ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Wednesday, December 15, 2010
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Satellites pinpoint drivers of urban heat islands in northeastern U.S. (December 15, 2010) -- The size, background ecology, and development patterns of major northeastern cities combine to make them unusually warm, according to NASA scientists. Summer land surface temperatures of cities in the Northeast were an average of 13°F to 16°F (7°C to 9°C) warmer than surrounding rural areas over a three year period, the new research shows. The complex phenomenon that drives up temperatures of cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. is called the urban heat island effect. ... > full story
US EPA removes saccharin from hazardous substances listing (December 15, 2010) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has removed saccharin, a common artificial sweetener, and its salts from the agency's list of hazardous substances. Saccharin is no longer considered a potential hazard to human health. ... > full story
Satellite data provide a new way to monitor groundwater in agricultural regions (December 15, 2010) -- Much of the agriculture in the American West depends on underground water systems that need to be carefully monitored to avoid overuse. Traditional data about aquifers are sparse and expensive to obtain. Until now, crops growing above the aquifer prevented satellite-based radar from "seeing" under the surface. But researchers have found a way around the plant problem. ... > full story
Power and corruption may be good for society (December 15, 2010) -- An evolutionary biology professor found that power and corruption may play a role in maintaining overall societal cooperation. ... > full story
Tubeworms colony discovered off Cyprus (December 15, 2010) -- When a field of tubeworms was unexpectedly discovered on the side of a large underwater mountain 50 miles off the coast of Cyprus this summer, the finding was notable both for the discovery itself and for the process of the discovery. ... > full story
Sweet and biodegradable: Sugar and cornstarch make environmentally safer plastics (December 14, 2010) -- A new lactide-based variety of catalysts, which initiate or sustain reactions in chemical processes, is improving the production of "green" plastics, making them stronger and more heat-resistant. This research has applications in a variety of manufacturing fields, from car parts to plastic cups -- and is a significant step in the "greening" of the plastics and chemical industries. ... > full story
Geologist's discoveries resolve debate about oxygen in Earth's mantle (December 14, 2010) -- While there continues to be considerable debate among geologists about the availability of oxygen in the Earth's mantle, recent discoveries are bringing resolution to the question. Analysis of erupted rock from Agrigan volcano in the western Pacific near Guam found it to be highly oxidized as a result of its exposure to oxygen when it formed in the Earth's mantle. ... > full story
Biological computers: Genetically modified cells communicate like electronic circuits (December 14, 2010) -- Genetically modified cells can be made to communicate with each other as if they were electronic circuits. Using yeast cells, a group of researchers has taken a groundbreaking step towards being able to build complex systems in the future where the body's own cells help to keep us healthy. ... > full story
Transcription factor clears protein clumps in Huntington's mice models (December 14, 2010) -- Over expressing a transcription factor that promotes increase in number of mitochondria greatly improves neurological function of transgenic mice models for Huntington's disease. ... > full story
What 'pine' cones reveal about the evolution of flowers (December 14, 2010) -- From southern Africa's pineapple lily to Western Australia's swamp bottlebrush, flowering plants are everywhere. Also called angiosperms, they make up 90 percent of all land-based, plant life. New research provides new insights into their genetic origin, an evolutionary innovation that quickly gave rise to many diverse flowering plants more than 130 million years ago. Moreover, a flower with genetic programming similar to a water lily may have started it all. ... > full story
Hot stuff: Magma at shallow depth under Hawaii (December 14, 2010) -- Researchers have found a new way to gauge the depth of the magma chamber that forms the Hawaiian Island volcanic chain, and determined that the magma lies much closer to the surface than previously thought. The finding could help scientists predict when Hawaiian volcanoes are going to erupt. It also suggests that Hawaii holds great potential for thermal energy. ... > full story
Potential chink in armor of African sleeping sickness parasite: It's social (December 14, 2010) -- Long considered a freewheeling loner, the Trypanosoma brucei parasite responsible for African sleeping sickness has revealed a totally unexpected social side, opening a potential chink in the behavioral armor of this and other supposedly solitary human parasites. ... > full story
