ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Friday, November 5, 2010
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Volcanoes have shifted Asian rainfall (November 5, 2010) -- Scientists have shown that eruptions also affect rainfall over the Asian monsoon region, where seasonal storms water crops for nearly half of earth's population. Tree-ring researchers showed that big eruptions tend to dry up much of central Asia, but bring more rain to southeast Asian countries including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar -- the opposite of what many climate models predict. ... > full story
To punish or not to punish: Lessons from reef fish and saber-tooth blennies (November 5, 2010) -- Researchers have experimentally shown that some species of reef fish will enact punishment on the parasitic saber-tooth blennies that stealthily attack them from behind and take a bite, even though their behavior offers no immediate gain. The study shows that punishment ultimately serves all members of the reef fish species well. ... > full story
Predictive power of dairy cattle methane models insufficient to provide sound environmental advice, study finds (November 5, 2010) -- Researchers have shown that current equations to predict methane production of cows are inaccurate. Sound mitigation options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of dairy farms require a significant improvement of current methane equations, according to the study. ... > full story
Grad student simulates 100 years of farming to measure agriculture's impact on land and water quality (November 5, 2010) -- A graduate student has used a detailed computer model to simulate, year-by-year, the effects of 100 years of farming on claypan soils. ... > full story
For bats, all smooth, horizontal surfaces are water -- even when they look, smell and feel differently (November 4, 2010) -- For bats, any smooth, horizontal surface is water. That's true even if vision, olfaction or touch tells them it is actually a metal, plastic or wooden plate. Bats therefore rely more on their ears than on any other sensory system. This is due to how smooth surfaces reflect the echolocation calls of bats: they act just like mirrors. Scientists investigated this phenomenon in 15 different species from three big bat families and found that all tried to drink from smooth plates. In addition they found that this acoustic recognition of water is innate. ... > full story
Developmental dynamics of the maize leaf transcriptome (November 4, 2010) -- How developing plants build and regulate their solar reactors is still poorly understood. How many genes are involved, and which are the most important? How are different cell types endowed with specific biochemical capacities? What signals fine-tune how much sugar is produced, and which bioproducts are generated? Complex and multifaceted questions such as these can be addressed using a new approach to measure gene expression using high throughput sequencing. ... > full story
Eight new species discovered in Boliva national parks (November 4, 2010) -- Botanists have described eight new plant species collected in the Madidi National Park and surrounding areas located on the eastern slopes of the Andes in northern Bolivia. The new species are from several different genera and families. ... > full story
Food-allergy fears drive overly restrictive diets, study suggests (November 4, 2010) -- Many children, especially those with eczema, are unnecessarily avoiding foods based on incomplete information about potential food-allergies, according to researchers. The food avoidance poses a nutritional risk for these children, and is often based primarily on data from blood tests known as serum immunoassays. Oral food challenges, a definitive test of food allergy, allowed 125 children to restore 325 foods to their diets. ... > full story
Polar bears can't eat geese into extinction (November 4, 2010) -- A new model shows that, even when polar bears come ashore earlier than in the past and have access to a new bounty in goose eggs, they cannot consume enough eggs to cause extinction in the birds because of trophic mismatch. ... > full story
Boa constrictors can have babies without mating, new evidence shows (November 4, 2010) -- In a finding that upends decades of scientific theory on reptile reproduction, researchers have discovered that female boa constrictors can squeeze out babies without mating. More strikingly, the finding shows that the babies produced from this asexual reproduction have attributes previously believed to be impossible. ... > full story
How some plants spread their seeds: Ready, set, catapult (November 4, 2010) -- Catapults are often associated with a medieval means of destruction, but for some plants, they are an effective way to launch new life. Dispersing seeds greater distances by catapulting can provide selective advantages, including the establishment of populations in new environments and escape from certain threats. Researchers measured the mechanics involved in catapulting seeds for the ballistic disperser Cardamine parviflora. ... > full story
Organic onions, carrots and potatoes do not have higher levels of healthful antioxidants, study finds (November 4, 2010) -- With the demand for organically produced food increasing, scientists are reporting new evidence that organically grown onions, carrots, and potatoes generally do not have higher levels of healthful antioxidants and related substances than vegetables grown with traditional fertilizers and pesticides. ... > full story
Transparent conductive material could lead to power-generating windows (November 4, 2010) -- Scientists have fabricated transparent thin films capable of absorbing light and generating electric charge over a relatively large area. The material could be used to develop transparent solar panels or even windows that absorb solar energy to generate electricity. ... > full story
Plight of farmland birds: Poorer, less 'brainy' fare worse, study shows (November 4, 2010) -- Farmland birds that are poorer parents and less "brainy" are faring worse than other farmland bird species, a new study has found. ... > full story
