ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Wednesday, September 22, 2010
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Learning to live on land: How some early plants overcame an evolutionary hurdle (September 22, 2010) -- Diversity of life would be impossible if the ancestors of modern plants had stayed in the water with their green algal cousins. Moving onto dry land required major changes to adapt to this new "hostile" environment, and helped change global climate and atmospheric conditions. By absorbing carbon while making food, and releasing oxygen, early plants shaped ecosystems into a more hospitable environment. New research suggests reasons for incorporating evolutionary/paleontological information into global carbon cycling models. ... > full story
First observation of the folding of a nucleic acid (September 22, 2010) -- Scientists have been able to describe for the first time the folding process of a small DNA hairpin in water and with atomic resolution. ... > full story
Your body recycling itself -- captured on film (September 21, 2010) -- Proteins are made up of a chain of amino acids, and scientists have known since the 1980s that first one in the chain determines the lifetime of a protein. Researchers have finally discovered how the cell identifies this first amino acid -- and caught it on camera. ... > full story
Art of dividing: Researchers decode function and protein content of the centrosome (September 21, 2010) -- A basic requirement for growth and life of a multicellular organism is the ability of its cells to divide. Chromosomes in the cells duplicate and are then distributed among the daughter cells. This distribution is organized by a protein complex made up of several hundred different proteins, called the centrosome. In cancer cells, the centrosome often assumes an unnatural shape or is present in uncontrolled numbers. The reasons for this were previously largely unknown. Scientists in Germany have now investigated the functions of the different centrosomal components and report their findings. ... > full story
Risk of beetle outbreaks rise, along with temperature, in the warming West (September 21, 2010) -- The potential for outbreaks of spruce and mountain pine beetles in western North America's forests is likely to increase significantly in the coming decades, according to a study conducted by USDA Forest Service researchers and their colleagues. Their findings represent the first comprehensive synthesis of the effects of climate change on bark beetles. ... > full story
Parting the waters: Computer modeling applies physics to Red Sea escape route (September 21, 2010) -- New research shows the extent to which such sustained winds can dramatically lower water levels. The research suggests that such a "wind setdown" event could have led to a parting of waters similar to the description in the biblical account of the Red Sea. ... > full story
Higher than predicted human exposure to the toxic chemical bisphenol A or BPA, new study indicates (September 21, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that women, female monkeys and female mice have major similarities when it comes to how bisphenol A is metabolized, and they have renewed their call for governmental regulation when it comes to the estrogen-like chemical found in many everyday products. ... > full story
Muscle gene may provide new treatments for obesity and diabetes (September 21, 2010) -- Skeletal muscle enables us to walk, run or play a musical instrument, but it also plays a crucial role in controlling disease. Scientists have now shown how a specific molecule in skeletal muscle regulates energy expenditure, a finding that may lead to new treatments for certain muscle diseases as well as diabetes, obesity and heart disease. ... > full story
Marine scientists unveil mysteries of life on undersea mountains (September 21, 2010) -- They challenge the mountain ranges of the Alps, the Andes and the Himalayas in size yet surprisingly little is known about seamounts, the vast mountains hidden under the world's oceans. Now in a special issue of Marine Ecology, scientists uncover the mystery of life on these submerged mountain ranges and reveal why these under studied ecosystems are under threat. ... > full story
Geckos inspire new method to print electronics on complex surfaces (September 21, 2010) -- Geckos are masters at sticking to surfaces of all kinds and easily unsticking themselves. Inspired by these lizards, a team of engineers has developed a reversible adhesion method for printing electronics on a variety of tricky surfaces such as clothes, plastic and leather. The stamp can easily pick up electronic devices from a silicon surface and print them on a curved surface. ... > full story
Pollution takes its toll on the heart (September 21, 2010) -- The fine particles of pollution that hang in the air can increase the risk for sudden cardiac arrest, according to a new study. ... > full story