Continued death of forests predicted in southwestern US due to climate change (December 14, 2010) -- If current climate projections hold true, the forests of the Southwestern United States face a bleak future, with more severe ---- and more frequent ---- forest fires, higher tree death rates, more insect infestation, and weaker trees. ... > full story
Parasite and bacterium illustrate convergent evolution: Both hijack cells' 'post office' (December 14, 2010) -- Protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii and pathogenic bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis exemplify convergent evolution, development of similar biological trait in unrelated lineages, according to new research. ... > full story
Cells 'feel' the difference between stiff or soft and thick or thin matrix (December 14, 2010) -- Cultured mesenchymal stem cells can "feel" at least several microns below surface of artificial microfilm matrix, gauging elasticity of extracellular bedding, a crucial variable in determining their fate. ... > full story
Early settlers rapidly transformed New Zealand forests with fire (December 14, 2010) -- New research indicates that the speed of early forest clearance following human colonization of the South Island of New Zealand was much faster and more intense than previously thought. ... > full story
Blooming jellyfish in northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean: Over-fishing, warming waters to blame (December 14, 2010) -- A study examining over 50 years of jellyfish data confirmed an increase in the size and intensity of proliferations of the jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca. There are several complex reasons for this -- over-fishing and the current increase in sea water temperatures. ... > full story
'Array of arrays' coaxing secrets from unfelt seismic tremor events (December 14, 2010) -- New technology is letting researchers get a much better picture of how episodic tremor events relate to potentially catastrophic earthquakes every 300 to 500 years in the Cascadia subduction zone. ... > full story
Tracing microbes between individuals towards personalized oral health care (December 14, 2010) -- The human body harbors a complex ecosystem of microbes recognized as having a role in health and disease. Viruses can attack bacterial communities, yet little is known about how this might influence human health. Scientists have now performed the first metagenomic analysis of a bacterial immune system in humans over time, finding that defenses of the oral microbiome are unique and traceable, information that could personalize oral health care in the future. ... > full story
Southeastern U.S., with exception of Florida, likey to have serious water scarcity issues (December 14, 2010) -- Water scarcity in the western U.S. has long been an issue of concern. Now researchers studying freshwater sustainability in the U.S. have found that the Southeast, with the exception of Florida, does not have enough water capacity to meet its own needs. ... > full story
Hot with decades of drought: Expectations for southwestern United States (December 14, 2010) -- A 60-year drought like that of the 12th Century could be in our future. An unprecedented combination of heat plus decades of drought could be in store for the Southwest sometime this century, suggests new research. By figuring out when and for how long drought and warm temperatures coincided in the past, the team identified plausible worst-case scenarios for the future. Such scenarios can help water and other resource managers plan for the future, the team wrote. ... > full story
More details of plant cell-wall construction revealed (December 14, 2010) -- Scientists are unraveling details of how plant cells' structural supports - their cell walls -- are made, with the hope of finding ways to change their composition for more efficient biofuel production. ... > full story
Bioengineers discover how particles self-assemble in flowing fluids (December 14, 2010) -- Bioengineers have been exploring a unique phenomenon whereby randomly dispersed microparticles will self-assemble into a highly organized structure during flow through micro-scale channels. ... > full story
Tracking down particulates (December 14, 2010) -- Wood-burning stoves are enjoying a surge in popularity. But burning biomass releases fine dust particles that are hazardous to health. Consequently, new legal limits for particulate emissions from such stoves were introduced in some areas last March. Researchers have now developed a measuring device that determines precise levels of dust emissions. ... > full story
