ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Friday, June 10, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Friday, June 10, 2011

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Saving wildlife with forensic genetics (June 10, 2011) -- Using forensic genetics techniques, the University of Arizona's Conservation Genetics Lab is working to protect wild animals and catch the criminals in cases of wildlife crime. ... > full story

Deaths and major morbidity from asbestos-related diseases in Asia likely to surge in next 20 years, experts warn (June 10, 2011) -- An alarming new article issues a serious warning of massive rises in deaths from asbestos-related lung diseases in Asia. Asian countries accounted for 64% of the global consumption of asbestos in the period of 2001-2007, a striking increase from 14% between 1920 and 1970. This is a result of unregulated asbestos import and use in many Asian countries. ... > full story

NASA goes below the surface to understand salinity (June 10, 2011) -- When NASA's Aquarius mission launches, its radiometer instruments will take a "skin" reading of the oceans' salt content at the surface. From these data of salinity in the top 0.4 inch (1 centimeter) of the ocean surface, Aquarius will create weekly and monthly maps of ocean surface salinity all over the globe for at least three years. To better understand what's driving changes and fluctuations in salinity -- and how those changes relate to an acceleration of the global water cycle and climate change -- scientists will go deeper. ... > full story

Genome sequence could reveal 'Achilles' heels' of important wheat disease (June 10, 2011) -- New research provides insights into how an important fungal disease is able to evade wheat's defenses. The researchers hope that the study, which reveals the fungus' complete genome sequence, will enable them to breed resistant crop plants or improve the use of pesticides. ... > full story

Why animals don't have infrared vision: Source of the visual system's 'false alarms' discovered (June 9, 2011) -- On rare occasion, the light-sensing photoreceptor cells in the eye misfire and signal to the brain as if they have captured photons, when in reality they haven't. For years this phenomenon remained a mystery. Neuroscientists have now discovered that a light-capturing pigment molecule in photoreceptors can be triggered by heat, as well, giving rise to these false alarms. ... > full story

Swine flu spread was much wider than first thought, scientists say (June 9, 2011) -- The swine flu outbreak of winter 2009-2010 was much more widespread than was previously realized, research suggests. ... > full story

Early agricultural piracy informs the domestication of rice (June 9, 2011) -- Researchers are casting new light on the origins of rice. By reconciling two theories, scientists show that the domestication of rice occurred at least twice independently but with extensive "borrowing" between the two subspecies. ... > full story

Study confirms safety, cancer-targeting ability of nutrient in broccoli, other vegetables, researchers say (June 9, 2011) -- Sulforaphane, one of the primary phytochemicals in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables that helps them prevent cancer, has been shown for the first time to selectively target and kill cancer cells while leaving normal prostate cells healthy and unaffected. The findings are another important step forward for the potential use of sulforaphone in cancer prevention and treatment. ... > full story

'Biological circuit' components developed; New microscope technique for measuring them (June 9, 2011) -- Electrical engineers have long been toying with the idea of designing biological molecules that can be directly integrated into electronic circuits. Researchers have developed a way to form these structures so they can operate in open-air environments, and, more important, have developed a new microscope technique that can measure the electrical properties of these and similar devices. ... > full story

Canine connection: Study explores how dogs think and learn about human behavior (June 9, 2011) -- Dog owners often attest to their canine companion's seeming ability to read their minds. How do dogs learn to beg for food or behave badly primarily when we're not looking? According to one research team, the way that dogs come to respond to the level of people’s attentiveness tells us something about the ways dogs think and learn about human behavior. Their research suggests it is down to a combination of specific cues, context and previous experience. ... > full story

Huge ancient language dictionary finished after 90 years (June 9, 2011) -- An ambitious project to identify, explain and provide citations for the words written in cuneiform on clay tablets and carved in stone by Babylonians, Assyrians and others in Mesopotamia between 2500 B.C. and A.D. 100 has been completed after 90 years of labor. ... > full story

Aircraft systems in the environmental chamber (June 9, 2011) -- How can air transport be made more environmentally compatible, economical and sustainable? A flight test facility in Germany is soon to be expanded with the installation of a thermal test bench for aircraft systems, with the aim of achieving efficient energy management onboard. ... > full story

