ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Monday, April 25, 2011
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Using duck eggs to track climate change (April 25, 2011) -- Julie DeJong can't set foot on the ground of an Oregon marsh to gather duck eggs on a spring day in 1875. But Charles Bendire did. And thanks to a research project that is the next best thing to time travel, DeJong is measuring the duck eggs in several museum collections. When her project is done, DeJong will have assembled and analyzed a metrics database on perhaps 60,000 duck eggs representing at least 40 species and subspecies of ducks found in North America. ... > full story
Missing link in plant defense against fungal disease found (April 25, 2011) -- Scientists report on a discovery in a key component in the signaling pathway that regulates the production of phytoalexins to kill the disease-causing fungus Botrytis cinerea. ... > full story
Development in fog harvesting process may make water available to the world’s poor (April 25, 2011) -- An engineer and aspiring entrepreneur works on fog harvesting, the deployment of devices that, like the beetle, attract water droplets and corral the runoff. This way, poor villagers could collect clean water near their homes, instead of spending hours carrying water from distant wells or streams. ... > full story
Fossil sirenians, related to today's manatees, give scientists new look at ancient climate (April 24, 2011) -- What tales they tell of their former lives, these old bones of sirenians, relatives of today's dugongs and manatees. And now, geologists have found, they tell of the waters in which they swam. While researching the evolutionary ecology of ancient sirenians -- commonly known as sea cows -- scientists unexpectedly stumbled across data that could change the view of climate during the Eocene Epoch, some 50 million years ago. ... > full story
Evolution can cause a rapid reduction in genome size (April 24, 2011) -- It would appear reasonable to assume that two closely related plant species would have similar genetic blueprints. However, scientists have now decoded, for the first time, the entire genome of the lyre-leaved rock cress (Arabidopsis lyrata), a close relative of the thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana), the model plant used by geneticists. They discovered that the genome of the lyre-leaved rock cress is fifty percent bigger than that of the thale cress. Moreover, these changes arose over a very short period in evolutionary terms. ... > full story
Brown recluse spider: Range could expand in N. America with changing climate (April 23, 2011) -- One of the most feared spiders in North America -- the brown recluse -- is the subject a new study that aims to predict its distribution and how that distribution may be affected by climate changes. Researchers believe that the range may expand northward, potentially invading previously unaffected regions. Newly influenced areas may include parts of Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, South Dakota, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. ... > full story
Starting a new metabolic path: New technique will help metabolic engineering (April 23, 2011) -- Researchers have demonstrated a new technique that speeds up and improves the identification and quantification of proteins within a cell or micoorganism. Called "targeted proteomics," the new technique is expected to be an important new tool for the fields of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology. ... > full story
How molecules get to the right place at the right time (April 23, 2011) -- Active transport processes in cells ensure that proteins with specialized local functions reach their intracellular destinations. Impaired transport causes cellular dysfunction or even cell death. Scientists have now revealed how such a transport complex recognizes its cargo and assembles. ... > full story
New approach to defeating flu shows promise (April 23, 2011) -- New research on mice has shown that pulmonary administration of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) significantly reduces flu symptoms and prevents death after a lethal dose influenza virus. While GM-SCF therapy for humans as a flu prophylaxis or treatment may be years away, the study results were striking: All of the mice treated with GM-SCF survived after being infected with the influenza virus, whereas untreated mice all died from the same infection. ... > full story
C. difficile colonization accompanied by changes in gut microbiota: Study hints at probiotics as treatment (April 23, 2011) -- Asymptomatic colonization by Clostridium difficile, absent the use of antibiotics, is common in infants and when it happens changes occur in the composition of the gut microbiota, according to new research. ... > full story
Democrats and Republicans increasingly divided over global warming, study finds (April 23, 2011) -- Despite the growing scientific consensus that global warming is real, Americans have become increasingly polarized on the environmental problem, according to a first-of-its-kind study. ... > full story
