ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Thursday, November 3, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Thursday, November 3, 2011

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Tactic to delay age-related disorders (November 3, 2011) -- Researchers have shown that eliminating cells that accumulate with age could prevent or delay the onset of age-related disorders and disabilities. The study, performed in mouse models, provides the first evidence that these "deadbeat" cells could contribute to aging and suggests a way to help people stay healthier as they age. ... > full story

Watching the birth of an iceberg (November 3, 2011) -- After discovering an emerging crack that cuts across the floating ice shelf of Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica, NASA's Operation IceBridge has flown a follow-up mission and made the first-ever detailed airborne measurements of a major iceberg calving in progress. ... > full story

Latitude variation in incidence of chronic digestive diseases (November 3, 2011) -- New research points to a potential role for UV light exposure and vitamin D levels in chronic digestive conditions; Crohn's disease, a serious inflammatory condition in the small intestine; and ulcerative colitis, which similarly affects the colon. ... > full story

Jawbone found in England is from the earliest known modern human in northwestern Europe (November 3, 2011) -- A piece of jawbone excavated from a prehistoric cave in England is the earliest evidence for modern humans in Europe, according to an international science team. New dating of the bone, which shows that it is between 44,000 and 41,000 years old, is expected to help scientists pin down how quickly modern humans spread across Europe during the last Ice Age. It also helps to confirm the much-debated theory that early humans coexisted with Neanderthals. ... > full story

Ocean water salinity and color herald El Niño events (November 2, 2011) -- El Niño and La Niña, the climate’s two 'enfants terribles,' arise with the onset of eastward migration of the tropical western Pacific’s immense warm-water reservoir, the “warm pool”. Researchers recently found two parameters useful for observing the way this pool moves: water salinity and color. ... > full story

First ever multi-cellular model of rare disease developed (November 2, 2011) -- Research groups worldwide have tried to develop a simple model of a rare, fatal disease called Zellweger's syndrome but none has succeeded, until researchers finally did so in fruit flies. ... > full story

Are global honey bee declines caused by diesel pollution? (November 2, 2011) -- Scientists are investigating a possible link between tiny particles of pollution found in diesel fumes and the global collapse of honey bee colonies. ... > full story

'Zombie' worms found in Mediterranean fossil (November 2, 2011) -- Traces of bizarre, bone-eating 'zombie' worms have been found on a 3-million-year-old fossil whale bone from Tuscany in Italy. It is the first time the genus Osedax has been found in the Mediterranean, and suggests Osedax were widespread throughout the world's oceans 6 million years ago. ... > full story

Wetlands: Drying intensifying wildfires, carbon release ninefold, study finds (November 2, 2011) -- Drying of northern wetlands has led to much more severe peatland wildfires and nine times as much carbon released into the atmosphere, according to new research. ... > full story

'Protein microarrays' may reveal new weapons against malaria (November 2, 2011) -- A new research technology is revealing how humans develop immunity to malaria, and could assist programs aimed at eradicating this parasitic disease. ... > full story

Crowdsourcing nutrition in a snap: Counting calories in photos, PlateMate proves the wisdom of the (well-managed) crowd (November 2, 2011) -- If keeping a food diary seems like too much effort, despair not: Computer scientists ahave devised a tool that lets you snap a photo of your meal and let the crowd do the rest. PlateMate's calorie estimates have proved, in tests, to be just as accurate as those of trained nutritionists, and more accurate than the user's own logs. ... > full story

Mapping the formation of an underwater volcano (November 2, 2011) -- On Oct. 9, 2011, an underwater volcano started to emerge in waters off El Hierro Island in the Canaries, Spain. Researchers only needed 15 days to map its formation in high resolution. The volcanic cone has reached a height of 100 m and the lava tongue flows down its side, even though its activity has slowed down in the past few days. ... > full story

Caveman politics: Has our violent history led to an evolved preference for physically strong political leaders? (November 2, 2011) -- New research into evolutionary psychology suggests that physical stature affects our preferences in political leadership. The article reveals that a preference for physically formidable leaders, or caveman politics, may have evolved to ensure survival in ancient human history. ... > full story

Eastern U.S. forests not keeping pace with climate change, large study finds (November 2, 2011) -- More than half of eastern US tree species examined in a massive new study aren't adapting to climate change as quickly or consistently as predicted. ... > full story

Switching senses: Leeches shift the way they locate prey in adulthood (November 2, 2011) -- Many meat-eating animals have unique ways of hunting down a meal using their senses. To find a tasty treat, bats use echolocation, snakes rely on infrared vision, and owls take advantage of the concave feathers on their faces, the better to help them hear possible prey. Leeches have not just one but two distinct ways of detecting dinner and, according to new findings, their preferred method changes as they age. ... > full story

Workings of molecular motor revealed (November 2, 2011) -- The structure and function of a 'molecular motor' critical to the functioning of human organs and, when malfunctioning, implicated in cancer, kidney failure, and osteoporosis, has been revealed in unprecedented detail. ... > full story

