ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Sunday, September 26, 2010
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Making bees less busy: Social environment changes internal clocks (September 25, 2010) -- Honey bees removed from their usual roles in the hive quickly and drastically changed their biological rhythms, according to a new study. The changes were evident in both the bees' behavior and in their internal clocks. These findings indicate that social environment has a significant effect on the physiology and behavior of animals. ... > full story
Irish lizards threatened by agriculture (September 25, 2010) -- A new ecological network is urgently needed in Northern Ireland to ensure the continued survival of its precious lizard population, according to researchers. Lizards are found in coastal areas, heath and boglands around Northern Ireland, but a new study has found their natural habitats may have been replaced through agricultural intensification. ... > full story
Taking a new look at old digs: Trampling animals may alter Stone Age sites (September 25, 2010) -- Stone Age tools discovered embedded in the ground could mislead archaeologists about a Prehistoric site's age. A new study on animal trampling found that water buffalo and goats significantly disturbed stone tools scattered on watery ground, says archaeologists. The animals pushed the tools as much as 21 centimeters deeper than originally positioned -- potentially altering a site's interpretation thousands of years, and suggesting archaeologists should reanalyze some previous discoveries. ... > full story
How do you make the perfect sled dog? (September 25, 2010) -- Over the last few hundred years, Alaskan sled dogs have been bred to haul cargo over Arctic terrain and, more recently, for racing. Now, researchers have identified the contributions different breeds have made to the speed, endurance and work ethic of Alaskan sled dogs. ... > full story
Taking the pulse of coral reefs (September 25, 2010) -- Healthy reefs with more corals and fish generate predictably greater levels of noise, according to researchers working in Panama. This has important implications for understanding the behavior of young fish, and provides an exciting new approach for monitoring environmental health by listening to reefs. ... > full story
Sensor important to understanding root, seedling development (September 25, 2010) -- A biosensor utilizing black platinum and carbon nanotubes will help give scientists a better understanding of how the plant hormone auxin regulates root growth and seedling establishment. ... > full story
Genetically engineered salmon safe to eat, but a threat to wild stocks, expert says (September 25, 2010) -- An expert comments on potential FDA approval of the first genetically engineered animal for use as food. ... > full story
Ancient Egypt's pyramids: Norwegian researcher unlocks construction secrets (September 24, 2010) -- Scientists from around the world have tried to understand how the Egyptians erected their giant pyramids. Now, an architect and researcher from Norway says he has the answer to this ancient, unsolved puzzle. ... > full story
New map offers a global view of health-sapping air pollution (September 24, 2010) -- In many developing countries, the absence of surface-based air pollution sensors makes it difficult, and in some cases impossible, to get even a rough estimate of the abundance of a subcategory of airborne particles that epidemiologists suspect contributes to millions of premature deaths each year. ... > full story
A biological solution to animal pandemics (September 24, 2010) -- Using all-natural materials -- flax, hemp, jute and natural resin -- researchers in Poland have developed a new absorbent matting ideal for providing a disinfectant barrier for use in animal housing and other food production sites, both at times of outbreak of contagious disease and for routine hygiene. The matting is cheaper than the synthetic alternatives, both initially and because it is fully biodegradable so does not need special disposal. ... > full story
Mimicking nature, water-based 'artificial leaf' produces electricity (September 24, 2010) -- Scientists have shown that water-gel-based solar devices -- "artificial leaves" -- can act like solar cells to produce electricity. The findings prove the concept for making solar cells that more closely mimic nature. They also have the potential to be less expensive and more environmentally friendly than the current standard-bearer: silicon-based solar cells. ... > full story
Botulinum toxin may offer temporary drooling relief in children with neurological disorders (September 24, 2010) -- Botulinum toxin treatment appears to offer a temporary, short-term solution to relieve drooling in children diagnosed with certain neurological disorders, according to a new study. ... > full story
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