Stone Age humans needed more brain power to make big leap in tool design (November 4, 2010) -- Stone Age humans were only able to develop relatively advanced tools after their brains evolved a greater capacity for complex thought, according to a new study that investigates why it took early humans almost two million years to move from razor-sharp stones to a hand-held stone axe. ... > full story
How continents thin: New model helps locate oil and gas resources (November 4, 2010) -- Scientists have revealed a new model that explains how continents thin as well as helping to more accurately predict the location of hydrocarbons such as oil and gas. ... > full story
Current global warming may reverse circulation in Atlantic Ocean, as it did 20,000 years ago (November 4, 2010) -- Earth's climate change 20,000 years ago reversed the circulation of the Atlantic Ocean. Global warming today could have similar effects on ocean currents and could accelerate climate change, suggests a new study by researchers in Spain and colleagues. ... > full story
Sweet discovery raises hope for treating Ebola, Lassa, Marburg and other fast-acting viruses (November 4, 2010) -- When a team of European researchers sought to discover how a class of antiviral drugs worked, they looked in an unlikely place: the sugar dish. A new research report suggests that a purified and modified form of a simple sugar chain may stop fast-acting and deadly viruses, such as Ebola, Lassa, or Marburg viruses, in their tracks. ... > full story
E. coli thrives near plant roots, can contaminate young produce crops (November 4, 2010) -- E. coli can live for weeks around the roots of produce plants and transfer to the edible portions, but the threat can be minimized if growers don't harvest too soon, a new study shows. ... > full story
Levels of coumarin in cassia cinnamon vary greatly even in bark from the same tree (November 4, 2010) -- A "huge" variation exists in the amounts of coumarin in bark samples of cassia cinnamon from trees growing in Indonesia, scientists are reporting in a new study. That natural ingredient in the spice may carry a theoretical risk of causing liver damage in a small number of sensitive people who consume large amounts of cinnamon. ... > full story
Lactobacillus reuteri good for health, Swedish study finds (November 4, 2010) -- There is a great deal of interest in the impact of lactic acid bacteria on our health. Now a new study from Sweden shows that the occurrence of Lactobacillus reuteri in the body promotes health. ... > full story
Chromosome imbalances lead to predictable plant defects (November 4, 2010) -- Physical defects in plants can be predicted based on chromosome imbalances, a finding that may shed light on how the addition or deletion of genes and the organization of the genome affects organisms, according to a new study. ... > full story
Last 'tango' in space: Satellite duo to generate 3-D models of glaciers and low-lying coastal areas (November 4, 2010) -- Adding to their unique information from previous tandem missions, the European Space Agency's ERS-2 and Envisat satellites have been paired up again – for the last time. Data from this final duet are generating 3-D models of glaciers and low-lying coastal areas. ... > full story
Water flowing through ice sheets accelerates warming, could speed up ice flow (November 3, 2010) -- Melt water flowing through ice sheets via crevasses, fractures and large drains called moulins can carry warmth into ice sheet interiors, greatly accelerating the thermal response of an ice sheet to climate change, according to a new study. ... > full story
'Bouncy' cell membranes behave like cornstarch and water, researchers find (November 3, 2010) -- Mix two parts cornstarch and one part water. Swirl your fingers in it slowly and the mixture is a smoothly flowing liquid. Punch it quickly with your fist and you meet a rubbery solid -- so solid you can jump up and down on a vat of it. It turns out that cell membranes behave the same way. ... > full story
Half of those travelling internationally not aware of potential health risks, study finds (November 3, 2010) -- A recent study found that 46 percent of travelers to resource-limited countries -- where they may be exposed to diseases like malaria, typhoid, dengue fever and hepatitis -- did not seek health advice or vaccinations prior to departure. ... > full story
Exposure of humans to cosmetic UV filters is widespread, study finds (November 3, 2010) -- An investigation by Swiss researchers and colleagues demonstrates for the first time that internal exposure of humans to cosmetic UV filters is widespread. ... > full story
Most river flows across the US are altered by land and water management (November 3, 2010) -- The amount of water flowing in streams and rivers has been significantly altered in nearly 90 percent of waters that were assessed in a new US nationwide study. Flow alterations are a primary contributor to degraded river ecosystems and loss of native species. ... > full story
How lead gets into urban vegetable gardens (November 3, 2010) -- If you're a vegetable gardener in a lot of older cities, there's a fair chance you have a significant amount of lead in your soil. One common mitigation approach is to build a raised bed and fill it with freshly composted, low-lead soil from elsewhere, right? Maybe not, according to researchers studying the mysterious case of the lead contamination found within raised beds in community gardens in the Boston communities of Roxbury and Dorchester. ... > full story
Moving animals not a panacea for habitat loss (November 3, 2010) -- Moving threatened animals to protected habitats may not always be an effective conservation technique if the breeding patterns of the species are influenced by a social hierarchy. ... > full story
New protein critical for mitochondria discovered (November 3, 2010) -- Researchers in Spain have discovered a new protein in the fruit fly that is crucial for mitochondria. The removal of SLIMP in these flies leads to aberrant mitochondria and loss of metabolic capacity, thus causing death. ... > full story