UV light controls antibodies, improves biosensors (November 2, 2011) -- From detecting pathogens in blood samples to the study of protein synthesis, Quartz Crystal Microbalance sensors have many uses in modern biology. Now researchers have found a way to increase the number of right-side-up antibodies in this well-established molecule detection process -- using light. ... > full story

Growing without cell division: Mechanism responsible for cell polyploidy pinpointed? (November 2, 2011) -- Biologists may have pinpointed for the first time the mechanism responsible for cell polyploidy, a state in which cells contain more than two paired sets of chromosomes. ... > full story

Health risk from eating well-done meat may be underestimated (November 2, 2011) -- Mice are often used to test whether substances in food are harmful to humans. This requires that mice and humans metabolize substances in the same way. Humans have certain enzymes in more parts of the body than mice. The health risk associated with harmful substances in food may therefore be underestimated. ... > full story

Food chemical regulations rely heavily on industry self-policing and lack transparency, report finds (November 2, 2011) -- Safety decisions concerning one-third of the more than 10,000 substances that may be added to human food were made by food manufacturers and a trade association without review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to a new analysis. The report illustrates potential problems with the US food additive regulatory program. ... > full story

TRMM Satellite sees Tropical Storm Keila form in the Arabian Sea (November 2, 2011) -- NASA's TRMM Satellite captured moderate rainfall and some high, towering clouds in the Arabian Sea's newborn Tropical Storm Keila. ... > full story

Launch of innovative research into malaria control without insecticide (November 2, 2011) -- With a new, poison-free approach to malaria control, researchers in the Solarmal project have expressed not only the hope to eliminate malaria in Africa at local level, but also to provide the local population with a source of sustainable energy. ... > full story

Bigger birds in central California, courtesy of global climate change, study suggests (November 1, 2011) -- Birds are getting bigger in central California, and that was a big surprise for researchers. They uncovered the trend while working analyzing data from thousands of birds caught and released each year at two sites near San Francisco Bay and Point Reyes National Seashore. The study found that birds' wings have grown longer and birds are increasing in mass. ... > full story

New tool developed for the study of spatial patterns in living cells (November 1, 2011) -- By embedding fixed arrays of gold nanoparticles into fluid lipid bilayers, scientists can study with unprecedented detail how the spatial patterns of chemical and physical properties on membranes can determine the fate of a cell -- whether it lives or dies, remains normal or turns cancerous. ... > full story

Pesky ants found in Hawaii demonstrate invasive characteristics (November 1, 2011) -- Odorous house ants - so called because they tend to invade houses and smell like coconut when smashed - have found their way to Hawaii. And, according to entomologists, it doesn't seem as though they have plans to end their vacations. ... > full story

Key element of cell division: How daughter cells receive the same number of chromosomes (November 1, 2011) -- Scientists have uncovered the molecular process of how cells are bypassing the body's inbuilt "health checkpoint" with unequal numbers of chromosomes that have a higher risk of developing cancer. ... > full story

Urban 'heat island' effect is a small part of global warming; white roofs don't reduce it, researchers find (November 1, 2011) -- Heat emanating from cities -- called the "urban heat island" effect -- is not a significant contributor to global warming, researchers have found. They also concluded that if all the roofs in urban areas were painted white, it would increase, not decrease, global warming. ... > full story

Large asteroid to pass by Earth Nov. 8, but what if it didn't? (November 1, 2011) -- An asteroid the size of an aircraft carrier will fly near Earth on Nov. 8, 2011. While there is no danger of it hitting the planet, an asteroid impact expert says a similar-sized object hitting Earth would result in a 4,000-megaton blast, magnitude 7.0 earthquake and, should it strike in the deep ocean, 70-foot-high tsunami waves 60 miles from the splashdown site. ... > full story

Bacteria may readily swap beneficial genes: Microbes trade genetic coding for antibiotic resistance and more (November 1, 2011) -- Researchers say they've found evidence of a massive network of recent gene exchange connecting bacteria from around the world: 10,000 unique genes flowing via horizontal gene transfer among 2,235 bacterial genomes. Much as people can exchange information instantaneously in the digital age, bacteria associated with humans and their livestock appear to freely and rapidly exchange genetic material related to human disease and antibiotic resistance through a mechanism called horizontal gene transfer (HGT). ... > full story

Aggressive piranhas bark to say buzz off (November 1, 2011) -- Piranhas are best known for their bite, but did you know they make sounds too? A team of researchers knew that piranhas could produce at least one sound, but they didn't know when and why the fish become vocal. Filming and recording sounds produced by piranhas competing for food, they found that the fearsome fish have a repertoire of three sounds to threaten competitors. ... > full story

Shared genes with Neanderthal relatives: Modern East Asians share genetic material with prehistoric Denisovans (November 1, 2011) -- During human evolution our ancestors mated with Neanderthals, but also with other related hominids. Researchers have now shown that people in East Asia share genetic material with Denisovans, who got the name from the cave in Siberia where they were first found. ... > full story

