ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Friday, May 20, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Friday, May 20, 2011

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Peculiar feeding mechanism of the first vertebrates (May 20, 2011) -- A fang-like tooth on double upper lips, spiny teeth on the tongue and a pulley-like mechanism to move the tongue backwards and forwards -- this bizarre bite belongs to a conodont and, thanks to a fresh fossil find, has now been analyzed and reconstructed by paleontologists. Their analysis sheds some light on the evolutionary origin of jaws. Using a 3D animated model, the reconstruction shows for the first time how the first vertebrates fed. ... > full story

Ocean warming detrimental to inshore fish species, Australian scientists report (May 20, 2011) -- Australian scientists have reported the first known detrimental impact of southern hemisphere ocean warming on a fish species. ... > full story

Wireless sensor network monitors microclimate in the forest (May 20, 2011) -- During a forest monitoring operation, forestry scientists measure various environmental values. This is how they obtain indications about how the forests are changing and what can be done to preserve them. However, installing and maintaining the wired measuring stations is complex: Researchers developed a wireless alternative. ... > full story

Japan's 9.0 Tohoku-Oki earthquake: Surprising findings about energy distribution over fault slip and stress accumulation (May 20, 2011) -- When the magnitude 9.0 Tohoku-Oki earthquake and resulting tsunami struck off the northeast coast of Japan on March 11, they caused widespread destruction and death. Using observations from a dense regional geodetic network (allowing measurements of earth movement to be gathered from GPS satellite data), globally distributed broadband seismographic networks, and open-ocean tsunami data, researchers have begun to construct numerous models that describe how the earth moved that day. ... > full story

New understanding of chronic otitis media may inform future treatment (May 20, 2011) -- In most children with chronic otitis media, biofilms laden with Haemophilus influenzae cling to the adenoids, while among a similar population suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, that pathogen is usually absent, according to new research. ... > full story

Studies focus on feed ingredient's effects on levels of E. coli O157:H7 in cattle (May 20, 2011) -- After corn is processed to make ethanol, what's left of the corn looks something like slightly dampened cornmeal, though a somewhat darker yellow, and not as finely ground. Known as "wet distiller's grains with solubles," this byproduct is sometimes used as a cattle feed ingredient. Researchers are studying the pros and cons of that practice. ... > full story

440-year-old document sheds new light on native population decline under Spanish colonial rule (May 20, 2011) -- Analysis of a 440-year-old document reveals new details about native population decline in the heartland of the Inca Empire following Spanish conquest in the 16th century. ... > full story

New level of genetic diversity discovered in human RNA sequences (May 19, 2011) -- A detailed comparison of DNA and RNA in human cells has uncovered a surprising number of cases where the corresponding sequences are not, as has long been assumed, identical. The RNA-DNA differences generate proteins that do not precisely match the genes that encode them. ... > full story

It's not easy being green: Scientists grow understanding of how photosynthesis is regulated (May 19, 2011) -- The seeds sprouting in your spring garden may still be struggling to reach the sun. If so, they are consuming a finite energy pack contained within each seed. Once those resources are depleted, the plant cell nucleus must be ready to switch on a "green" photosynthetic program. Researchers recently showed a new way that those signals are relayed. ... > full story

Curcumin compound improves effectiveness of head and neck cancer treatment, study finds (May 19, 2011) -- A primary reason that head and neck cancer treatments fail is the tumor cells become resistant to chemotherapy drugs. Now, researchers have found that a compound derived from the Indian spice curcumin can help cells overcome that resistance. ... > full story

Packaging process for genes discovered (May 19, 2011) -- A major milestone has been achieved in the attempt to assemble, in a test tube, entire chromosomes from their component parts. The research achievement reveals the process a cell uses to package the basic building blocks of an organism's entire genetic code. ... > full story

