ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Sunday, June 5, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Sunday, June 5, 2011

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DNA can discern between two quantum states, research shows (June 4, 2011) -- Do the principles of quantum mechanics apply to biological systems? Until now, both biologists and physicists have considered quantum systems and biological molecules to be like apples and oranges. But new research shows that a biological molecule -- DNA -- can discern between quantum states known as spin. ... > full story

Eating dirt can be good for the belly, researchers find (June 4, 2011) -- Most of us never considered eating the mud pies we made as kids, but for many people all over the world, dining on dirt is nothing out of the ordinary. Now an extensive meta-analysis helps explain why. ... > full story

Again, but faster! The spectacular courtship dance of a tiny bird (June 4, 2011) -- A small male bird called a golden-collared manakin performs a difficult, elaborate, physically demanding courtship dance. In new research, scientists report that female golden-collared manakins select mates based on subtle differences in motor performance during these courtship dances. ... > full story

Coping with climate change: Can we predict which species will be able to move far or fast enough to adapt? (June 4, 2011) -- As global temperatures rise, suitable sites for many plants and animals are shifting to cooler and higher ground. Can we predict which species will be able to move far or fast enough to keep up? A new study says the secrets to success in the face of a warming world are still elusive. ... > full story

Ocean acidification leaves clownfish deaf to predators (June 4, 2011) -- Baby clownfish use hearing to detect and avoid predator-rich coral reefs during the daytime, but new research demonstrates that ocean acidification could threaten this crucial behavior within the next few decades. ... > full story

From pre-gut cells to glory: Researchers discover a genomic control system that regulates gut formation in sea-urchin embryos (June 4, 2011) -- For all animals, development begins with the embryo. It is here that uniform cells divide and diversify, and blueprints are laid for structures, like skeletal and digestive systems. Although biologists have known for some time that signaling processes exist, there has not been a clear framework explanation of how it all comes together. Now, a research team has outlined exactly how specific sets of cells in sea-urchin embryos differentiate to become the endoderm. ... > full story

Similarities cause protein misfolding (June 4, 2011) -- A large number of illnesses stem from misfolded proteins, molecules composed of amino acids. Researchers have now studied protein misfolding using a special spectroscopic technique. Misfolding is more frequent if the sequence of the amino acids in the neighboring protein domains is very similar. ... > full story

Helping the aged during natural disasters (June 4, 2011) -- When earthquake, tsunami, tornado or flood strike, among the most vulnerable group are the elderly. Researchers in New Zealand suggest that emergency response plans must take into account the age-related needs of adults with regards to the personal and social resources they have available. ... > full story

Protein from bones of 600,000-year-old mammoth extracted successfully (June 4, 2011) -- Researchers from the University of York and Manchester have successfully extracted protein from the bones of a 600,000-year-old mammoth, paving the way for the identification of ancient fossils. ... > full story

Bacterial roundabouts determine cell shape: Scientists decipher important mechanisms of bacterial cell wall synthesis (June 4, 2011) -- Almost all bacteria owe their structure to an outer cell wall that interacts closely with the supporting MreB protein inside the cell. As scientists now show, MreB molecules assemble into larger units, but not - as previously believed – into continuous helical structures. The circular movement of these units along the inside of the bacterial envelope is mediated by cell wall synthesis, which in turn requires the support of MreB. This mutual interaction may be a widespread phenomenon among bacteria and opens up new avenues for therapeutic intervention. The bacterial cell wall is already a major target for antibiotics. ... > full story

Building a better dam map: New database of reservoirs and dams for sustainable river-flow management (June 4, 2011) -- The culmination of a four-year collaboration by a team of scientists from around the globe has produced the Global Reservoir and Dam database (GRanD), a unique, geographically explicit, high-resolution global database of large dams and reservoirs. ... > full story

For stressed bees, the glass is half empty (June 3, 2011) -- When people are depressed or anxious, they are much more likely to see their glass as half empty than half full. In tough times, evidence of that same pessimistic outlook can be seen in dogs, rats, and birds. Now, researchers show that bees, too, share those very same hallmarks of negative emotion. ... > full story