ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Sunday, January 16, 2011
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Dramatic ocean circulation changes caused a colder Europe in the past (January 15, 2011) -- The unusually cold weather in Europe this winter has been caused by a change in the winds. Instead of the typical westerly winds warmed by Atlantic surface ocean currents, cold northerly Arctic winds are influencing much of Europe. However, scientists have long suspected that far more severe and longer-lasting cold intervals have been caused by changes to the circulation of the warm Atlantic ocean currents themselves. ... > full story
Bioactive compounds in berries can reduce high blood pressure (January 15, 2011) -- Eating blueberries can guard against high blood pressure, according to new research. ... > full story
Laser sheds light on tracking source of microbial contamination on beach (January 15, 2011) -- A simple, automated method of tracking E. coli uses a laser to detect and monitor the microbe in potentially contaminated bodies of water or waterways. The technique could reduce the incidence of waterborne disease outbreaks. ... > full story
Improving plants: New software quantifies leaf venation networks, enables plant biology advances (January 15, 2011) -- Plant biologists are facing pressure to breed plants that can respond to changing environments. One method of monitoring the response of plants to different environments is by studying their vein network patterns. To help address the challenge of how to quickly examine a large quantity of leaves, researchers have developed a user-assisted software tool that extracts macroscopic vein structures directly from leaf images. ... > full story
New farming method reduces greenhouse gases, increases farm yields (January 15, 2011) -- Researchers have found methods to help farmers reduce nitrous oxide emissions while also increasing corn grain production. ... > full story
Living cells used to create 'biotic' video games (January 14, 2011) -- The digital revolution has triggered a wild proliferation of video games, but what of the revolution in biotechnology? Does it have the potential to spawn its own brood of games? A physicist has begun developing "biotic games" involving paramecia and other living organisms. He hopes the games will lead to advances in education and crowd-sourcing of laboratory research while helping to raise the level of public discourse on bio-related issues. ... > full story
Early development of anti-HIV neutralizing antibodies (January 14, 2011) -- New findings are bringing scientists closer to an effective HIV vaccine. Researchers report findings showing new evidence about broadly-reactive neutralizing antibodies, which block HIV infection. ... > full story
Putting the dead to work: Conservation paleobiologists dig deep to solve today's ecological, evolutionary questions (January 14, 2011) -- Conservation paleobiologists -- scientists who use the fossil record to understand the evolutionary and ecological responses of present-day species to changes in their environment -- are putting the dead to work. A new review of the research in this emerging field provides examples of how the fossil record can help assess environmental impacts, predict which species will be most vulnerable to environmental changes, and provide guidelines for restoration. ... > full story
Airborne pathogens can induce mad cow disease, new findings suggest (January 14, 2011) -- Airborne prions are also infectious and can induce mad cow disease or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disorder, new findings suggest. Researchers recommend precautionary measures for scientific labs, slaughterhouses and animal feed plants. ... > full story
Trapped sunlight cleans water (January 14, 2011) -- High energy costs are one drawback of making clean water from waste effluents. Now a new system that combines two different technologies proposes to break down contaminants using the cheapest possible energy source, sunlight. ... > full story
Fruit fly nervous system provides new solution to fundamental computer network problem (January 14, 2011) -- The fruit fly has evolved a method for arranging the tiny, hair-like structures it uses to feel and hear the world that's so efficient a team of scientists says it could be used to more effectively deploy wireless sensor networks and other distributed computing applications. ... > full story
Microbes in our gut regulate genes that control obesity and inflammation (January 14, 2011) -- If you are looking to lose weight in the coming year, you may need help from an unexpected place: the bacteria in your gut. That's because scientists have discovered that the bacteria living in your intestines may play a far more significant role in weight loss and gastrointestinal problems than ever imagined. ... > full story
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