Female fish abandoned by males to raise offspring on their own (September 21, 2010) -- Caring for children can be a tough job, particularly if you are a female cichlid fish, with research showing that male cichlid fish have a propensity to desert their mates, leaving them to then look after the young as single parents. ... > full story
Yeast holds clues to Parkinson's disease (September 21, 2010) -- Yeast could be a powerful ally in the discovery of new therapeutic drugs to treat Parkinson's disease. Researchers in Portugal are slowly uncovering the molecular basis of Parkinson's disease by studying the associated human protein in yeast cells. ... > full story
Stress accelerates breast cancer progression in mice, researchers find (September 21, 2010) -- Chronic stress acts as a sort of fertilizer that feeds breast cancer progression, significantly accelerating the spread of disease in animal models, researchers have found. ... > full story
Image sensors for extreme temperatures (September 21, 2010) -- Image sensors which are used as electronic parking aids in cars or for quality control in production systems have to be able to withstand the often very high temperatures that prevail in these environments. Research scientists have produced a CMOS chip which functions even at a temperature of 115 degrees Celsius. ... > full story
Windborne desert dust falls on high peaks, dampens Colorado River runoff (September 21, 2010) -- When the winds are right and the desert is dry, dust blows eastward from the semi-arid regions of the US Southwest. In a dust-up, Western style, small dark particles of the dust fall on the mountains' white snowfields, ultimately affecting the entire Colorado River watershed. ... > full story
Commercial-scale test of new technology to recover coal from sludge successful (September 21, 2010) -- A new technology for removing water from ultrafine coal slurry has been successfully tested at the commercial scale at an operating coal cleaning plant. The technology offers the possibility of reducing the coal slurry impoundment problem from the source. ... > full story
Earth's highest coastal mountain on the move (September 20, 2010) -- The rocks of Colombia's Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta -- the highest coastal mountain on Earth -- tell a fascinating tale: the mountain collides and then separates from former super-continents. Volcanoes are born and die. The mountain travels from Peru to northern Colombia and finally rotates in a clockwise direction to open up an entirely new geological basin. ... > full story
Biofuel from inedible plant material easier to produce following enzyme discovery (September 20, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered key plant enzymes that normally make the energy stored in wood, straw, and other non-edible parts of plants difficult to extract. The findings can be used to improve the viability of sustainable biofuels that do not adversely affect the food chain. ... > full story
Possible 'persistence' switch for tuberculosis found: Computer model finds probable genetic mechanism for TB dormancy (September 20, 2010) -- A model for the genetic "persistence" switch that toggles tuberculosis bacteria into a dormant state that resists antibiotics and immune system responses is described in a new study. An analysis of stress-response genes in the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis has allowed bioengineers to zero in on a gene network that appears to help the bacteria ward off attacks. ... > full story
Fences could help clean up watercourses (September 20, 2010) -- Building good fences could make our water cleaner, and help us to meet European standards, according to new research. Scientists have created a computer model to investigate the problem of faecal pollution in UK rivers. They found that simple farm-scale solutions are likely to be most effective at reducing the numbers of potentially dangerous organisms entering watercourses – and could work out cheaper both for farmers and consumers. ... > full story
Magnetic attraction for fish, crabs? Study examines whether magnetic fields from aquatic power sources affect animals (September 20, 2010) -- Scientists are examining how aquatic animals behave around electromagnetic fields similar to those created by marine power devices. ... > full story
Apollo discovery tells a new story (September 20, 2010) -- A rare bronze signet ring with the impression of the face of the Greek sun god, Apollo, has been discovered at Tel Dor, in northern Israel. ... > full story
Childhood viral infection may be a cause of obesity (September 20, 2010) -- The emerging idea that obesity may have an infectious origin gets new support in a cross-sectional study researchers who found that children exposed to a particular strain of adenovirus were significantly more likely to be obese. ... > full story