Scientists predict faster retreat for Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier; Underwater ridge critical to future flow (November 1, 2011) -- The retreat of Antarctica's fast-flowing Thwaites Glacier is expected to speed up within 20 years, once the glacier detaches from an underwater ridge that is currently holding it back, according to a new study. The study is the latest to confirm the importance of seafloor topography in predicting how these glaciers will behave in the near future. ... > full story

Live longer with fewer calories? Key enzyme involved in aging process found (November 1, 2011) -- By consuming fewer calories, aging can be slowed down and the development of age-related diseases such as cancer and type 2 diabetes can be delayed. The earlier calorie intake is reduced, the greater the effect. Researchers have now identified one of the enzymes that hold the key to the aging process. ... > full story

Fighting fire with fire: 'Vampire' bacteria have potential as living antibiotic (November 1, 2011) -- A vampire-like bacterium that leeches onto specific other bacteria -- including certain human pathogens -- has the potential to serve as a living antibiotic for a range of infectious diseases, a new study indicates. ... > full story

Watermelon reduces atherosclerosis, animal study finds (November 1, 2011) -- In a recent study, watermelon was shown to reduce atherosclerosis in animals. ... > full story

Vaccine for cattle offers hope to poorest farmers (November 1, 2011) -- A new approach to vaccinating cattle could help farmers worldwide, research suggests. Scientists have developed a technique using a harmless parasite, which lives in cows but has no effect on their health, to carry medicines into the animals' bloodstream. ... > full story

Savannas and forests in a battle of the biomes (November 1, 2011) -- Climate change, land use and other human-driven factors could pit savannas and forests against each other by altering the elements found by researchers to stabilize the two. Without this harmony, the habitats, or biomes, could increasingly encroach on one other to the detriment of the people and animals that rely on them. ... > full story

Landsat's TIRS instrument comes out of first round of thermal vacuum testing (November 1, 2011) -- The Thermal Infrared Sensor that will fly on the next Landsat satellite came out of its first round of thermal vacuum testing recently at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland. ... > full story

From tropics to poles: Study reveals diversity of life in soils (October 31, 2011) -- Microscopic animals that live in soils are as diverse in the tropical forests of Costa Rica as they are in the arid grasslands of Kenya, or the tundra and boreal forests of Alaska and Sweden, according to new research. Scientists have generally accepted that a wider range of species can be found above ground at the equator than at Earth's poles. But this study proves for the first time that the same rules don't apply to the nematodes, mites and springtails living underground. ... > full story

How major signaling pathways are wired to our genome gives new insight into disease processes (October 31, 2011) -- Scientists have determined that master transcription factors determine the genes regulated by key signaling pathways. In this way, signaling pathways are targeted to genes that are most relevant to each cell type and tailor gene expression to control cell state, growth, differentiation, and death. By manipulating signaling pathways, scientists may find new therapies for cancer and other diseases or ways to push cells into more specialized states, such as neurons to treat nerve damage or insulin-producing beta cells for diabetes. ... > full story

Meerkats recognize each other from their calls (October 31, 2011) -- Wild meerkats living in the Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa recognize group members from their calls, behavior researchers have established for the first time. The researchers assume that meerkats can tell the individual group members apart. ... > full story

CSI-style investigation of meteorite hits on Earth (October 31, 2011) -- Volcanologists have forensically reconstructed the impact of a meteorite on Earth and how debris was hurled from the crater to devastate the surrounding region. ... > full story

Healthy mouth bacteria provide ideal conditions for gum disease (October 31, 2011) -- Gum disease can only develop with the help of normal bacteria living in the mouth, new research has revealed. ... > full story

Researchers build largest protein interaction map to date (October 31, 2011) -- Researchers have built a map that shows how thousands of proteins in a fruit fly cell communicate with each other. This is the largest and most detailed protein interaction map of a multicellular organism, demonstrating how approximately one third of the proteins cooperate to keep life going. ... > full story

Florida Keys ecosystem threatened by multiple stressors (October 31, 2011) -- Scientists have found that pressure from increasing coastal populations, ship and boat groundings, marine debris, poaching, and climate change are critically threatening the health of the Florida Keys ecosystem. ... > full story

Natural killer cells could be key to anthrax defense (October 31, 2011) -- Researchers have found new allies for the fight against anthrax. Known as natural killer cells, they're a part of the immune system normally associated with eliminating tumor cells and cells infected by viruses. But natural killer cells also attack bacteria -- including anthrax, according to a new study. ... > full story

Elaborate bird plumage due to testosterone? (October 31, 2011) -- In many bird species males have a more elaborate plumage than females. This elaborate plumage is often used to signal body condition, to intimidate rivals or to attract potential mates. In many cases plumage colouration also depends on the hormone testosterone. Researchers have now investigated whether this also holds true for sex role-reversed bird species. ... > full story

Human-caused climate change major factor in more frequent Mediterranean droughts (October 31, 2011) -- Wintertime droughts are increasingly common in the Mediterranean region, and human-caused climate change is partly responsible, according to a new analysis. In the last 20 years, 10 of the driest 12 winters have taken place in the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. ... > full story