ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Sunday, September 12, 2010
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Flying fish glide as well as birds, researchers find (September 11, 2010) -- How well do flying fish fly? This is the question that puzzled researchers in South Korea. Measuring aerodynamic forces on dried darkedged-wing flying fish in a wind tunnel, they discovered that flying fish glide better than insects and as well as birds. The fish also derive an aerodynamic advantage from gliding close to the water's surface to cover distances as great as 400 meters. ... > full story
E. coli engineered to produce biodiesel (September 11, 2010) -- New research is shedding light on how to alter the genetic makeup of E. coli to produce biodiesel fuel derived from fatty acids. ... > full story
Energy drinks may give young sports teams an edge, study says (September 11, 2010) -- Consuming energy drinks during team sports could help young people perform better, a new study suggests. ... > full story
Moonstruck primates: Owl monkeys need moonlight as much as a biological clock for nocturnal activity (September 11, 2010) -- Anthropologists have shown that environmental factors, like temperature and light, play as much of a role in the activity of traditionally nocturnal monkeys as the circadian rhythm that regulates periods of sleep and wakefulness. ... > full story
Research shows continued decline of Oregon's largest glacier (September 11, 2010) -- Researchers have returned to Collier Glacier for the first time in almost 20 years and found that the glacier has decreased more than 20 percent from its size in the late 1980s. The findings are consistent with glacial retreat all over the world and provide some of the critical data needed to help quantify the effects of global change on glacier retreat and associated sea level rise. ... > full story
Hip dysplasia susceptibility in dogs may be underreported (September 11, 2010) -- A study comparing a new method for evaluating a dog's susceptibility to hip dysplasia to the traditional American method has shown that 80 percent of dogs judged to be normal by the traditional method are actually at risk for developing osteoarthritis and hip dysplasia, according to the new method. ... > full story
Graphene may hold key to speeding up DNA sequencing (September 10, 2010) -- Researchers have demonstrated that graphene can act as an artificial membrane separating two liquid reservoirs. By drilling a tiny pore just a few-nanometers in diameter, called a nanopore, in the graphene membrane, they were able to measure exchange of ions through the pore and demonstrated that a long DNA molecule can be pulled through the graphene nanopore just as a thread is pulled through the eye of a needle. ... > full story
In attracting mates, male bowerbirds appear to rely on special optical effect (September 10, 2010) -- Bowerbird males are well known for making elaborate constructions, lavished with decorative objects, to impress and attract their mates. Now, researchers have identified a completely new dimension to these showy structures in great bowerbirds. The birds create a staged scene, only visible from the point of view of their female audience, by placing pebbles, bones, and shells around their courts in a very special way that can make objects (or a bowerbird male) appear larger or smaller than they really are. ... > full story
Researchers analyze impact of chemical BPA in dental sealants used in children (September 10, 2010) -- Researchers have found that bisphenol A (BPA) released from some plastic resins used in pediatric dentistry is detectable in the saliva after placement in children's mouths. ... > full story
New report seeks to improve climate forecasts (September 10, 2010) -- From farmers to government officials in charge of efficiently managing Earth's precious water and energy resources, people all over the world rely on accurate short-term climate forecasts on timescales ranging from a few weeks to a few years to make more informed decisions. But today's climate forecast systems have limited ability to operate on such timescales. That's because it's difficult to realistically represent the complex interactions between Earth's ocean, atmosphere and land surface in the climate models from which forecasts are developed. A new report by the National Academy of Sciences looks at the current state of these climate predictions and recommends strategies and best practices for improving them. ... > full story
Frog skin may provide antimicrobial peptides effective against multidrug-resistant infections (September 10, 2010) -- Antimicrobial peptides from the skin of frogs may protect against life-threatening, multidrug-resistant infections such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, say researchers from Italy. ... > full story
Researchers expand yeast's sugary diet to include plant fiber (September 10, 2010) -- Yeast cells do not normally eat complex sugars or carbohydrates, only simple sugars like glucose and sucrose. Researchers have now added genes to yeast that allow it to eat more complex sugars, in particular the two-, three- and four-glucose molecules called cellodextrins. These yeast could find use in the biofuels industry, which hopes to use cellulosic plant fibers to make alcohol. ... > full story
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