ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Monday, February 21, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Monday, February 21, 2011

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Floating spores kill malaria mosquito larvae (February 21, 2011) -- There are over 200 million cases of malaria each year and, in 2009, malaria was responsible for 781,000 deaths worldwide. Malaria is spread by mosquitoes which breed in open water and spend much of their larval stage feeding on fungi and microorganisms at the water surface. New research presents a method of dispersing pathogenic fungi as a means of preventing the spread of malaria. ... > full story

Testing the limits of where humans can live (February 21, 2011) -- On an isolated segment of islands in the Pacific Ring of Fire, residents endure volcanoes, tsunamis, dense fog, steep cliffs and long and chilly winters. Researchers have studied the history of human settlement on the Kuril Islands. Understanding how residents survived the islands' severe environment could inform how we adapt to modern vulnerabilities, including climate change. The findings also have implications for how we rebound from contemporary catastrophes. ... > full story

Spent nuclear fuel is anything but waste (February 21, 2011) -- Failure to pursue a program for recycling spent nuclear fuel has put the US far behind other countries and represents a missed opportunity to enhance the nation's energy security and influence other countries. ... > full story

Trichinosis parasite gets DNA decoded (February 21, 2011) -- Scientists have decoded the DNA of the parasitic worm that causes trichinosis, a disease linked to eating raw or undercooked pork or carnivorous wild game animals, such as bear and walrus. ... > full story

New assessment of black carbon and tropospheric ozone's role in climate change (February 21, 2011) -- Specific measures could already have a positive impact on climate protection and public health. These measures do not replace those related to carbon dioxide, and their full implementation could reduce global warming by 0.5 degrees C. ... > full story

Mimicking photosynthesis path to solar-derived hydrogen fuel (February 20, 2011) -- Inexpensive hydrogen for automotive or jet fuel may be possible by mimicking photosynthesis, according to a materials chemist, but a number of problems need to be solved first. ... > full story

Universal flu vaccine study yields success in mice (February 20, 2011) -- Researchers have taken a step closer to the development of a universal flu vaccine, with results of a recent study showing that a vaccine delivered by a simple nasal spray could provide protection against influenza. ... > full story

Storm-chasing weather radar used to track bat populations (February 20, 2011) -- Scientists are using mobile storm-chasing radars to follow swarms of bats as they emerge from their caves each night to forage on insects. ... > full story

Climate projections show human health impacts possible within 30 years: Potential increases in waterborne toxins and microbes (February 20, 2011) -- A panel of scientists unveiled new research and models demonstrating how climate change could increase exposure and risk of human illness originating from ocean, coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems, with some studies projecting impacts to be felt within 30 years. ... > full story

Frequent, severe fires turn Alaskan forests into a carbon production line (February 20, 2011) -- Alaskan forests used to be important players in Mother Nature's game plan for regulating carbon dioxide levels in the air. It's elementary earth science: Trees take up carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. But now, American and Canadian researchers report that climate change is causing wildfires to burn larger swaths of Alaskan trees and to char the groundcover more severely, turning the black spruce forests of Alaska from repositories of carbon to generators of it. And the more carbon dioxide they release, the greater impact that may have in turn on future climate change. ... > full story

One Health: From ideas to implementation, rhetoric to reality (February 20, 2011) -- The convergence of people, animals, and our environment has created a new dynamic in which the health of each group is inextricably and globally interconnected, without borders. It is against this background that One Health has emerged as a multidisciplinary effort to attain optimal health of humans, animals and our environment. ... > full story

Water, water, everywhere ... but is it safe to drink? (February 20, 2011) -- New research examines society's efforts to reverse and stop groundwater pollution, and the effectiveness of bioremediation technologies -- using microbes to clean up organic contaminants such as petroleum hydrocarbons (oil, gasoline or diesel) or chemicals used in the electronics or transportation industries. ... > full story

Oldest fossils of large seaweeds, possible animals tell story about oxygen in an ancient ocean (February 19, 2011) -- Almost 600 million years ago, before the Cambrian explosion, a community of seaweeds and worm-like animals lived in a quiet deep-water niche under the sea near what is now Anhui Province of South China. Then they simply died, leaving some 3,000 nearly pristine fossils preserved between beds of black shale deposited in oxygen-free waters. Scientists report the discovery of the fossils and the mystery. ... > full story

Mind over matter: EECoG may finally allow enduring control of a prosthetic or a paralyzed arm by thought alone (February 19, 2011) -- A biomedical engineer is developing brain-computer interfaces based on grids of electrodes that lie beneath the skull but outside the dura mater, the protective membrane that covers the brain. His next project is to slip a thin 32-electrode grid he designed with a colleague under a macaque's skill and to train the monkey to control -- strictly by thinking about it -- a computational model of a macaque arm. ... > full story

Efficacy of tuberculosis vaccine enhanced thanks to new research (February 19, 2011) -- Researchers in Belgium have improved the efficacy of the vaccine for tuberculosis. The new vaccine affords, as already demonstrated in mice, better protection against the disease. The development of a new tuberculosis vaccine is a priority in the fight against the disease, which claims the lives of 1.7 million people each year. The current vaccine provides only partial protection. ... > full story

