ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Wednesday, August 31, 2011
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Vitamin C may be beneficial for asthmatic children, study suggests (August 31, 2011) -- Depending on the age of asthmatic children, on their exposure to molds or dampness in their bedroom, and on the severity of their asthma, vitamin C has greater or smaller beneficial effect against asthma, according to a recent study. ... > full story
Are New England's iconic maples at risk? (August 31, 2011) -- Results from the first study of the Asian longhorned beetle in forests show that the invasive insect can easily spread from tree-lined city streets to neighboring forests. ... > full story
Taking a fresh look at the weather: Traditional model for how low pressure systems evolve is deeply flawed, researcher argues (August 31, 2011) -- Given the UK's obsession with the weather, it would seem obvious that the basic understanding of how low pressure systems evolve has been known for a long time. Instead, some of the biggest storms in the UK's history, such as the Great Storm of October 1987, did not fit this basic understanding. One researcher believes the way we learn about the weather is wrong and has been wrong for 90 years. ... > full story
Tropical coral could be used to create novel sunscreens for human use, say scientists (August 31, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered how coral produces natural sunscreen compounds to protect itself from damaging UV rays, leading scientists to believe these compounds could form the basis of a new type of sunscreen for humans. ... > full story
What's really in that luscious chocolate aroma? (August 31, 2011) -- The mouth-watering aroma of roasted cocoa beans -- key ingredient for chocolate -- emerges from substances that individually smell like potato chips, cooked meat, peaches, raw beef fat, human sweat, earth and an improbable palate of other distinctly un-cocoa-like aromas. That's among the discoveries emerging from an effort to identify the essential aroma and taste ingredients in the world's favorite treat. ... > full story
Decade-long study reveals recurring patterns of viruses in the open ocean (August 30, 2011) -- Viruses fill the ocean and have a significant effect on ocean biology, specifically marine microbiology, according to new research. ... > full story
Monitoring ground-level ozone from space (August 30, 2011) -- Satellite views of the Midwestern United States show that ozone levels above 50 parts per billion along the ground could reduce soybean yields by at least 10 percent, costing more than billion in lost crop production, according to scientists. ... > full story
Hurricane Irene: Scientists collect water quality and climate change data from huge storm (August 30, 2011) -- While Hurricane Irene had officials along the U.S. East Coast preparing for mass evacuations, scientists were grabbing their best data collection tools and heading straight for the storm's path. ... > full story
From mild-mannered to killer: Study explains plague's rapid evolution and sheds light on fighting deadly diseases (August 30, 2011) -- How did a bacterium that causes mild stomach irritation rapidly evolve into a deadly assassin responsible for the most devastating pandemics in human history? New DNA sequencing techniques reveal how Yersinia pseudotuberculosis became Yersinia pestis, otherwise know as the plague. The new study offers a glimpse into how the new technology might aid in the development of drugs to fight deadly diseases, including the plague. ... > full story
Community ecology: For marine microbes, it's not who you are, but what you do (August 30, 2011) -- When you're a tiny creature in a vast ocean it pays to hang out with the right crowd, regardless of whether they are related to you or not, a new study into the amazingly diverse world of marine microbes has found. For bacteria at least, it seems that what matters more than your species identity is whether you have specific genes that let you work with other species to form a functioning community. ... > full story
Green tea is effective in treating genetic disorder and types of tumors, study suggests (August 30, 2011) -- A compound found in green tea shows great promise for the development of drugs to treat two types of tumors and a deadly congenital disease. ... > full story
Natural anti-oxidant deserts aging body: Cell’s reserve fighting force shrinks with age, new study finds (August 30, 2011) -- A new study of human cells finds that mitochondria, energy plants of cells, are more vulnerable in senescent cells due to impaired function of an anti-oxidant enzyme. ... > full story