Parasite strategy offers insight to help tackle sleeping sickness (April 22, 2011) -- Fresh insight into the survival strategy of the parasite that causes sleeping sickness could help inform new treatments for the disease. ... > full story
Lawn of native grasses beats traditional lawn for lushness, weed resistance (April 22, 2011) -- A lawn of regionally native grasses would take less resources to maintain while providing as lush a carpet as a common turfgrass used in the South, according to a new study. ... > full story
Jurassic spider from China is largest fossil specimen discovered (April 22, 2011) -- With a leg span of more than five inches, a recently named Jurassic period spider from China is the largest fossil specimen discovered, and one that has modern relatives in tropical climates today. ... > full story
Clouds, clouds, burning bright (April 22, 2011) -- High up in the sky near the poles some 50 miles above the ground, silvery blue clouds sometimes appear, shining brightly in the night. These are noctilucent or "night shining" clouds. Since 2007, a NASA mission called Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) has shown that the cloud formation is changing year to year, a process they believe is intimately tied to the weather and climate of the whole globe. ... > full story
Photovoltaic systems boost the sales price of California homes (April 22, 2011) -- New research finds strong evidence that homes with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems sell for a premium over homes without solar systems. The research is the first to empirically explore the existence and magnitude of residential PV sales price impacts across a large number of homes and over a wide geographic area. ... > full story
Learning to tolerate our microbial self: Bacteria co-opt human immune cells for mutual benefit (April 22, 2011) -- The human gut is filled with 100 trillion symbiotic bacteria which we blissfully live with, although they have many features similar to infectious bacteria we react against. What decides whether we ignore -- or fight? In the case of a common "friendly" gut bacterium, Bacteroides fragilis, researchers have discovered the surprising answer: The decision is not made by us, but by the bacteria, which co-opt cells of the immune system for our benefit ... and theirs. ... > full story
New technique improves sensitivity of PCR pathogen detection (April 22, 2011) -- A new procedure can improve polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods of detecting plant disease organisms. ... > full story
Bacteria interrupted: Disabling coordinated behavior and virulence gene expression (April 22, 2011) -- New research reveals a strategy for disrupting the ability of bacteria to communicate and coordinate the expression of virulence factors. The study may lead to the development of new antibacterial therapeutics. ... > full story
Scotland's first marine reserve already producing benefits (April 22, 2011) -- Scotland's first fully protected marine reserve, and only the second in the UK, is already providing commercial and conservation benefits, according to new research. ... > full story
Prenatal pesticide exposure tied to lower IQ in children, study finds (April 22, 2011) -- A new study has found that prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides -- widely used on food crops -- is related to lower intelligence scores in children. Every tenfold increase in measures of organophosphates detected during a mother's pregnancy corresponded to a 5.5 point drop in overall IQ scores in children at age 7, the researchers found. ... > full story
Salmonella utilize multiple modes of infection: New mechanism that helps with invading host cells discovered (April 22, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered a new, hitherto unknown mechanism of Salmonella invasion into gut cells: In this entry mode, the bacteria exploit the muscle power of cells to be pulled into the host cell cytoplasm. Thus, the strategies Salmonella use to infect cells are more complex than previously thought. ... > full story
Genes causing antimalarial drug resistance identified (April 21, 2011) -- Using a pair of powerful genome-search techniques, researchers have identified several genes that may be implicated in the malaria parasite's notorious ability to rapidly evade drug treatments. ... > full story
Biologist illuminates how seedlings regulate growth (April 21, 2011) -- All kinds of organisms, from plants to people, regulate growth via networks of proteins that add on and lop off phosphate molecules. Scientists can now explain key steps that allow seedlings to make it past the surface of the soil. ... > full story
