ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Thursday, November 18, 2010
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Sonar inspired by dolphins: New kind of underwater device can detect objects through bubble clouds (November 18, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a new kind of underwater sonar device that can detect objects through bubble clouds that would effectively blind standard sonar. ... > full story
As Arctic temperatures rise, tundra fires increase (November 18, 2010) -- The Anaktuvuk River Fire in 2007 burned over 1,000 square kilometers of tundra on Alaska's North Slope, doubling the area burned in that region since record keeping began in 1950. A new analysis reveals that this was the most destructive tundra fire at that site for at least 5,000 years. Models built on 60 years of climate and fire data found that even moderate increases in warm-season temperatures in the region dramatically increase the likelihood of such fires. ... > full story
New technology gives on-site assessments in archaeology (November 18, 2010) -- The ability to tell the difference between crystals that formed naturally and those formed by human activity can be important to archaeologists in the field. This can be a crucial bit of information in determining the ancient activities that took place at a site, yet archaeologists often wait for months for the results of laboratory tests. ... > full story
Scientists identify antivirus system (November 18, 2010) -- Viruses have led scientists to the discovery of a security system in host cells. Viruses that cause disease in animals beat the security system millennia ago. But now that researchers are aware of it, they can explore the possibility of bringing the system back into play in the fight against diseases such as sudden acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), West Nile virus, dengue and yellow fever. ... > full story
Scientists question widely adopted indicator of fisheries health and evidence for 'fishing down marine food webs' (November 18, 2010) -- The most widely adopted measure for assessing the state of the world's oceans and fisheries led to inaccurate conclusions in nearly half the ecosystems where it was applied according to a new analysis. ... > full story
Global warming could cool down northern temperatures in winter (November 17, 2010) -- The overall warming of Earth's northern half could result in cold winters, new research shows. The shrinking of sea-ice in the eastern Arctic causes some regional heating of the lower levels of air -- which may lead to strong anomalies in atmospheric airstreams, triggering an overall cooling of the northern continents, according to a new study. ... > full story
Broad new technique for screening proteins devised (November 17, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a powerful new method for detecting functional sites on proteins. The technique may have broad applications in basic research and drug development. ... > full story
Advance toward controlling fungus that caused Irish potato famine (November 17, 2010) -- Scientists are reporting a key advance toward development of a way to combat the terrible plant diseases that caused the Irish potato famine and still inflict billions of dollars of damage to crops each year around the world. ... > full story
Small clumps of tau protein disrupt memory; Animal study suggests possible target for Alzheimer’s disease therapies (November 17, 2010) -- Too many small aggregates of a protein called tau in the brain can directly interfere with memory, according to new animal research. ... > full story
Upending conventional wisdom, certain virus families are ancient (November 17, 2010) -- Certain families of single-stranded DNA virus are more than 40 to 50 million years old, according to new research. The investigators found remnants of circoviruses and parvoviruses in the genomes of diverse vertebrates from fishes to birds and mammals that had been integrated into their genomes at different times from the recent past to more than 50 million years ago. ... > full story
Low-allergenic wines could stifle sniffles and sneezes in millions of wine drinkers (November 17, 2010) -- Scientists have identified a mysterious culprit that threatens headaches, stuffy noses, skin rash and other allergy symptoms when more than 500 million people worldwide drink wine. The discovery could help winemakers in developing the first low allergenic vintages -- reds and whites with less potential to trigger allergy symptoms, they say. ... > full story
How anthrax bacteria impair immune response (November 17, 2010) -- Researchers have determined a key mechanism by which Bacillus anthracis bacteria initiate anthrax infection despite being greatly outnumbered by immune system scavenger cells. The finding, made by studying genetically modified mice, adds new detail to the picture of early-stage anthrax infection and supports efforts to develop vaccines and drugs that would block this part of the cycle. ... > full story