Wolves may aid recovery of Canada lynx, a threatened species (August 30, 2011) -- As wolf populations grow in parts of the West, most of the focus has been on their value in aiding broader ecosystem recovery -- but a new study also points out that they could play an important role in helping to save other threatened species, including the Canada lynx. ... > full story
Future climate change may increase asthma attacks in children (August 30, 2011) -- Researchers have found that climate change may lead to more asthma-related health problems in children, and more emergency room visits in the next decade. ... > full story
Microscope on the go: Cheap, portable, dual-mode microscope uses holograms, not lenses (August 30, 2011) -- To serve remote areas of the world, doctors, nurses and field workers need equipment that is portable, versatile, and relatively inexpensive. Now researchers have built a compact, light-weight, dual-mode microscope that uses holograms instead of lenses. It weighs about as much as a banana and fits in the palm of a hand. ... > full story
New method reveals parts of bacterial genome essential to life (August 30, 2011) -- A research team has cataloged, down to the letter, exactly what parts of the genetic code are essential for survival in one bacterial species, Caulobacter crescentus. They found that 12 percent of the bacteria's genetic material is essential for survival under laboratory conditions. The essential elements included not only protein-coding genes, but also regulatory DNA and, intriguingly, other small DNA segments of unknown function. The other 88 percent of the genome could be disrupted without harming the bacteria's ability to grow and reproduce. ... > full story
Heavy chocolate consumption may be linked to heart health, study suggests (August 30, 2011) -- High levels of chocolate consumption might be associated with a one third reduction in the risk of developing heart disease, a new study suggests. ... > full story
Rotavirus vaccination of infants also protects unvaccinated older children and adults, study finds (August 30, 2011) -- Vaccinating infants against rotavirus also prevents serious disease in unvaccinated older children and adults, according to a new study. This helps reduce rotavirus-related hospital costs in these older groups. ... > full story
Watching viruses 'friend' a network: Researchers develop Facebook application to track the path of infection (August 30, 2011) -- PiggyDemic, an application developed by researchers in Israel, allows Facebook users to "infect" their friends with a simulated virus or become infected themselves. This will allow researchers to gather information on how a virus mutates, spreads through human interaction, and the number of people it infects. ... > full story
Preserving 4 percent of the ocean could protect most marine mammal species, study finds (August 30, 2011) -- Preserving just 4 percent of the ocean could protect crucial habitat for the vast majority of marine mammal species, from sea otters to blue whales, according to researchers in a new study. ... > full story
Discovery turns seaweed into biofuel in half the time (August 30, 2011) -- Scientists have engineered a new strain of yeast that converts seaweed into biofuel in half the time it took just months ago. ... > full story
Mind-altering microbes: Probiotic bacteria may lessen anxiety and depression (August 30, 2011) -- Probiotic bacteria have the potential to alter brain neurochemistry and treat anxiety and depression-related disorders, according to a new study by researchers in Ireland and Canada. ... > full story
Females choose mates for their personalities, zebra finch study shows (August 30, 2011) -- Adventurous females choose mates with similar personalities, regardless of the male's appearance and other assets, according to new research in birds. This is the first study to show that the non-sexual behavior or personalities of both mates influences partner choice in non-humans. The study focused on a population of more than 150 zebra finches. ... > full story
Mysteries of ozone depletion continue 25 years after the discovery of the Antarctic ozone hole (August 30, 2011) -- Even after many decades of studying ozone and its loss from our atmosphere, plenty of mysteries and surprises remain, including an unexpected loss of ozone over the Arctic this past winter, an authority on the topic has said. She also discussed chemistry and climate change, including some proposed ideas to "geoengineer" the Earth's climate to slow down or reverse global warming at a recent meeting. ... > full story
Kelp farming is on its way (August 30, 2011) -- An underwater “field” as big as a Norwegian county could provide two billion liters of kelp-based fuel a year. Researchers are working to cultivate seaweed and kelp on a large scale. ... > full story