Organic and conventional farming methods compete to eliminate weed seeds in soil (April 21, 2011) -- Weeds are hard to kill; they seem to come back no matter what steps people take to eradicate them. One reason is because of the persistence of weed seeds in the soil. Organic farming and conventional farming systems both have their methods of taking on weed seeds, but does one show better results than the other? ... > full story
Historic church's subterranean secrets revealed (April 21, 2011) -- Researchers have carried out a full scientific survey of an historic churchyard widely believed to be the site of the crowning of at least two Anglo-Saxon kings. The team used an earth resistance meter to survey a graveyard at the site where possibly as many as seven kings were crowned, during the 10th Century, including Athelstan, the first king of a unified England in 925, and Ethelred the Unready in 978-9. ... > full story
Earth recovered from prehistoric global warming faster than previously thought (April 21, 2011) -- Earth may be able to recover from rising carbon dioxide emissions faster than previously thought, according to evidence from a prehistoric event. When faced with high levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide and rising temperatures 56 million years ago, Earth increased its ability to pull carbon from the air. This led to a recovery that was quicker than anticipated by many models of the carbon cycle. ... > full story
Simple fungus reveals clue to immune system protection (April 21, 2011) -- A discovery about how a single-celled fungus survives in low-oxygen settings may someday help humans whose immune systems are compromised by organ transplants or AIDS. ... > full story
American pikas: Contemporary climate change alters the pace and drivers of extinction (April 21, 2011) -- Local extinction rates of American pikas have increased nearly five-fold in the last 10 years, and the rate at which the climate-sensitive species is moving up mountain slopes has increased 11-fold since the 20th century, according to a new study. ... > full story
Melting ice on Arctic islands a major player in sea level rise (April 21, 2011) -- Melting glaciers and ice caps on Canadian Arctic islands play a much greater role in sea level rise than scientists previously thought, according to a new study, ... > full story
Antimalarial trees in East Africa threatened with extinction (April 21, 2011) -- Research released in anticipation of World Malaria Day finds that plants in East Africa with promising antimalarial qualities -- ones that have treated malaria symptoms in the region's communities for hundreds of years -- are at risk of extinction. Scientists fear that these natural remedial qualities, and thus their potential to become a widespread treatment for malaria, could be lost forever. ... > full story
Fat turns into soap in sewers, contributes to overflows (April 21, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered how fat, oil and grease can create hardened deposits in sewer lines: it turns into soap! The hardened deposits, which can look like stalactites, contribute to sewer overflows. ... > full story
MicroRNA mediates gene-diet interaction related to obesity, researchers find (April 21, 2011) -- Researchers observed that a genetic variant on the perilipin 4 (PLIN4) locus was associated with an increased risk of obesity yet, carriers with higher omega-3 fatty acid intakes tended to weigh less than carriers who consumed little or no omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, the researchers identified a microRNA which may help elucidate the mechanism behind the gene-diet interaction. ... > full story
Gold prices spur six-fold spike in Amazon deforestation (April 21, 2011) -- Deforestation in parts of the Peruvian Amazon has increased six-fold in recent years as small-scale miners, driven by record gold prices, blast and clear more of the lowland rainforest, according to a study. ... > full story
Mega wind turbines of 20 MW (April 21, 2011) -- The present largest wind turbines have a capacity of 5-6 MW. Scientists have now presented the first design basis for developing mega wind turbines of 20 MW. One single wind turbine of this type in the North Sea would provide electricity for 15,000 to 20,000 dwellings. ... > full story
Low carbohydrate diet may reverse kidney failure in people with diabetes (April 21, 2011) -- Researchers have for the first time determined that the ketogenic diet, a specialized high-fat, low carbohydrate diet, may reverse impaired kidney function in people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. ... > full story
Ring around the hurricanes: Satellites can predict storm intensity (April 21, 2011) -- Coastal residents may soon have longer warning when a storm headed in their direction is becoming a hurricane, thanks to a study demonstrating how to use existing satellites to monitor tropical storm dynamics and predict sudden surges in strength. Using passive microwave satellites, the researchers found that low-shear storm systems form a symmetrical ring of thunderstorms around the center of the system about six hours before rapidly intensifying into a hurricane. ... > full story