Biologists use GPS to 'map' bat teeth to explore evolutionary adaptations to diet (February 19, 2011) -- In a clever use of GPS technology, biologists have "mapped" the topography of bat teeth as if they were uncharted mountain ranges, in order to better understand how toothy ridges, peaks and valleys have evolved to allow different species to eat everything from hard-shelled insects to blood and nectar. ... > full story

Research predicts future evolution of flu viruses (February 19, 2011) -- New research is beginning to crack the code of which strain of flu will be prevalent in a given year, with major implications for global public health preparedness. ... > full story

Fishing down food web leaves fewer big fish, more small fish in past century (February 19, 2011) -- Predatory fish such as cod, tuna and groupers have declined by two-thirds over the past 100 years, while small forage fish such as sardine, anchovy and capelin have more than doubled over the same period, according to researchers. ... > full story

Fountain of youth from the tap? Environmental lithium uptake promotes longevity, scientists demonstrate (February 18, 2011) -- A regular uptake of the trace element lithium can considerably promote longevity, suggests new research by scientists in Germany. The researchers have demonstrated by two independent approaches that even a low concentration of lithium leads to an increased life expectancy in humans as well as in a model organism, the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans. ... > full story

Experts question aspects of prescribed burning (February 18, 2011) -- Prescribed burning to reduce the hazards of bushfires may do more harm than good in some circumstances, according to a group of leading environmental scientists. ... > full story

Solar flare: Space weather disrupts communications, threatens other technologies (February 18, 2011) -- A powerful solar flare has ushered in the largest space weather storm in at least four years and has already disrupted some ground communications on Earth. ... > full story

Reverse genetics allow scientists to slow spread of Rubella virus (February 18, 2011) -- Scientists have identified the gene that allows the Rubella virus to block cell death and reverse engineered a mutant gene that slows the virus's spread. Researchers believed that RNA viruses were able to spread by blocking the pathways in cells that lead to cell suicide, and isolated the responsible gene in Rubella, also known as German measles. ... > full story

Oxygen levels in the air do not limit plant productivity, researchers find (February 18, 2011) -- There have been concerns that present oxygen levels may limit plant productivity. Researchers in Sweden show that this is not the case in a new study. The results are encouraging since they demonstrate that plans for future biomass and solar fuels production are not limited by this effect. ... > full story

Chemical guided missile could be the answer to wiping out cancer (February 18, 2011) -- Medical scientists in Australia have created the world's first cancer stem cell-targeting chemical missile, placing them a step closer to creating a medical 'smart bomb' that would seek out and eradicate the root of cancer cells. ... > full story

Leafcutter ant genome reveals secrets of fungus farming ways (February 18, 2011) -- Leafcutter ants, signature denizens of New World tropical forests, are unique in their ability to harvest fresh leaves to cultivate a nutrient-rich fungus as food. ... > full story

Hydrogen cartridges fuel laptops and phones for outdoor enthusiasts (February 18, 2011) -- Scientists have developed new hydrogen cartridges, which provide energy to fuel cells designed to recharge cell phones, laptops and GPS units. The green power source is geared toward outdoor enthusiasts as well as residents of the Third World, where electricity in homes is considered a luxury. ... > full story

The green machine: Algae clean wastewater, convert to biodiesel (February 18, 2011) -- Researchers are developing biodiesel from microalgae grown in wastewater. The project is doubly "green" because algae consume nitrates and phosphates and reduce bacteria and toxins in the water. The end result: clean wastewater and stock for a promising biofuel. ... > full story

Catching space weather in the act (February 18, 2011) -- Special cameras aboard the Interstellar Boundary Explorer, or IBEX, spacecraft have snapped the first shots of a complex space environment. Instead of recording light, these two large single-pixel cameras detect energetic neutral atoms. ... > full story

Sleeping Trojan horse to aid imaging of diseased cells (February 18, 2011) -- A unique strategy developed by researchers in the UK is opening up new possibilities for improving medical imaging. Medical imaging often requires getting unnatural materials such as metal ions into cells, a process which is a major challenge across a range of biomedical disciplines. One technique currently used is called the 'Trojan Horse' in which the drug or imaging agent is attached to something naturally taken up by cells. ... > full story

Improving microscopy by following the astronomers' guide star (February 18, 2011) -- A corrective strategy used by astronomers to sharpen images of celestial bodies can now help scientists see with more depth and clarity into the living brain of a mouse. ... > full story

Bears uncouple temperature and metabolism for hibernation, new study shows (February 18, 2011) -- New findings show that although black bears only reduce their body temperatures slightly during hibernation, their metabolic activity drops dramatically, slowing to about 25 percent of their normal, active rates. This feat leads researchers to believe that, in the future, the data collected in this study might be applied to a very wide range of endeavors -- from improving medical care to pioneering deep space travel. ... > full story

