between different generations of people, is explained by new research. ... > full story
Talented bacteria make food poisoning unpredictable (September 6, 2010) -- While we are often exposed to bacteria in our food which could cause food poisoning, we don't always become ill -- why should this be so? New research sheds light on how bacteria use different tricks to aid their survival inside the body, helping to explain why food poisoning can be so unpredictable. ... > full story
Increase in Cambodia's vultures gives hope to imperiled scavengers (September 6, 2010) -- While vultures across Asia teeter on the brink of extinction, the vultures of Cambodia are increasing in number, providing a beacon of hope for these threatened scavengers, according wildlife conservation experts. ... > full story
Satellite data reveals why migrating birds have a small window to spread bird flu (September 6, 2010) -- In 2005 an outbreak of the H5N1 'bird flu' virus in South East Asia led to widespread fear with predictions that the intercontinental migration of wild birds could lead to global pandemic. Such fears were never realised, and now new research reveals why the global spread of bird flu by direct migration of wildfowl is unlikely, while also providing a new framework for quantifying the risk of avian-borne diseases. ... > full story
New self-assembling photovoltaic technology repairs itself (September 6, 2010) -- Scientists have created a novel set of self-assembling molecules that can turn sunlight into electricity; the molecules can be repeatedly broken down and then reassembled quickly, just by adding or removing an additional solution. ... > full story
Backstabbing bacteria: A new treatment for infection? (September 6, 2010) -- Selfish bacterial cells that act in their own interests and do not cooperate with their infection-causing colleagues can actually reduce the severity of infection. The selfish behaviour of these uncooperative bacteria could be exploited to treat antibiotic-resistant infections, according to new research. ... > full story
Lake Michigan ecosystem may crash: 'Doughnut' of phytoplankton disappearing (September 6, 2010) -- In 1998, Charlie Kerfoot discovered a "doughnut" of phytoplankton circulating in Lake Michigan, helping to feed the lake's famous fishery. Just 12 later, the doughnut is disappearing, and Kerfoot fears that the lake's ecosystem will crash, taking with it much of the fish biomass. ... > full story
Induced pluripotent stem cell retain an inactivated X chromosome, study finds (September 6, 2010) -- Female induced pluripotent stem cells, reprogrammed from human skin cells into cells that have the embryonic-like potential to become any cell in the body, retain an inactive X chromosome, stem cell researchers have found. ... > full story
Listening to ancient colors: New technique may help restorers identify decades-old pigments (September 6, 2010) -- A team of chemists has discovered that a technique known as photoacoustic infrared spectroscopy could be used to identify the composition of pigments used in art work that is decades or even centuries old. Pigments give artist's materials color, and they emit sounds when light is shone on them. ... > full story
Transition metal catalysts could be key to origin of life, scientists report (September 6, 2010) -- Scientists propose that an overlooked type of biological catalyst -- metal-ligand complexes -- could have jump-started metabolism and life itself, deep in hydrothermal ocean vents. ... > full story
'Jailbreak' bacteria can trigger heart disease (September 6, 2010) -- Plaque-causing bacteria can jailbreak from the mouth into the bloodstream and increase your risk of heart attack, according to new research. ... > full story
In a changing climate, erratic rainfall poses growing threat to rural poor, new report says (September 6, 2010) -- Against a backdrop of extreme weather wreaking havoc around the world, a new report warns that increasingly erratic rainfall related to climate change will pose a major threat to food security and economic growth, especially in Africa and Asia, requiring increased investment in diverse forms of water storage as an effective remedy. ... > full story
Acting selfish? Blame your mother! (September 6, 2010) -- The fact that our female ancestors dispersed more than our male ancestors can lead to conflicts within the brain that influence our social behavior, new research reveals. ... > full story
Mothers matter! High social status and maternal support play an important role in mating success of male bonobos (September 5, 2010) -- The higher up a male bonobo is placed in the social hierarchy, the greater his mating success is with female bonobos, researchers have found. But even males who are not so highly placed still have a chance of impressing females. A new study finds evidence of direct support from mothers to their sons in agonistic conflicts over access to estrous females. ... > full story