Why are the Seychelles free of malaria? (April 21, 2011) -- Anopheles mosquitoes, which transmit the malaria parasite by their bite are present almost throughout the world. Only five areas are exceptions: Antarctic and Iceland, where there are no mosquitoes at all, New-Caledonia, the Central Pacific islands, like French Polynesia, and the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean. New research suggests that the Seychelles have been spared because anopheles mosquitoes require the blood of terrestrial mammals which, apart from bats, are lacking. ... > full story
All U.S. federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico once closed to fishing due to spill now open (April 21, 2011) -- NOAA has reopened to commercial and recreational fishing 1,041 square miles of Gulf waters immediately surrounding the Deepwater Horizon wellhead, just east of Louisiana. This is the twelfth and final reopening in federal waters since July 22, and opens all of the areas in Federal waters formerly closed to fishing due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. ... > full story
What's your gut type? Gut bacteria could help with diagnostics and influence treatments (April 21, 2011) -- Humans have three different gut types, scientists have found. The study also uncovers microbial genetic markers that are related to traits like age, gender and body-mass index. The findings could help diagnose and predict outcomes for diseases like colorectal cancer, and inform treatment. ... > full story
Routine rotavirus vaccination in Brazil has reduced diarrhea deaths in children (April 21, 2011) -- Rotavirus vaccination in all areas of Brazil is associated with reduced diarrhea-related deaths and hospital admissions in children aged under five years, a new study reports. ... > full story
Drug development speeds up with more advanced microarray technology (April 21, 2011) -- RNA interference technology, which is used in cell biology, has revolutionized functional research of the gene products in the last ten years. Now researchers have developed a method which allows a single microchip to be used to screen the functions of tens of thousands of genes simultaneously by means of RNA interference. Traditional methods only allow a few hundred genes to be screened with each microplate. ... > full story
Protein-patterned fibers: Researchers combine active proteins with material derived from fruit fly (April 20, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a way to pattern active proteins into bio-friendly fibers. The "eureka" moment came about because somebody forgot to clean up the lab one night. The new work simplifies the process of making materials with fully functional proteins. Such materials could find extensive use as chemical catalysts and biosensors and in tissue engineering, for starters. ... > full story
Air pollution exposure affects chances of developing premenopausal breast cancer, study finds (April 20, 2011) -- Exposure to air pollution early in life and when a woman gives birth to her first child may alter her DNA and may be associated with pre-menopausal breast cancer later in life, researchers have shown. ... > full story
How TRIM5 fights HIV: Scientists discover mechanism of protein that makes certain monkeys resistant (April 20, 2011) -- Thanks to a certain protein, rhesus monkeys are resistant to HIV. Known as TRIM5, the protein prevents the HI virus from multiplying once it has entered the cell. Researchers in Switzerland have now discovered the protein's mechanism. This also opens up new prospects for fighting HIV in humans. ... > full story
Breakthrough in malaria treatment in the run up to World Malaria Day (April 20, 2011) -- Ahead of World Malaria Day (25 April), researchers have discovered that drugs originally designed to inhibit the growth of cancer cells can also kill the parasite that causes malaria. They believe this discovery could open up a new strategy for combating this deadly disease, which infected around 225 million and killed nearly 800,000 people worldwide in 2009. ... > full story
Scientists prove new technology to control malaria-carrying mosquitoes (April 20, 2011) -- Scientists have taken an important step towards developing control measures for mosquitoes that transmit malaria. In a new study, researchers have demonstrated how some genetic changes can be introduced into large laboratory mosquito populations over the span of a few generations by just a small number of modified mosquitoes. ... > full story
Using the energy in oil shale without releasing carbon dioxide in a greenhouse world (April 20, 2011) -- New technology that combines production of electricity with capture of carbon dioxide could make billions of barrels of oil shale -- now regarded as off-limits because of the huge amounts of carbon dioxide released in its production -- available as an energy source in a greenhouse world of the future, according to a new report. ... > full story
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