Plague researchers race to beat bioterrorists (September 20, 2010) -- Given the many pressing concerns of the day, fear of plague probably isn't what causes most Americans to lose sleep. But for those whose responsibility it is to combat bioterrorism, plague is among the highest priorities. ... > full story
End of microplates? Novel electronic biosensing technology could facilitate new era of personalized medicine (September 20, 2010) -- The multi-welled microplate, long a standard tool in biomedical research and diagnostic laboratories, could become a thing of the past thanks to new electronic biosensing technology developed by a team of microelectronics engineers and biomedical scientists. ... > full story
Parasitic 'warrior worms' discovered in snails; Scientists see possible biomedical applications (September 20, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a caste of genetically identical "warrior worms" -- members of a parasitic fluke species that invades the California horn snail. ... > full story
Biologists discover biochemical link between biological clock and diabetes (September 20, 2010) -- Biologists have found that a key protein that regulates the biological clocks of mammals also regulates glucose production in the liver and that altering the levels of this protein can improve the health of diabetic mice. ... > full story
'Archeologists of the air' isolate pristine aerosol particles in the Amazon (September 20, 2010) -- Environmental engineers who might better be called "archeologists of the air" have, for the first time, isolated aerosol particles in near pristine pre-industrial conditions. Working in the remote Amazonian Basin north of Manaus, Brazil, the researchers measured particles emitted or formed within the rainforest ecosystem that are relatively free from the influence of anthropogenic, or human, activity. ... > full story
A chip off the early hominin tooth: Researchers develop method for determining the diet of our early ancestors (September 20, 2010) -- Were our early mammalian ancestors vegetarians, vegans or omnivores? It's difficult for anthropologists to determine the diet of early mammalians because current fossil analysis provides too little information. But a new method that measures the size of chips in tooth fossils can help determine the kinds of foods these early humans consumed. ... > full story
Key component identified that helps plants go green (September 20, 2010) -- A team of researchers has found a central part in the machinery that turns plants green when they sense light. In the Rube Goldberg world of cellular mechanics, this key player turns out to be a garbage truck. ... > full story
Self-organizing traffic lights (September 20, 2010) -- A new patent may revolutionize traffic control, saving fuel, reducing travel times and emissions, and doing it all without limiting drivers' mobility. This truly "green" idea will have drivers waiting less and help us preserve our environment. ... > full story
The language of bats (September 20, 2010) -- Many species of bats hunt insects "on the wing" by making ultrasonic calls and using the echo to find prey while in flight. But do bats use echolocation calls to communicate with each other as well? New research in Panama shows that bats can recognize the calls of particular individuals, similar to how humans can recognize the voices of friends and family. ... > full story
50-million-year-old snake gets a CT scan (September 20, 2010) -- Even some of the most advanced technology in medicine couldn't get Clarisse to give up all of her secrets. After all, she's protected them for more than 50 million years. Clarisse is a snake, found in the Fossil Butte region of Wyoming, perfectly fossilized in limestone and the only one of her kind known to be in existence. ... > full story
How HIV resists AZT: Virus hijacks a common molecule (September 20, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered the details of how HIV resists AZT. The scientists believe their discovery helps researchers understand how important anti-AIDS treatments can fail and could help AIDS researchers develop more effective treatment for the disease. ... > full story
Easily blocked signaling protein may help scientists stop parasites (September 20, 2010) -- Researchers have identified a parasite protein that has all the makings of a microbial glass jaw: it's essential, it's vulnerable and humans have nothing like it, meaning scientists can take pharmacological swings at it with minimal fear of collateral damage. ... > full story
2010 tied with 1998 as warmest global temperature on record (September 20, 2010) -- The first eight months of 2010 tied the same period in 1998 for the warmest combined land and ocean surface temperature on record worldwide. Meanwhile, the June-August summer was the second warmest on record globally after 1998, and last month was the third warmest August on record. Separately, last month's global average land surface temperature was the second warmest on record for August, while the global ocean surface temperature tied with 1997 as the sixth warmest for August. ... > full story