Did Viking Mars landers find life's building blocks? Missing piece inspires new look at puzzle (September 5, 2010) -- Experiments prompted by a 2008 surprise from NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander suggest that soil examined by NASA's Viking Mars landers in 1976 may have contained carbon-based chemical building blocks of life. ... > full story
New bee species discovered in downtown Toronto (September 5, 2010) -- A doctoral student who discovered a new species of bee in Toronto has completed a study of 84 species of sweat bees in Canada. Nineteen of these species are new to science -- never before identified -- including the new Toronto bee, which is actually quite common in eastern Canada and the US. The new research will help scientists track bee diversity, and understand pollination biology and insect social behavior. ... > full story
Mosquitoes: Genetic structure of first animal to show evolutionary response to climate change determined (September 5, 2010) -- Scientists have determined the fine-scale genetic structure of the first animal to show an evolutionary response to rapid climate change. ... > full story
Starvation keeps sleep-deprived fly brain sharp (September 5, 2010) -- As anyone who has ever struggled to keep his or her eyes open after a big meal knows, eating can induce sleepiness. New research in fruit flies suggests that, conversely, being hungry may provide a way to stay awake without feeling groggy or mentally challenged. ... > full story
Global warming's silver lining? Northern countries will thrive and grow, researcher predicts (September 5, 2010) -- Move over, Sunbelt. The New North is coming through, a geographer predicts in a new book. As worldwide population increases by 40 percent over the next 40 years, sparsely populated Canada, Scandinavia, Russia and the northern United States will become formidable economic powers and migration magnets, Laurence C. Smith writes. ... > full story
Novel nanotechnology collaboration leads to breakthrough in cancer research (September 4, 2010) -- A multidisciplinary group of researchers has produced a 3.6-angstrom resolution structure of the human adenovirus. Scientists are working with adenovirus as a vector for gene therapy, but have needed better structural information. ... > full story
Helping corn-based plastics take more heat (September 4, 2010) -- A team of agricultural scientists are working to make corn-derived plastics more heat tolerant -- research that may broaden the range of applications for which these plastics could be used as an alternative to petroleum-based plastics. ... > full story
Next step in evolution? A technical life form that passes on knowledge and experience (September 4, 2010) -- Dutch biologist Gerard Jagers op Akkerhuis has developed the ‘operator hierarchy’ -- a system based on the complexity of particles and of organisms, which can predict the next step in evolution: a technical life form, that can pass on its knowledge and experience to the next generation. ... > full story
Most new farmland in tropics comes from slashing forests, research shows (September 4, 2010) -- A new study shows that more than 80 percent of the new farmland created in the tropics between 1980 and 2000 came from felling forests, which sends carbon into the atmosphere and drives global warming. But the research team also noted that big agribusiness has largely replaced small farmers in doing most of the tree cutting in Brazil and Indonesia, which may make it easier to rein in the trend. ... > full story
Why fish oils work swimmingly against inflammation and diabetes (September 4, 2010) -- Researchers have identified the molecular mechanism that makes omega-3 fatty acids so effective in reducing chronic inflammation and insulin resistance. ... > full story
Many urban streams harmful to aquatic life following winter pavement deicing (September 4, 2010) -- The use of salt to deice pavement can leave urban streams toxic to aquatic life, according to a new study on the influence of winter runoff in northern US cities, with a special focus on eastern Wisconsin and Milwaukee. ... > full story
Ants take on Goliath role in protecting trees in the savanna from elephants (September 3, 2010) -- Ants are not out of their weight class when defending trees from the appetite of nature's heavyweight, the African elephant, a new study finds. Columns of angered ants will crawl up into elephant trunks to repel the ravenous beasts from devouring tree cover throughout drought-plagued East African savannas, playing a potentially important role in regulating carbon sequestration in these ecosystems. ... > full story
Mechanisms and function of a type of mysterious immune cell discovered (September 3, 2010) -- In two closely related studies, two teams of scientists have discovered the underlying mechanisms that activate a type of immune cell in the skin and other organs. The findings may lead to the development of new therapies to treat inflammation, wounds, asthma and malignant tumors. ... > full story