Liquid crystal droplets discovered to be exquisitely sensitive to an important bacterial lipid (May 19, 2011) -- In the computer displays of medical equipment in hospitals and clinics, liquid crystal technologies have already found a major role. New research suggests that micrometer-sized droplets of liquid crystal, which have been found to change their ordering and optical appearance in response to the presence of very low concentrations of a particular bacterial lipid, might find new uses in a range of biological contexts. ... > full story

Of frogs, chickens and people: Highly conserved dual mechanism regulates both brain development and function (May 19, 2011) -- Researchers have uncovered new details of an unusual biological mechanism in the brains of diverse species that not only helps regulate how their brains develop, but also how they function later in life. The discovery could lead to new biomarkers for specific neurological diseases in humans and, possibly, the development of drugs to cure them. ... > full story

Eat a protein-rich breakfast to reduce food cravings, prevent overeating later, researcher finds (May 19, 2011) -- Eating a healthy breakfast, especially one high in protein, increases satiety and reduces hunger throughout the day, according to new research. In addition, using functional magnetic resonance imaging the study found that eating a protein-rich breakfast reduces the brain signals controlling food motivation and reward-driven eating behavior. ... > full story

'Critical baby step' taken for spying life on a molecular scale (May 19, 2011) -- The ability to image single biological molecules in a living cell is something that has long eluded researchers. However, a novel technique -- using the structure of diamond -- may well be able to do this and potentially provide a tool for diagnosing, and eventually developing a treatment for, hard-to-cure diseases such as cancer. ... > full story

China fossil shows bird, crocodile family trees split earlier than thought (May 19, 2011) -- A fossil of a creature that died about 247 million years ago, originally thought to be a distant relative of both birds and crocodiles, actually came from the crocodile family tree after it had split from the bird family. ... > full story

New technique sheds light on the mysterious process of cell division (May 19, 2011) -- A new technique that constructs models of primitive cells has demonstrated that the structure of a cell's membrane and cytoplasm may be as important to cell division as a cell's enzymes, DNA, or RNA. The study may provide important clues to how life originated from non-life and how modern cells came to exhibit complex behaviors. ... > full story

Standing up to fight: Does it explain why we walk upright and why women like tall men? (May 19, 2011) -- A new study shows that men hit harder when they stand on two legs than when they are on all fours, and when hitting downward rather than upward, giving tall, upright males a fighting advantage. This may help explain why our ape-like human ancestors began walking upright and why women tend to prefer tall men. ... > full story

What electric car convenience is worth (May 19, 2011) -- A U.S. nationwide survey asked consumers what changes to the common complaints of charging time and limited range are worth. For longer range, they'd pay -/mile. For faster charging, they'd pay up to ,250/hour. A second study showed longer range isn't absolutely necessary for many. The current 100-mile range could work for 32 percent of people. ... > full story

Lizard fossil provides missing link to show body shapes of snakes and limbless lizards evolved independently (May 19, 2011) -- The recent discovery of a tiny, 47 million-year-old fossil of a lizard called Cryptolacerta hassiaca provides the first anatomical evidence that the body shapes of snakes and limbless lizards evolved independently. ... > full story

Potentially toxic flame retardants detected in baby products (May 19, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting detection of potentially toxic flame retardants in car seats, bassinet mattresses, nursing pillows, high chairs, strollers and other products that contain polyurethane foam and are designed for newborns, infants and toddlers. In a new study, they describe hints that one flame retardant, banned years ago in some areas, actually remains in use. ... > full story

Preserving plants and animals caught between forest 'fragments' (May 19, 2011) -- Maintaining the world's threatened animal and plant species may rest with something as simple as knowing how far a bird can fly before it must answer nature's call. ... > full story

Sun protects against childhood asthma (May 19, 2011) -- Vitamin D, which is primarily absorbed from the sun, plays a role in protection against childhood asthma. Now, a new study led by researchers in Spain has shown that children who live in colder, wetter cities are at greater risk of suffering from this respiratory problem, since there are fewer hours of sunlight in such places. ... > full story