Scientists uncover a genetic switch that turns immune responses on and off (November 3, 2010) -- A new finding explains what causes some genes to go out of control. Researchers have identified a "cellular switch" that controls the flow of information from chemical signals outside of the cell to genes in the cell nucleus. When the switch is turned off, the information pathway it controls hyper-activates, making it a possible drug target for many conditions such as cancer, severe immune deficiencies, autoimmune diseases and allergies. ... > full story
Plants and animals under stress may provide the key to better stock market predications (November 3, 2010) -- Stock markets react to crisis in a similar way to plants and the human body, according to a major new study that may help to predict future financial down-turns. An extensive analysis of biological and financial data suggests that systems under stress exhibit similar symptoms, whether they be polluted forests, cancer patients or the FTSE 100. ... > full story
How ancient plants and soil fungi turned Earth green (November 3, 2010) -- New research has shed light on how Earth's first plants began to colonize the land over 470 million years ago by forming a partnership with soil fungi. ... > full story
Fly study uncovers molecular link between obesity and heart disease (November 3, 2010) -- Researchers show that obesity-induced heart disease can be prevented by reducing the activity of TOR, a nutrient-sensing protein that regulates molecular circuits involved in growth, metabolism and lifespan. ... > full story
Zebrafish's neural circuit prevents it from biting off more than it can chew (November 3, 2010) -- With a new technology, have been able to follow entire populations of retinal and brain cells in their test animal: the zebrafish larva, and solve some of the mysteries of its neural circuit that underlies its vision. ... > full story
Macrophage protein has major role in inflammation (November 3, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that a multi-tasking protein called FoxO1 has another important but previously unknown function: It directly interacts with macrophages, promoting an inflammatory response that can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes. ... > full story
Bees reveal nature-nurture secrets: Extensive molecular differences in brains of workers and queen (November 3, 2010) -- The nature-nurture debate is a "giant step" closer to being resolved after scientists studying bees documented how environmental inputs can modify our genetic hardware. The researchers uncovered extensive molecular differences in the brains of worker bees and queen bees which develop along very different paths when put on different diets. ... > full story
Compound in daffodils targets brain cancer (November 3, 2010) -- When looking for new ways to treat aggressive brain cancers, an international team of scientists turned a new leaf and "discovered" the lowly daffodil. A new research study offers hope that a natural compound found in daffodil bulbs, called narciclasine, may be a powerful therapeutic against biologically aggressive forms of human brain cancers. ... > full story
Workers hold key to power in nature's oldest societies, ant study shows (November 3, 2010) -- A new ant study analyzing how complex, highly-evolved societies are organized in nature has found that it is workers that play a pivotal role in creating well-ordered societies where conflict is minimized. ... > full story
Mouse model confirms mutated protein's role in dementia (November 3, 2010) -- A team of scientists has created a new mouse model that confirms that mutations of a protein called beta-synuclein promote neurodegeneration. The discovery creates a potential new target for developing treatments of diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. ... > full story
Mediterranean diet helps control cholesterol: Adding monounsaturated fats to a low-cholesterol diet can further improve levels (November 3, 2010) -- The addition of monounsaturated fat to a cholesterol-lowering dietary portfolio in patients with mild to moderate elevated cholesterol levels increased HDL by 12.5 percent and lowered LDL levels by 35 percent, found a new study. ... > full story
DHA 'fish oil' supplements do not seem to slow cognitive, functional decline in Alzheimer's disease (November 3, 2010) -- Patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) who received supplementation with the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid, believed to possibly reduce the risk of AD, did not experience a reduction in the rate of cognitive and functional decline, compared to patients who received placebo, according to a new study. ... > full story
Algae for biofuels: Moving from promise to reality, but how fast? (November 3, 2010) -- The development of cost-competitive algae biofuel production will require much more long-term research, development and demonstration, researchers say. In the meantime, several non-fuel applications of algae could serve to advance the nascent industry. ... > full story
Getting rid of cattle fever ticks (November 3, 2010) -- Scientists at the US Department of Agriculture have developed two strategies to ward off cattle fever ticks that are crossing the border from Mexico into the United States. ... > full story
Global map of the sickle cell gene supports 'malaria hypothesis' (November 2, 2010) -- At a global scale, the sickle cell gene is most commonly found in areas with historically high levels of malaria, adding geographical support to the hypothesis that the gene, while potentially deadly, avoids disappearing through natural selection by providing protection against malaria. ... > full story
New long-range undersea robot goes the distance (November 2, 2010) -- Over the past decade, the undersea robots known as autonomous underwater vehicles have become increasingly important in oceanographic research. Engineers recently demonstrated a new super-efficient AUV that can travel rapidly for hundreds of kilometers, "hover" in the water for weeks at a time, and carry a wide variety of instruments. ... > full story
Antibody locks up West Nile's infection mechanism (November 2, 2010) -- Researchers have learned the structure that results when an antibody binds to the West Nile virus, neutralizing the virus by locking up its infection mechanism. The information could help scientists develop a vaccine against the mosquito-borne disease. ... > full story
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