Warm weather may hurt thinking skills in people with multiple sclerosis (February 18, 2011) -- People with multiple sclerosis may find it harder to learn, remember or process information on warmer days of the year, according to new research. ... > full story

World's largest lake sheds light on ecosystem responses to climate variability (February 18, 2011) -- Siberia's Lake Baikal, the world's oldest, deepest and largest freshwater lake, has provided scientists with insight into the ways that climate change affects water temperature, which in turn affects life in the lake. ... > full story

Broader psychological impact of 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill (February 18, 2011) -- The explosion and fire on a BP-licensed oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 had huge environmental and economic effects, with millions of gallons of oil leaking into the water for more than five months. It also had significant psychological impact on people living in coastal communities, even in those areas that did not have direct oil exposure, according to researchers. ... > full story

Pollution triggers genetic resistance mechanism in a coastal fish (February 18, 2011) -- For 30 years, two General Electric facilities released about 1.3 million pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls into New York's Hudson River, devastating and contaminating fish populations. Some 50 years later, one type of fish -- the Atlantic tomcod -- has not only survived but appears to be thriving in the hostile Hudson environment. ... > full story

Multiple approaches necessary to tackle world's food problems, biologist argues (February 18, 2011) -- Researchers need to use all available resources in an integrated approach to put agriculture on a path to solve the world's food problems while reducing pollution, according to one biologist. Changes in national and international regulations will be necessary to achieve this goal. ... > full story

Chemist focuses on education for real-world sustainability challenges (February 18, 2011) -- Introductory college science classes need to improve their coverage of issues related to sustainability, a chemistry educator argues in a recent presentation. ... > full story

Ozone layer’s future linked strongly to changes in climate, study finds (February 17, 2011) -- The ozone layer -- the thin atmospheric band high-up in the stratosphere that protects living things on Earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays, not to be confused with damaging ozone pollution close to the ground -- faces potential new challenges even as it continues its recovery from earlier damage, according to a recently released international science assessment. The report also presents stronger evidence that links changes in stratospheric ozone and Earth's climate. ... > full story

Insects hold atomic clues about the type of habitats in which they live (February 17, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered that insects contain atomic clues as to the habitats in which they are most able to survive. The research has important implications for predicting the effects of climate change on the insects, which make up three-quarters of the animal kingdom. ... > full story

First skyscraper was a monument to intimidation: How Jericho's 11,000-year-old 'cosmic' tower came into being (February 17, 2011) -- An ancient tower at the archaeological site of Tel Jericho was built to exploit the primeval fears of Jericho's residents, according to new findings. "We believe this tower was one of the mechanisms to motivate people to take part in a communal lifestyle," one archeologist says. ... > full story

Scientists discover agave's tremendous potential as new bioenergy feedstock (February 17, 2011) -- A new article reviews the suitability of agave as a bioenergy feedstock that can sustain high productivity in spite of poor soil and stressful climatic conditions accompanying climate change. ... > full story

Global warming may reroute evolution, milkweed research finds (February 17, 2011) -- Rising carbon dioxide levels associated with global warming may affect interactions between plants and the insects that eat them, altering the course of plant evolution, research suggests. ... > full story

Choosing your neighbors: Scientists see how microbes relate in space (February 17, 2011) -- It is now possible to see up to 28 differently labeled microbes in a single field of view, due to a new microscopy technique. ... > full story

Waking up is hard to do: Scientists identify a gene important for the daily rhythms of the sleep-wake cycle (February 17, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered a new mechanism in the core gears of the circadian clock. They found the loss of a certain gene, dubbed "twenty-four," messes up the rhythm of the common fruit fly's sleep-wake cycle, making it harder for the flies to awaken. The circadian clock drives, among other things, when an organism wakes up and when it sleeps. While the study was done using Drosophila melanogaster, the findings have implications for humans. ... > full story

Thawing permafrost likely will accelerate global warming, study finds (February 17, 2011) -- Up to two-thirds of Earth's permafrost likely will disappear by 2200 as a result of warming temperatures, unleashing vast quantities of carbon into the atmosphere, says a new study. ... > full story

Host genetics plays unexpected role in dance with pathogen (February 17, 2011) -- A new study suggests that differences in the host's genetics can make a big difference in susceptibility bacterial infection. Researchers show that the virulence of a strain of Yersinia pestis, notable for causing bubonic plague, varies drastically among mice strains with different genetic backgrounds. These findings carry major implications for vaccine development. ... > full story

Storms, soccer matches hidden in seismometer noise (February 17, 2011) -- Who knew? The chance discovery that spikes in seismometer noise recorded in Africa corresponded with soccer matches has led to the discovery that there's a lot more buried in the noise, including a signal from the famous storms of the Southern Atlantic Ocean, the bane of ships of sail. ... > full story

Why are vines overtaking the American tropics? (February 17, 2011) -- Vines are becoming more abundant in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. This fundamental change in forest structure may have a profound impact on the animals, human communities and businesses that depend on forests for their livelihood. ... > full story