Competition between females leads to infanticide in some primates (June 9, 2011) -- An international team of scientists has shed light on cannibalism and infanticide carried out by primates, documenting these acts for the first time in the mustached tamarin (Saguinus mystax). The mothers, which cannot raise their infants without help from male group members, commit infanticide in order to prevent the subsequent death of their offspring if they are stressed and in competition with other females. ... > full story

Can evolution outpace climate change? Tiny seashore animal suggests not (June 9, 2011) -- Animals and plants may not be able to evolve their way out of the threat posed by climate change, according to a new study of a tiny seashore animal. ... > full story

An alternative to antibiotics (June 9, 2011) -- Antibiotics are among the greatest achievements of medical science. But lately the former multipurpose weapon fails in the battle against infectious diseases. Bacteria are increasingly developing resistance to antibiotics. Researchers have now found a therapeutic equivalent which could replace penicillin and related pharmaceuticals. ... > full story

Ecology biased against non-native species? (June 9, 2011) -- Nineteen eminent ecologists issue a call to "end the bias against non-native species" in a new commentary. Often called aliens, hitchhikers or invasives, non-native species could just as easily be coined "abductees" whose transport links to activities by humans, some scientists say. ... > full story

Water's surface not all wet: Some water molecules split the difference between gas and liquid (June 9, 2011) -- At any one time, one quarter of water molecules in the uppermost layer have one hydrogen atom in water and the other vibrating freely above. Such molecules straddle gas and liquid phases, according to a new study that bears on atmospheric chemistry and raises the question of how exactly to define the air-water boundary. ... > full story

Stable temperatures boost biodiversity in tropical mountains, study finds (June 9, 2011) -- We often think of rainforests and coral reefs as hotspots for biodiversity, but mountains are treasure troves for species too -- especially in the tropics, scientists say. But what drives montane biodiversity? The diversity of plants and animals in tropical mountain ranges may have something to do with the stable seasonal temperatures found in the tropics relative to higher latitudes, says a new study. ... > full story

Asteroid served up 'custom orders' of life's ingredients (June 9, 2011) -- Some asteroids may have been like "molecular factories" cranking out life's ingredients and shipping them to Earth via meteorite impacts, according to scientists who've made discoveries of molecules essential for life in material from certain kinds of asteroids and comets. Now it appears that at least one may have been less like a rigid assembly line and more like a flexible diner that doesn't mind making changes to the menu. ... > full story

Is free global trade too great a threat to food supplies, natural heritage and health? (June 9, 2011) -- Researchers from the UK say that we face a future of uncertainty, and possible new threats to food supplies, natural heritage, and even human health, from animal and plant pathogens. Human behavior, travel and trade exacerbates the problem and we may need to reconsider our approach to free trade. ... > full story

Stranding records are faithful reflection of live whale and dolphin populations, study suggests (June 8, 2011) -- Whales are the Earth's largest creatures, yet they are incredibly hard to study in the open ocean. For decades scientists have used boats, aircraft and even high cliffs to conduct visual surveys and gather data on whale and dolphin populations. Now, a paleobiologist has revealed a second, equally valuable resource for information on cetaceans -- the record of dead whales and dolphins stranded and washed ashore on beaches around the world. ... > full story

Planet's soils are under threat, expert warns (June 8, 2011) -- The planet's soils are under greater threat than ever before, at a time when we need to draw on their vital role to support life more than ever, an expert warns in a new article. ... > full story

Tut, tut: Microbial growth in pharaoh's tomb suggests burial was a rush job (June 8, 2011) -- In the tomb of King Tutankhamen, the elaborately painted walls are covered with dark brown spots that mar the face of the goddess Hathor, the silvery-coated baboons -- in fact, almost every surface. A researcher thinks those brown spots reveal something: that the young pharaoh was buried in an unusual hurry, before the walls of the tomb were even dry. ... > full story