Deepwater Horizon: Not managing danger, not learning from 'near misses' (November 17, 2010) -- The numerous technical and operational breakdowns that contributed to the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and spill from the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico suggest the lack of a suitable approach for managing the inherent risks, uncertainties, and dangers associated with deepwater drilling operations and a failure to learn from previous "near misses," says an interim report. ... > full story
Common strain of bacteria found in patients with cystic fibrosis in Canada; associated with greater risk of death (November 17, 2010) -- A common transmissible strain of the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been identified among cystic fibrosis (CF) patients in Canada, suggesting that cross-infection has occurred widely between CF centers in the United Kingdom and Canada, according to a new study. Infection with this strain among Canadian CF patients has been associated with an increased risk of death or lung transplantation. ... > full story
Feed likely source of salmonella contamination on pig farms (November 17, 2010) -- Commercial feed appears to be a source of Salmonella contamination in commercial swine production units, according to a new article. Moreover, nearly half of isolates found in pigs were multidrug resistant. The findings suggest that pork could be a source of human infection. They also strongly question the conventional wisdom that processed feed is not a source of contamination. Heat treatment during processing has been thought to kill any bacterial contaminants. ... > full story
Immune system involved in depression, animal study suggests (November 17, 2010) -- A new animal study suggests the immune system plays a role in depression. Activation of the immune system caused mice to learn to run less on wheels in their cages -- an activity they normally like. The mice resumed their normal activity when the action of interleukin-6, an immune hormone that carries "sickness" signals to the brain, was blocked. ... > full story
Baking soda dramatically boosts oil production in algae (November 17, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that baking soda can dramatically increase algae's production of the key oil precursors for biodiesel. ... > full story
Why you can listen at cocktail parties: Songbirds' individual brain cells are tuned to particular sounds (November 17, 2010) -- Nerve cells in the brains of songbirds are sensitive to specific sounds, and only respond when those sounds occur during communication, a recent study shows. The finding helps explain people's ability to listen to a conversation while in a noisy environment -- the "cocktail party effect." ... > full story
Length of pregnancy influenced by placenta structure (November 17, 2010) -- The nine-month pregnancy in humans is influenced by the structure of the placenta, according to new research into the evolution of reproduction in mammals which ends a 100-year mystery. ... > full story
New 3-D model of RNA 'core domain' of enzyme telomerase may offer clues to cancer, aging (November 17, 2010) -- Biochemists have produced a three-dimensional structural model of telomerase's RNA "core domain." Telomerase is an enzyme that helps maintain telomere DNA -- the DNA found at the very ends of chromosomes -- and plays an important role in aging and cancer. ... > full story
Damaged organs linked to change in biochemical wave patterns (November 17, 2010) -- By examining the distinct wave patterns formed from complex biochemical reactions within the human body, diseased organs may be more effectively identified, says a researcher who has developed a model that simulates how these wave patterns are generated. ... > full story
Landing lights for bumblebees (November 17, 2010) -- Gardeners could help maintain bumblebee populations by growing plants with red flowers or flowers with stripes along the veins, according to field observations of the common snapdragon. Bees are important pollinators of crops as well as the plants in our gardens. ... > full story
Species, rather than diet, has greatest effect on gut bacteria diversity (November 17, 2010) -- The types of gut bacteria that populate the guts of primates depend on the species of the host as well as where the host lives and what they eat. A new study examines the gut microbial communities in great apes, showing that a host's species, rather than their diet, has the greatest effect on gut bacteria diversity. ... > full story
Cancer drug target is promising lead for new TB treatments (November 17, 2010) -- A key enzyme in Mycobacterium tuberculosis that enables the microbe to reproduce rapidly could be a golden target for new drugs against tuberculosis, according to a new study. The human equivalent of this enzyme has been targeted in some cancer treatments as well as in immunosuppressive chemotherapies. Scientists have now shown that inhibiting the same enzyme in M. tuberculosis effectively kills the bacterial cells. ... > full story