Goat milk can be considered as functional food, Spanish researchers find (May 19, 2011) -- Researchers in Spain have found that goat milk has nutritional characteristics beneficial to health. They have determined that goat milk has many nutrients that make it similar to human milk. ... > full story

Cause of Demetz Syndrome in Tyrolean Grey cattle discovered (May 19, 2011) -- Humans and animals have highly sophisticated nervous systems, which are unfortunately often prone to illness and disease. A plethora of factors may be responsible for problems but there is increasing evidence of genetic causes for a number of conditions. Species or races with relatively small populations are known to be particularly prone to genetic problems. An example is the Tyrolean Grey, a cattle breed represented by only about 5,000 registered cows and known to be susceptible to a particular neurological disorder. Scientists have now uncovered the genetic basis for the condition. ... > full story

Imaging technology reveals intricate details of 49-million-year-old spider (May 18, 2011) -- Scientists have used the latest computer-imaging technology to produce stunning three-dimensional pictures of a 49-million-year-old spider trapped inside an opaque piece of fossilized amber resin. ... > full story

Lichens may aid in combating deadly chronic wasting disease in wildlife (May 18, 2011) -- Certain lichens can break down the infectious proteins responsible for chronic wasting disease (CWD), a troubling neurological disease fatal to wild deer and elk and spreading throughout the United States and Canada. ... > full story

Risk of wetland habitat loss in southern United States predicted (May 18, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a model that predicts the risk of wetland habitat loss based on local wetland features and characteristics of the landscape surrounding the wetland. The new model was used to predict the fate of wetland habitats over a 13-state area in the southern United States. ... > full story

Species extinction rates have been overreported, new study claims -- but global extinction crisis remains very serious (May 18, 2011) -- The most widely used methods for calculating species extinction rates are "fundamentally flawed" and overestimate extinction rates by as much as 160 percent, scientists report. However, while the problem of species extinction caused by habitat loss is not as dire as many conservationists and scientists had believed, the global extinction crisis is real. ... > full story

Genetic 'wiring' of seeds revealed (May 18, 2011) -- The genetic 'wiring' that helps a seed to decide on the perfect time to germinate has been revealed by scientists for the first time. Plant biologists have also discovered that the same mechanism that controls germination is responsible for another important decision in the life cycle of plants -- when to start flowering. ... > full story

Do microbes swim faster or slower in elastic fluids? Research answers long-standing question (May 18, 2011) -- A biomechanical experiment has answered a long-standing theoretical question: Will microorganisms swim faster or slower in elastic fluids? For a prevalent type of swimming, undulation, the answer is "slower." ... > full story

Earth's core is melting ... and freezing (May 18, 2011) -- The inner core of the Earth is simultaneously melting and freezing due to circulation of heat in the overlying rocky mantle, according to new research. ... > full story

Dairy consumption does not elevate heart-attack risk, study suggests (May 18, 2011) -- Analysis of dairy intake and heart attack risk found no statistically significant relation in thousands of Costa Rican adults. Dairy foods might not harm heart health, despite saturated fat content, because they contain other possibly protective nutrients, researchers say. ... > full story

Preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS with humanized BLT mice (May 18, 2011) -- A new study further validates the use of humanized BLT mice in the fight to block HIV transmission. The "BLT" name is derived from the fact that these designer mice are created one at a time by introducing human bone marrow, liver and thymus tissues into animals without an immune system of their own. Humanized BLT mice have a fully functioning human immune system and can be infected with HIV in the same manner as humans. ... > full story

Sodium channels evolved before animals' nervous systems (May 18, 2011) -- An essential component of animal nervous systems -- sodium channels -- evolved prior to the evolution of those systems, researchers have discovered. ... > full story