Dolphins use double sonar: Researchers discover that dolphins can generate two sound beam projections simultaneously (June 8, 2011) -- Dolphins and porpoises use echolocation for hunting and orientation. By sending out high-frequency sound, known as ultrasound, dolphins can use the echoes to determine what type of object the sound beam has hit. Researchers from Sweden and the U.S. have now discovered that dolphins can generate two sound beam projections simultaneously. ... > full story

Dangerous toxin discovered in critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal (June 8, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a potent and highly-debilitating toxin in the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, a first-of-its-kind chemical finding that is now prompting investigations of other marine mammals in the state. ... > full story

Lack of relationships, education top list of common American regrets (June 8, 2011) -- Regrets -- we've all had a few. Although too many regrets can interfere with life and mental health, a healthy amount of regret can motivate us to improve our lives, say researchers. ... > full story

Scientists create humanized mouse model for hepatitis C (June 8, 2011) -- A team of researchers has, for the first time, recreated a portion of the hepatitis C virus life cycle in a mouse with a functional immune system. The new mouse model will enable scientists to test molecules that block entry of the hepatitis C virus into cells as well as potential vaccine candidates. ... > full story

Mountain pine beetle activity may impact snow accumulation and melt (June 8, 2011) -- Infestation of trees by mountain pine beetles in the high country across the West could potentially trigger earlier snowmelt and increase water yields from snowpack that accumulates beneath affected trees, a new article suggests. ... > full story

Current carbon dioxide emission higher than it was just before ancient episode of severe global warming (June 8, 2011) -- The present rate of greenhouse carbon dioxide emissions through fossil fuel burning is higher than that associated with an ancient episode of severe global warming, according to new research. ... > full story

Bacteria that clean art: Restorers and microbiologists use bacteria to make works of art shine like new (June 8, 2011) -- Researchers in Spain are beginning to experiment with this new technique on the frescoes of Antonio Palomino from the 17th century in the Church of Santos Juanes in Valencia. They have shown that a certain type of micro-organism is capable of cleaning works of art in a fast, specific and respectful way as well as being non-toxic for the restorer and the environment. ... > full story

GPS stations can detect clandestine nuclear tests (June 8, 2011) -- At the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization meeting, American researchers are unveiling a new tool for detecting illegal nuclear explosions: the Earth's global positioning system (GPS). Even underground nuclear tests leave their mark on the part of the upper atmosphere known as the ionosphere, the researchers discovered, when they examined GPS data recorded the same day as a North Korean nuclear test in 2009. ... > full story

Bacteria on old-growth trees may help forests grow (June 8, 2011) -- The growth and development of many forests is thought to be limited by the availability of nitrogen. By collecting mosses on the forest floor and then at 15 and 30 meters up into the forest canopy, researchers were able to show both that the cyanobacteria are more abundant in mosses high above the ground, and that they "fix" twice as much nitrogen as those associated with mosses on the forest floor. ... > full story

'Wrong'-time eating reduces fertility in fruit flies: Study points to fertility-metabolism connection (June 8, 2011) -- Researchers manipulated circadian rhythms in fruit flies and measured the affect on egg-laying capacity. But they stress what's true in flies grown in a lab does not necessarily hold for humans, and any potential link between diet and reproduction would have to be independently tested. "I would say that eating at the wrong time of the day has deleterious consequences for physiology," says lead author Amita Sehgal. ... > full story

New bee viruses identified: Finding offers baseline to study colony collapse (June 8, 2011) -- A 10-month study of healthy honey bees by California scientists has identified four new viruses that infect bees, while revealing that each of the viruses or bacteria previously linked to colony collapse is present in healthy hives as well. ... > full story

Coffee drinking improves hepatitis C treatment response, study suggests (June 8, 2011) -- Advanced hepatitis C patients with chronic liver disease may benefit from drinking coffee during treatment, according to a new study. Patients who received peginterferon plus ribavirin treatment and who drank three or more cups of coffee per day were two times more likely to respond to treatment than non-drinkers. ... > full story

Black, white and stinky: Explaining bold coloration in skunks (June 8, 2011) -- Biologists can now explain why some species such as skunks use bold coloration to warn predators either that they risk being sprayed with stinky gas or getting into a vicious fight, while other species don't. ... > full story