Oldest fossils found in Cordillera Bética mountain range (December 14, 2010) -- Researchers have found fossils of Ordovician conodonts dating to between 446 and 444 million years ago for the first time in the western Mediterranean. The discovery of these very primitive marine vertebrates has helped scientists to reconstruct the palaeogeography of the Cordillera Bética mountain range. Their study shows that the mountain system in the south of the Iberian Peninsula was located alongside the Alps at that time. ... > full story
Bering Sea was ice-free and full of life during last warm period, study finds (December 13, 2010) -- Deep sediment cores retrieved from the Bering Sea floor indicate that the region was ice-free all year and biological productivity was high during the last major warm period in Earth's climate history. ... > full story
When it comes to selecting a mate, the eyes have it (December 13, 2010) -- For the first time ever, scientists have found a difference in the way males and females of the same species of vertebrate see things -- and that sexes likely use that difference to select their mates. The research team also discovered that the fish have five different photoreceptor cones in their eyes, the most ever found in a vertebrate. ... > full story
Right or left handling at birth: What impact does it have on development? (December 13, 2010) -- Certain events experienced at the moment of birth have consequences on the emotional reactions of animals at an adult age. Researchers have tested the effects of unilateral tactile stimulation on newborn foals. Their results show that animals handled on their right side at birth avoid contact with humans more often than those stimulated on their left side or not at all. This work raises questions on the organization of neonatal care in animals and humans. ... > full story
Large uncertainty in carbon footprint calculating (December 13, 2010) -- The calculation of carbon footprints for products if often riddled with large uncertainties, particularly related to electronic goods. ... > full story
Children who don’t like fruit and vegetables are 13 times more likely to be constipated (December 13, 2010) -- Primary school children who don’t like eating fruit and vegetables are 13 times more likely to develop functional constipation than children who do. Drinking less than 400ml of fluid a day also significantly increases the risk. ... > full story
More fruits and vegetables unlikely to protect against cancer, study suggests (December 13, 2010) -- There is no convincing evidence that eating more fruit and vegetables can reduce chances of developing cancer, although they are important for maintaining a healthy diet, according to a new study that looked at a decade of research in this area. ... > full story
Assessing the seismic hazard of the central eastern United States (December 13, 2010) -- As the US policymakers renew emphasis on the use of nuclear energy in their efforts to reduce the country's oil dependence, other factors come into play. One concern of paramount importance is the seismic hazard at the site where nuclear reactors are located. ... > full story
Whey supplements lower blood pressure: Low-cost protein gets big results in people with elevated blood pressure (December 13, 2010) -- Beverages supplemented by whey-based protein can significantly reduce elevated blood pressure, reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease, a new study has found. ... > full story
Pomegranate juice components could stop cancer from spreading, research suggests (December 13, 2010) -- Researchers have identified components in pomegranate juice that both inhibit the movement of cancer cells and weaken their attraction to a chemical signal that promotes the metastasis of prostate cancer to the bone. The research could lead to new therapies for preventing cancer metastasis. ... > full story
Moderate drinking benefits kidney transplant recipients, study suggests (December 13, 2010) -- Moderate alcohol consumption reduces one's risk for diabetes and premature death in the general population. To find if the same were true for stable kidney transplant recipients, researchers studied 600 renal transplant recipients who had their transplant more than one prior and followed them for several years post-transplant. During an average follow-up of seven years, moderate alcohol drinkers were 44% less likely to die than other types of drinkers/nondrinkers. ... > full story
Carbon fluxes in the oceans: The strange behavior of small particles at density interfaces (December 13, 2010) -- Researchers have found a remarkable effect while studying how marine particles sink, which could affect the way scientists assess global carbon fluxes. Their question: How fast does organic material and debris clumped together forming porous particles settle to the sea floor? Microbes colonizing these particles degrade the organic matter and release carbon dioxide back to the water. The downward velocity of the particles determines the amount of carbon exported to the deep sea. ... > full story