Splitting water for renewable energy simpler than first thought? Manganese-based catalyst shows promise (May 18, 2011) -- Scientists have found the key to the hydrogen economy could come from a very simple mineral, commonly seen as a black stain on rocks. ... > full story

Scientists track environmental influences on giant kelp with help from satellite data (May 18, 2011) -- Scientists have developed new methods for studying how environmental factors and climate affect giant kelp forest ecosystems at unprecedented spatial and temporal scales. ... > full story

New evidence shows mobile animals could have evolved much earlier than previously thought (May 18, 2011) -- Billions of years before life evolved in the oceans, thin layers of microbial matter in shallow water produced enough oxygen to support tiny, mobile life forms. ... > full story

Aquarius to illuminate links between salt, climate (May 18, 2011) -- When NASA's salt-seeking Aquarius instrument ascends to the heavens this June, the moon above its launch site at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base won't be in the seventh house, and Jupiter's latest alignment with Mars will be weeks in the past, in contrast to the lyrics of the song from the popular Broadway musical "Hair." Yet for the science team eagerly awaiting Aquarius' ocean surface salinity data, the dawning of NASA's "Age of Aquarius" promises revelations on how salinity is linked to Earth's water cycle, ocean circulation and climate. ... > full story

Landslides: How rainfall dried up Panama's drinking water (May 18, 2011) -- An aerial survey of landslides has helps scientists evaluate the effect of a prolonged tropical storm on the water supply in the Panama Canal watershed. ... > full story

New strategy for drought tolerance in crops: Shutting down the plant's growth inhibition under mild stress (May 18, 2011) -- Researchers have unveiled a mechanism that can be used to develop crop varieties resistant to mild droughts. It turns out that under non-lethal stress conditions, plants inhibit growth more than necessary. Shutting down this response opens new opportunities for yield improvement. ... > full story

Radiation protection expert criticises comparison of Fukushima to Chernobyl (May 18, 2011) -- In a new editorial, a radiological protection expert from the UK gives a detailed account of events at Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station, and poses several questions that remain unanswered, several weeks on from the earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. ... > full story

Mass extinction of marine life in oceans during prehistoric times offers warning for future (May 17, 2011) -- The mass extinction of marine life in our oceans during prehistoric times is a warning that the same could happen again due to high levels of greenhouse gases, according to new research. ... > full story

Molecular technique advances soybean rust resistance research (May 17, 2011) -- A new tool is available to select for soybean rust resistance in breeding populations. Researchers successfully used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) assays to assess fungal DNA in soybean leaf tissue to quantify the level of resistance in individual plants with resistance to soybean rust. ... > full story

Ancient Egyptian princess now known to be first person in human history with diagnosed coronary artery disease (May 17, 2011) -- Researchers have used whole body computerized tomography (CT) scanning to visualize the coronary arteries of the Egyptian princess Ahmose-Meryet-Amon, who lived in Thebes (Luxor) between 1580 and 1550 BC. Results show her to be the first person in human history known to have diagnosed coronary artery disease. Surprisingly, she lived on a diet rich in vegetables, fruit and a limited amount of meat from domesticated (but not fattened) animals. Wheat and barley were grown along the banks of the Nile, making bread and beer the dietary staples of this period of ancient Egypt. Tobacco and trans-fats were unknown, and lifestyle was likely to have been active. ... > full story

Vaccine protects from deadly Hendra virus (May 17, 2011) -- Scientists in Australia have shown that a new experimental vaccine helps to protect horses against the deadly Hendra virus. ... > full story

Stem cell study could pave the way to treatment for age-related muscle wasting (May 17, 2011) -- Biologists have nailed the mechanism that causes stem cells in the embryo to differentiate into specialized cells that form the skeletal muscles of animals' bodies. ... > full story

There's no magic number for saving endangered species (May 17, 2011) -- A new study offers hope for species such as the Siberian tiger that might be considered "too rare to save," so long as conservation efforts can target key threats. ... > full story