Protein folding made easy (June 8, 2011) -- Computational methods of modeling protein folding have existed for a couple of decades. But they required hundreds of thousands of CPU hours to compute the folding dynamics of 40 amino acids proteins. Now, researchers have developed algorithms able to predict correctly in 10 minutes on a single laptop, a coarse-grained representation of the folding pathways of a protein with 60 amino acids. ... > full story

Desktop genome analyzer and browser lets biologists easily analyze and process high-throughput data (June 8, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a desktop genome analyzer and browser that allows biologists to rapidly and easily analyze and process their high-throughput data. ... > full story

Air quality worsened by paved surfaces: Widespread urban development alters weather patterns (June 7, 2011) -- New research focusing on the Houston area suggests that widespread urban development alters wind patterns in a way that can make it easier for pollutants to build up during warm summer weather instead of being blown out to sea. The international study could have implications for the air quality of fast-growing coastal cities in the United States and other midlatitude regions overseas. The reason: the proliferation of strip malls, subdivisions, and other paved areas may interfere with breezes needed to clear away smog and other pollution. ... > full story

NASA sees the sun having a solar blast (June 7, 2011) -- The Sun unleashed an M-2 (medium-sized) solar flare, an S1-class (minor) radiation storm and a spectacular coronal mass ejection (CME) on June 7, 2011 from sunspot complex 1226-1227. The large cloud of particles mushroomed up and fell back down looking as if it covered an area of almost half the solar surface. ... > full story

Native ants use chemical weapons to turn back invading Argentine ants (June 7, 2011) -- University sophomores studying ants in a summer course discovered that the local ants were using poison to kill invading Argentine ants. The discovery provides new insight into the war between the local "winter ants" and the South American invaders who have shown up everywhere from California to South Africa. ... > full story

Glaciations may have larger influence on biodiversity than current climate, dung beetle study finds (June 7, 2011) -- An investigation by Spanish researchers reveals that the large impacts occurred during the last ice age maintain their effects on the current distribution of dung beetles of the scarab family (Scarabaeidae). The presence of these beetles in Europe seems to be more influenced by the climate of that glaciation than by the present one. ... > full story

Apple ingredient keeps muscles strong: Component of apple peels found to help prevent muscle weakening in mice (June 7, 2011) -- In search of a way to prevent the muscle wasting that comes with illness and aging, researchers have landed a natural compound that might just do the trick. The findings identify a component of apple peels as a promising new drug candidate for the widespread and debilitating condition that affects nearly everyone at one time or another. ... > full story

Fetal exposure to BPA changes development of uterus in primates, study suggests (June 7, 2011) -- Exposure in the womb to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical widely used in the food and medical industries, causes changes in female primates' uterus development, new research suggests. ... > full story

Novel geothermal technology packs a one-two punch against climate change (June 7, 2011) -- Researchers have developed an innovative approach to tapping heat beneath Earth's surface. The method is expected to not only produce renewable electricity far more efficiently than conventional geothermal systems, but also help reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide -- dealing a one-two punch against climate change. ... > full story

Jellyfish blooms shunt food energy from fish to bacteria (June 7, 2011) -- A new study shows that jellyfish are more than a nuisance to bathers and boaters, drastically altering marine food webs by shunting food energy from fish toward bacteria. An apparent increase in the size and frequency of jellyfish blooms in coastal and estuarine waters around the world during the last few decades means that jellies' impact on marine food webs is likely to increase into the future. ... > full story

Bisphenol A (BPA) accumulates more rapidly within the body than previously thought (June 7, 2011) -- A new study shows that the exposure to the controversial chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) through diet has been underestimated by previous lab tests. In the study, researchers compared BPA concentrations in mice that were given a steady diet supplemented with BPA throughout the day, compared to the more common lab method of single exposure, and found an increased absorption and accumulation of BPA in the blood of mice. ... > full story

Methane gas from cows: The proof is in the feces (June 7, 2011) -- Scientists could have a revolutionary new way of measuring how much of the potent greenhouse gas methane is produced by cows and other ruminants, thanks to a surprising discovery in their feces. ... > full story