Giant Greenland iceberg -- largest in the northern hemisphere -- enters Nares Strait (September 3, 2010) -- The European Space Agency's Envisat satellite has been tracking the progression of the giant iceberg that calved from Greenland's Petermann glacier on 4 August 2010. A new animation shows that the iceberg, the largest in the northern hemisphere, is now entering Nares Strait -- a stretch of water that connects the Lincoln Sea and Arctic Ocean with Baffin Bay. ... > full story
Brainy worms: Scientists uncover counterpart of cerebral cortex in marine worms (September 3, 2010) -- Unexpectedly, scientists have now discovered a true counterpart of the cerebral cortex in an invertebrate, a marine worm. Their findings give an idea of what the most ancient higher brain centers looked like, and what our distant ancestors used them for. ... > full story
Capsaicin can act as co-carcinogen, study finds; Chili pepper component linked to skin cancer (September 3, 2010) -- New research links capsaicin, a component of chili peppers, to skin cancer. While the molecular mechanisms of the cancer-promoting effects of capsaicin are not clear and remain controversial, the new research has shown a definite connection to formation of skin cancer through various laboratory studies. ... > full story
Cranberry juice shows promise blocking Staph infections (September 3, 2010) -- Expanding their scope of study on the mechanisms of bacterial infection, researchers have reported the surprise finding from a small clinical study that cranberry juice cocktail blocked a strain of Staphylococcus aureus from beginning the process of infection. ... > full story
Science's policy clout diminished, but oil risk looms large, study finds (September 3, 2010) -- More people are likely to believe scientific studies claiming that oil drilling is riskier, not safer, than was previously thought, according to a new study of attitudes in California. What's more the findings show that scientists' efforts to influence public opinion have a limited effect. ... > full story
Miniature auto differential helps tiny aerial robots stay aloft (September 3, 2010) -- Engineers have created a millionth-scale automobile differential to govern the flight of minuscule aerial robots that could someday be used to probe environmental hazards, forest fires, and other places too perilous for people. Their new approach is the first to passively balance the aerodynamic forces encountered by these miniature flying devices, letting their wings flap asymmetrically in response to gusts of wind, wing damage, and other real-world impediments. ... > full story
Chemists develop simple technique to visualize atomic-scale structures (September 3, 2010) -- Researchers have devised a new technique -- using a sheet of carbon just one atom thick -- to visualize the structure of molecules. The technique, which was used to obtain the first direct images of how water coats surfaces at room temperature, can also be used to image a potentially unlimited number of other molecules, including antibodies and other biomolecules. ... > full story
Cigarette smoke may contribute to lung inflammation through a new chemical pathway (September 3, 2010) -- Cigarette smoke shuts off a key enzyme in airways that regulates the body's response to inflammation, according to new findings. Researchers say smoke inhibits the enzyme, called Leukotriene A4 Hydrolase (LTA4H), causing it to fail in its job of shutting down white blood cells following a successful response to inflammation. ... > full story
Scientists listen to faint sounds inside insects using atomic force microscopy (September 3, 2010) -- Scientists are using atomic force microscopy to record sounds emanating from inside living insects like flies, mosquitoes and ladybugs. ... > full story
Serendipity contributes to MRSA susceptibility findings (September 3, 2010) -- Researchers have found two genes in mice which might help identify why some people are more susceptible than others to potentially deadly staph infections. ... > full story
Molecules involved in 'touch' identified: Could lead to new treatments for pain, deafness and cardiac function (September 3, 2010) -- Scientists have identified two proteins with potential to be important targets for research into a wide range of health problems, including pain, deafness, and cardiac and kidney dysfunction. ... > full story
How do organisms make dietary choices? (September 3, 2010) -- When given a choice, organisms will choose a diet that maintains a nutritional balance in tune with their needs. That choice, studied in fruit flies for the first time, is regulated by activity in a molecular pathway involved in aging, cancer and diabetes. Humans share the same molecular pathway. The study, the first to be done in a genetically tractable lab animal, could lead to treatments that would "reboot" metabolic pathways in individuals who are obese or suffer from diabetes. ... > full story
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
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