At the crossroads of chromosomes: Study reveals structure of cell division’s key molecule (September 20, 2010) -- On average, one hundred billion cells in the human body divide over the course of a day. Most of the time the body gets it right but sometimes, problems in cell replication can lead to abnormalities in chromosomes resulting in many types of disorders, from cancer to Down Syndrome. Now, researchers have defined the structure of a key molecule that plays a central role in how DNA is duplicated and then moved correctly and equally into two daughter cells to produce two exact copies of the mother cell. Without this molecule, entire chromosomes could be lost during cell division. ... > full story
Mechanism behind demethylation pinpointed in APC gene mutants (September 20, 2010) -- Researchers demonstrate in a study the mechanism by which mutation of the APC gene affects a cellular process known as DNA methylation. ... > full story
Environmental impact of organic solar cells assessed (September 20, 2010) -- To better understand the energy and environmental benefits and detriments of solar power, a research team has conducted one of the first life-cycle assessments of organic solar cells. The study found that the embodied energy -- or the total energy required to make a product -- is less for organic solar cells compared with conventional inorganic devices. ... > full story
Emotional robot pets (September 20, 2010) -- Designers of robot pets are fighting a never-ending battle with consumers to provide entertaining and realistic gadgets that respond to human interaction in ever more nuanced ways, mimicking the behavior of real pet animals or even people. Researchers in Taiwan are now looking at a new design paradigm that could see the development of a robot vision module that might one-day recognize human facial expressions and respond appropriately. ... > full story
Fossil of giant bony-toothed bird from chile sets wingspan record (September 19, 2010) -- A newly discovered skeleton of an ancient seabird from northern Chile provides evidence that giant birds were soaring the skies there 5-10 million years ago. The wing bones of the animal exceed those of all other birds in length; its wingspan would have been at least 5.2 m (17 ft.). This is the largest safely established wingspan for a bird. Other, larger estimates for fossil birds have been based on much less secure evidence. ... > full story
Scientists decode genomes of precocious fruit flies (September 19, 2010) -- Researchers have deciphered how lowly fruit flies bred to rapidly develop and reproduce actually evolve over time. The findings contradict the long-held belief that sexual beings evolve the same way simpler organisms do and could fundamentally alter the direction of genetic research for new pharmaceuticals and other products. ... > full story
Protein clamps tight to telomeres to help prevent aging and support cancer (September 19, 2010) -- Researchers have published the first detailed report on the structure and function of a crucial domain in the protein known as Cdc13, which sustains telomeres by clamping to DNA and recruiting telomere-lengthening enzymes to the area. The study was performed using the yeast gene, however, this essential life process has changed little through evolution, and evidence suggests that the human equivalent of this protein may make a good target for future anticancer drugs. ... > full story
House-sharing with microbes (September 19, 2010) -- Household dust contains up to 1000 different species of microbes, with tens of millions of individual bacterial cells in each gram. And these are just the ones that can be grown in the lab. New research looks at how we share our living and working spaces with millions of microbes, not all of whom are bad news. ... > full story
Gene limits learning and memory in mice (September 19, 2010) -- Deleting a certain gene in mice can make them smarter by unlocking a mysterious region of the brain considered to be relatively inflexible, scientists have found. Mice with a disabled RGS14 gene are able to remember objects they'd explored and learn to navigate mazes better than regular mice, suggesting that RGS14's presence limits some forms of learning and memory. ... > full story
Tracking triclosan's field footprint (September 19, 2010) -- A study by agricultural scientists and cooperators provides new details about how fertilizing soils with biosolids also introduces triclosan -- an antibacterial agent in soaps and other cleaning supplies -- into the environment. ... > full story
AIDS virus lineage much older than previously thought (September 19, 2010) -- An ancestor of HIV that infects monkeys is thousands of years older than previously thought, suggesting that HIV, which causes AIDS, is not likely to stop killing humans anytime soon. ... > full story
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