Shoo, fly! Catnip oil repels bloodsucking flies (December 13, 2010) -- Catnip, the plant that attracts domestic cats like an irresistible force, has proven 99 percent effective in repelling the blood-sucking flies that attack horses and cows, causing billion in annual loses to the cattle industry. ... > full story
Shrubby crops can help fuel Africa's green revolution (December 13, 2010) -- Crop diversification with shrubby legumes mixed with soybean and peanuts could be the key to sustaining the green revolution in Africa, according to a new study. The study states that diversifying crops would boost production of nutrient-enriched grain by 12 percent to 23 percent. ... > full story
Fire disaster in Israel is a typical example of expected climate change effects in the Mediterranean (December 13, 2010) -- The fire disaster in the Carmel Mountains near Haifa is a typical example of climate change effect and a taste of the future, says a researcher. Ten years ago he had warned of expected climatic fluctuations, heat events, decreased rainfall and delayed late winter rainfall, all of which would lead to increased risk of intense forest fires. ... > full story
Cellular protein hobbles HIV-1 (December 13, 2010) -- A cellular protein called BST-2 had already been known to interfere with the spread of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), by inhibiting the release of its progeny particles from infected cells. Now scientists show that in addition, each progeny virion's ability to cause infection is severely impaired. ... > full story
How natural drug, abscisic acid, fights inflammation (December 12, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered how abscisic acid, a natural plant hormone with known beneficial properties for the treatment of disease, helps fight inflammation. ... > full story
Tigers and polar bears are highly vulnerable to environmental change (December 12, 2010) -- Large predators are much more vulnerable than smaller species to environmental changes, such as over-hunting and habitat change, because they have to work so hard to find their next meal, according to a new study. ... > full story
Synchrotron study shows how nitric oxide kills (December 12, 2010) -- Nitric oxide is a toxic pollutant, but the human body also creates it and uses it to attack invading microbes and parasites. A new study by researchers in the U.S. and the Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute shows how nitric oxide, attacks an important group of proteins critical to cell survival. ... > full story
Tiny protozoa may hold key to world water safety (December 12, 2010) -- Biologists have developed a sensor that employs one-celled protozoa to detect toxins in water sources. The new technique works by introducing protozoa into small chambers with water samples taken from municipal, industrial, or military water sources and comparing them to control samples. Any alteration of the protozoa's swimming mechanics is a sign that water conditions have changed and chemical or biological contaminants -- pesticides, industrial chemicals, or biological warfare agents -- may be present. ... > full story
Blue whale-sized mouthfuls make foraging super efficient (December 12, 2010) -- How much can a blue whale eat in a single mouthful and how much energy do they burn while foraging? Researchers discovered that blue whales can swallow almost 2,000,000kJ (almost 480,000kcalories) in a single mouthful of krill, and eat 90 times as much energy as they burn during a dive. ... > full story
Drug-resistant HIV genes identified (December 12, 2010) -- New, groundbreaking research by a biomedical engineer significantly advances our understanding of HIV and how to treat it. They studied approximately 15,000 different versions of the virus -- something that has never been done before. This information has allowed them to locate the specific genes of the virus that were resistant to the drugs -- knowledge that could ultimately help researchers develop more effective treatments for HIV. ... > full story
'Green' water treatments may not kill bacteria in large building cooling systems (December 12, 2010) -- Non-chemical water treatment systems -- touted as environmentally conscious stand-ins for such chemicals as chlorine -- may allow dangerous bacteria to flourish in the cooling systems of hospitals, commercial offices and other water-cooled buildings. The study is the first to thoroughly investigate the ability of nonchemical treatment devices to control the growth of bacteria in water-based air-conditioning systems found in many large buildings. ... > full story
Thought for food: Imagining food consumption reduces actual consumption (December 11, 2010) -- A new study shows that when you imagine eating a certain food, it reduces your actual consumption of that food. This landmark discovery changes the decades-old assumption that thinking about something desirable increases cravings for it and its consumption. ... > full story
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