Meiosis: Oocytes have intracellular stream to push chromosomes off center for cell division (August 29, 2011) -- Most cells rely on structural tethers to position chromosomes in preparation for cell division. Not so oocytes. Instead, a powerful intracellular stream pushes chromosomes far-off the center in preparation for the highly asymmetric cell division that completes oocyte maturation upon fertilization of the egg, report researchers. ... > full story
Species share perceptual capabilities that affect how communication evolves, research finds (August 29, 2011) -- New research reveals that two entirely different species show similar perception of auditory cues that drive basic biological functions; that these perceptions may be universally shared among animals; and that such perception may also limit the evolution of communication signals. ... > full story
Black Death bacterium identified: Genetic analysis of medieval plague skeletons shows presence of Yersinia pestis bacteria (August 29, 2011) -- A team of German and Canadian scientists has shown that today's plague pathogen has been around at least 600 years. The Black Death claimed the lives of one-third of Europeans in just five years from 1348 to 1353. Until recently, it was not certain whether the bacterium Yersinia pestis -- known to cause the plague today -- was responsible for that most deadly outbreak of disease ever. ... > full story
Wastewater recycling can multiply greenhouse gas emissions (August 29, 2011) -- New research shows that wastewater recycling processes may generate more greenhouse gases than traditional water-treatment processes. Despite this finding, there are good reasons to continue keep wastewater recycling among the water-resource tools for urban areas. ... > full story
New roles emerge for non-coding RNAs in directing embryonic development (August 29, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered that a mysterious class of large RNAs plays a central role in embryonic development, contrary to the dogma that proteins alone are the master regulators of this process. The research reveals that these RNAs orchestrate the fate of embryonic stem cells by keeping them in their fledgling state or directing them along the path to cell specialization. ... > full story
Geometry of sex: How body size could lead to new species (August 29, 2011) -- Different species of scincid lizards, commonly known as skinks, rarely interbreed, but it's not for lack of trying. According to new research, different species of skinks in western North America will often try to mate with each other when given the opportunity, but mechanical difficulties caused by differing body sizes can cause these encounters to fail. ... > full story
Filling the pantry for the first voyages to the Red Planet (August 29, 2011) -- A green thumb and a little flair as a gourmet chef may be among the key skills for the first men and women who travel to the Red Planet later this century, according to one scientist. ... > full story
Virus attacks childhood cancers (August 29, 2011) -- Researchers are looking to a virus from the same family as the rabies virus to fight a form of cancer primarily found in children and young adults. ... > full story
Ancient clams yield new information about greenhouse effect on climate (August 29, 2011) -- Ancient fossilized clams that lived off the coast of Antarctica some 50 million years ago have a story to tell about El Niño, according to new research. ... > full story
Giant claw helps fiddler crabs stay cool in more ways than one (August 29, 2011) -- A male fiddler crab's oversized claw not only looks cool to the ladies, but new research suggests it literally helps crabs to stay cool. Researchers placed crabs under a hot light and took their temperatures. They found that the temperatures of crabs missing their large claw rose faster and reached a higher maximum than intact crabs. ... > full story
Nano-thermometers show first temperature response differences within living cells (August 29, 2011) -- Using a modern version of open-wide-and-keep-this-under-your-tongue, scientists today reported taking the temperature of individual cells in the human body, and finding for the first time that temperatures inside do not adhere to the familiar 98.6 degree Fahrenheit norm. ... > full story
New method detects emerging sunspots deep inside the sun, provides warning of dangerous solar flares (August 29, 2011) -- Sunspots spawn solar flares that can cause billions of dollars in damage to satellites, communications networks and power grids. But researchers have now developed a way to detect incipient sunspots as deep as 65,000 kilometers inside the sun, providing up to two days' advance warning of a damaging solar flare. ... > full story