New device detects insects in stored wheat (November 17, 2010) -- A laboratory milling device for improving stored grain management has been developed by agricultural scientists. The system, called the "insect-o-graph," can detect internal insects in wheat that are not visible to the eye or that cannot be detected by usual grading methods. ... > full story
Using plants against soils contaminated with arsenic (November 17, 2010) -- Two essential genes that control the accumulation and detoxification of arsenic in plant cells have been identified. The results presented are a promising basis for reducing the accumulation of arsenic in crops from regions in Asia that are polluted by this toxic metalloid, as well as for the cleanup of soils contaminated by heavy metals. ... > full story
Heat stress to Caribbean corals in 2005 worst on record; Caribbean reef ecosystems may not survive repeated stress (November 16, 2010) -- Coral reefs suffered record losses as a consequence of high ocean temperatures in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean in 2005 according to the most comprehensive documentation of basin-scale bleaching to date. Collaborators from 22 countries report that more than 80 percent of surveyed corals bleached and over 40 percent of the total surveyed died, making this the most severe bleaching event ever recorded in the basin. ... > full story
One of France's largest dinosaur fossil deposits found in the Charente region (November 16, 2010) -- The first excavations at the Audoin quarries in the town of Angeac, in the Charente region of south-western France, have confirmed that the site is one of the richest dinosaur fossil deposits in the country. With more than 400 bones brought to light, this site is remarkable both for the quantity of discoveries and their state of preservation. ... > full story
How do folded structures form? (November 16, 2010) -- What do the convolutions of the brain, the emergence of wrinkles, the formation of mountain chains, and fingerprints have in common? All these structures, albeit very different, result from the same process: the compression of a 'rigid membrane'. Scientists have now shed light on one of the mysteries underlying the formation of such folded structures. This work will make it possible to better understand and thus predict their emergence. ... > full story
Binge drinking in adolescence changes stress response in adulthood (November 16, 2010) -- Alcohol exposure during adolescence alters the body's ability to respond to stress in adulthood, according to new animal research. Because problems regulating stress are associated with behavioral and mood disorders, the findings may indicate that binge drinking in adolescence leads to increased risk of anxiety or depression in adulthood. ... > full story
Sunburnt whales: Three species show signs of sun damage to skin (November 16, 2010) -- Whales exhibit skin damage consistent with acute sunburn in humans, and it seems to be getting worse over time, reveals new research. ... > full story
Teenage amphetamine abuse affects adult brain cell function (November 16, 2010) -- Amphetamine abuse during adolescence permanently changes brain cells, according to new animal research. The study shows drug exposure during adolescence, but not young adulthood, altered electrical properties of brain cells in the cortex. ... > full story
How the songbird's brain controls timing during singing (November 16, 2010) -- New research that reveals the activity of nerve cells in a songbird's brain as the bird sings a specific song is helping scientists to understand how birds string together sets of syllables -- and it also may provide insight into how the human brain learns language and produces speech. ... > full story
Newly discovered drumlin field provides answers about glaciation and climate (November 16, 2010) -- The landform known as a drumlin, created when the ice advanced during the Ice Age, can also be produced by today's glaciers, researchers in Sweden have discovered. ... > full story
Adolescent rats more vulnerable to drug addiction than adults; younger animals consumed more cocaine and worked harder for it than did adults (November 16, 2010) -- Adolescent rats take cocaine more readily than adults, are sensitive to lower doses, and work harder for access to the drug, according to new research. The findings suggest that adolescence is a period of increased vulnerability to drug abuse and addiction. ... > full story
Earth's lower atmosphere is warming, review of four decades of scientific literature concludes (November 16, 2010) -- The troposphere, the lower part of the atmosphere closest to the Earth, is warming and this warming is broadly consistent with both theoretical expectations and climate models, according to a new scientific study that reviews the history of understanding of temperature changes and their causes in this key atmospheric layer. ... > full story
Artificial retina more capable of restoring normal vision; animal study shows including retina’s neural 'code' improved prosthetic (November 16, 2010) -- Researchers have developed an artificial retina that has the capacity to reproduce normal vision in mice. While other prosthetic strategies mainly increase the number of electrodes in an eye to capture more information, this study concentrated on incorporating the eye's neural "code" that converts pictures into signals the brain can understand. ... > full story
New species of carnivorous plant discovered in Cambodia (November 16, 2010) -- A new species of carnivorous pitcher plant has been found in Cambodia's remote Cardamom Mountains. The discovery of Nepenthes holdenii is an indicator of both the stunning diversity and lack of research in the forests of the Cardamom Mountains. ... > full story
Cilantro ingredient can remove foul odor of 'chitlins' (November 16, 2010) -- With chitlins about to make their annual appearance on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day menus, scientists have good news for millions of people who love that delicacy of down-home southern cooking, but hate the smell. They are reporting the first identification of an ingredient in cilantro that quashes the notoriously foul odor of chitlins. ... > full story
T. rex's big tail was its key to speed and hunting prowess (November 16, 2010) -- Tyrannosaurus rex was far from a plodding Cretaceous era scavenger whose long tail only served to counterbalance the up-front weight of its freakishly big head. T. rex's athleticism (and its rear end) has now been given a makeover. New research shows that powerful tail muscles made the giant carnivore one of the fastest moving hunters of its time. ... > full story
Ancient African dust caused red soil in Southern Europe, new research reveals (November 16, 2010) -- Spanish and American researchers have conducted a mineralogical and chemical analysis to ascertain the origin of "terra rossa" soil in the Mediterranean. The results of the study reveal that mineral dust from the African regions of the Sahara and Sahel, which emit between 600 and 700 tonnes of dust a year, brought about the reddish soil in Mediterranean regions such as Majorca (Mallorca) and Sardinia between 12,000 and 25,000 years ago. ... > full story
Gene discovery suggests way to engineer fast-growing plants (November 16, 2010) -- Tinkering with a single gene may give perennial grasses more robust roots and speed up the timeline for creating biofuels, according to researchers. ... > full story
Novel ocean-crust mechanism could affect world's carbon budget and climate (November 16, 2010) -- Earth is constantly manufacturing new crust, spewing molten magma up along undersea ridges at the boundaries of tectonic plates. Now, scientists have observed ocean crust forming in an entirely unexpected way -- one that may influence those cycles of life and carbon and, in turn, affect the much-discussed future of the world's climate. ... > full story
Microsensors offer first look at whether cell mass affects growth rate (November 15, 2010) -- Researchers are using a new kind of microsensor to answer one of the weightiest questions in biology -- the relationship between cell mass and growth rate. Each microsensor is a small, suspended platform with a resonance frequency that changes as the cells on it grow heavier. Researchers tacked individual cells' masses and divisions over time and found that the cells they studied did grow faster as they grew heavier, rather than growing at the same rate throughout the cell cycle. ... > full story
Modern humans mature more slowly than Neanderthals did, analysis of teeth suggests (November 15, 2010) -- A sophisticated new examination of teeth from 11 Neanderthal and early human fossils shows that modern humans are slower than our ancestors to reach full maturity. The finding suggests that our characteristically slow development and long childhood are recent and unique to our own species, and may have given early humans an evolutionary advantage over Neanderthals. ... > full story
Stomach hormone can fuel or suppress rats’ sugar cravings: Chemical associated with appetite also activates the brain’s pleasure center (November 15, 2010) -- Researchers have found that rats either seek out sweets or lose interest, depending on the action of a stomach hormone called ghrelin. Ghrelin is one of many chemicals in the body that tell the brain when to trigger hunger or fullness. ... > full story
New large squid found in southern Indian Ocean (November 15, 2010) -- A new species of squid has been discovered by scientists analyzing 7,000 samples gathered during a seamounts cruise in the southern Indian Ocean last year. ... > full story
Oxytocin and social contact reduce anxiety: Hormone may be less effective at relieving stress for isolated animals (November 15, 2010) -- Oxytocin reduces anxiety in stressed animals, according to new research, but only if they recover in the presence of a friend. ... > full story
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