New imaging method sheds light on cell growth (August 29, 2011) -- Researchers developed a new imaging method that can measure cell mass using two beams of light, offering new insight into the much-debated problem of whether cells grow at a constant rate or exponentially. They found that mammalian cells show clear exponential growth only during the G2 phase of the cell cycle. This information has great implications not only for basic biology, but also for diagnostics, drug development and tissue engineering. ... > full story
Detailed map of gene activity in mouse brain completed (August 29, 2011) -- A new atlas of gene expression in the mouse brain provides insight into how genes work in the outer part of the brain called the cerebral cortex. A new article describes the activity of more than 11,000 genes in the six layers of brain cells that make up the cerebral cortex. ... > full story
Stopping dengue fever with bacteria and math (August 29, 2011) -- It may be possible to eliminate the deadly dengue fever by infecting mosquitoes with a bacterium called Wolbachia that prevents the mosquitoes from transmitting the dengue virus to humans. A new mathematical model may be helpful in getting the bacteria established in mosquito populations. ... > full story
Following the trail of conservation successes (August 29, 2011) -- Pessimism prevails in the conservation community because of ongoing habitat destruction and associated threats to a wide variety of species. With the global population expected to surge past 10 billion people by the end of this century, conservationists will face increasing challenges in their efforts to protect imperiled species and habitats. A new study shows that although large-scale biodiversity declines are ongoing, certain conservation actions have made a positive difference. ... > full story
Arabidopsis: Thanks to its flexible genome, the plant can adapt to various environmental conditions (August 28, 2011) -- The plant Arabidopsis thaliana is found throughout the entire northern hemisphere. But how does this small, inconspicuous plant deal with all these different extremes of environmental conditions? In order to discover the whole-genome sequence variation, the 1001 Genomes Project was launched in 2008. Researchers have now found that the Arabidopsis plant can adapt to various environmental conditions because of a very flexible genome. ... > full story
In cell culture, like real estate, the neighborhood matters (August 28, 2011) -- Ever since scientists first began growing human cells in lab dishes in 1952, they have focused on improving the chemical soup that feeds the cells and helps regulate their growth. But surfaces also matter, research shows. ... > full story
NASA satellite shows a mean Irene's fury (August 28, 2011) -- After pounding North Carolina and Virginia on Aug. 27, Hurricane Irene made a second landfall near Little Egg Inlet, N.J., early Sunday morning, Aug. 28, still as a category one hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kilometers per hour). It then weakened slightly before making a third landfall over Coney Island, N.Y. as a 65-mph (100-kilometer-per-hour) tropical storm. Irene's heavy rains, winds and storm surge are causing widespread problems throughout the U.S. mid-Atlantic and Northeast. ... > full story
Research from Everest: Can leucine help burn fat and spare muscle tissue during exercise? (August 28, 2011) -- Research on Mt. Everest climbers is adding to the evidence that an amino acid called leucine -- found in foods, dietary supplements, energy bars and other products -- may help people burn fat during periods of food restriction, such as climbing at high altitude, while keeping their muscle tissue. ... > full story
Eradicating dangerous bacteria may cause permanent harm (August 28, 2011) -- In the zeal to eliminate dangerous bacteria, it is possible that we are also permanently killing off beneficial bacteria as well, an expert warns. ... > full story
Cholera pandemic's source discovered (August 28, 2011) -- Researchers have used next generation sequencing to trace the source and explain the spread of the latest cholera pandemic. Their work reveals that the current pandemic can be traced back to an ancestor organism that appeared 40 years ago in the Bay of Bengal. From this ancestor, cholera has spread repeatedly to different parts of the world in multiple waves. The team also show antibiotic resistance was first acquired around 1982. ... > full story
Little plant tells big stories: Researchers capture codes to genetic variation in 'model' plant (August 28, 2011) -- An international collaboration of researchers compared genetic data from 19 different strains of a humble plant called Arabidopsis thaliana. The genome sequences of these strains, 18 of which are presented in the study, will now make it easier to study plants' surprisingly wide trait variation that underlies their adaptability. ... > full story
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