ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Friday, November 4, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Friday, November 4, 2011

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Evolution during human colonizations: Selective advantage of being there first (November 4, 2011) -- The first individuals settling on new land are more successful at passing on their genes than those who did not migrate, according to new research. ... > full story

Dormant malaria parsites in red blood cells may contribute to treatment failure, study suggests (November 4, 2011) -- Researchers have shown for the first time in a rodent model that the earliest form of malaria parasites can lay dormant in red blood cells and "wake up," or recover, following treatment with the antimalarial drug artesunate. ... > full story

Experts recommend the inclusion of rainwater-collection systems in cities (November 4, 2011) -- Plain, sloping roofs can collect up to 50 percent more rainwater than flat roofs with gravel. This water is also of higher quality. These are the conclusions of a study conducted by researchers in Spain that suggests the incorporation of systems to collect rainwater in urban planning. The water collected can be used to water streets and gardens, wash floors or vehicles and fill cisterns. ... > full story

Newborn period may be crucial time to prevent later diabetes, animal study suggests (November 3, 2011) -- Pediatric researchers who tested newborn animals with an existing human drug used in adults with diabetes report that this drug, when given very early in life, prevents diabetes from developing in adult animals. If this finding can be repeated in humans, it may become a way to prevent at-risk infants from developing Type 2 diabetes. ... > full story

Thousand-color sensor reveals contaminants in earth and sea: Technology spots environmental hazards (November 3, 2011) -- A researcher has developed a special camera that can detect more than 1,000 colors -- and can diagnose contaminants and other environmental hazards in real time. ... > full story

Astrobiologists discover 'sweet spots' for the formation of complex organic molecules in the galaxy (November 3, 2011) -- Scientists have compiled years of research to help locate areas in outer space that have extreme potential for complex organic molecule formation. The scientists searched for methanol, a key ingredient in the synthesis of organic molecules that could lead to life. Their results have implications for determining the origins of molecules that spark life in the cosmos. ... > full story

Fertilized oocytes digest paternal mitochondria (November 3, 2011) -- During fertilization, the entire spermatozoon enters the oocyte. However, most of its organelles, including mitochondria, are not transmitted to the offspring. A new study demonstrates for the first time how the spermatozoon organelles are digested by the oocyte shortly after fertilization. These findings could improve cloning and medically-assisted reproductive technology and help to better understand the evolutionary origin of the elimination of paternal mitochondria. ... > full story

Australian technology aims to make storing radioactive waste safer (November 3, 2011) -- Australian researchers have developed new technology capable of removing radioactive material from contaminated water and aiding clean-up efforts following nuclear disasters. ... > full story

Gene therapy shows promise as hemophilia treatment in animal studies (November 3, 2011) -- For the first time, researchers have combined gene therapy and stem cell transplantation to successfully reverse the severe, crippling bleeding disorder hemophilia A in large animals, opening the door to the development of new therapies for human patients. ... > full story

Chromosomal 'breakpoints' linked to canine cancer (November 3, 2011) -- Researchers have uncovered evidence that evolutionary "breakpoints" on canine chromosomes are also associated with canine cancer. Mapping these "fragile" regions in dogs may also have implications for the discovery and treatment of human cancers. ... > full story

Discovery of new gene could improve efficiency of molecular factories (November 3, 2011) -- The discovery of a new gene is helping researchers envision more-efficient molecular factories of the future. ... > full story

Fruit fly intestine may hold secret to fountain of youth: Long-lived fruit flies offer clues to slowing human aging and fighting disease (November 3, 2011) -- One of the few reliable ways to extend an organism's lifespan, be it a fruit fly or a mouse, is to restrict calorie intake. Now, a new study in fruit flies is helping to explain why such minimal diets are linked to longevity and offering clues to the effects of aging on stem cell behavior. ... > full story

Humans and climate contributed to extinctions of large Ice Age mammals, new study finds (November 3, 2011) -- Both climate change and humans were responsible for the extinction of some large mammals, according to research that is the first of its kind to use genetic, archeological, and climatic data together to infer the population history of large Ice Age mammals. The large international team's research is expected to shed light on the possible fates of living species of mammals as our planet continues its current warming cycle. ... > full story

Nicotine as a gateway drug: Biological mechanism in mice identified (November 3, 2011) -- A landmark study in mice identifies a biological mechanism that could help explain how tobacco products could act as gateway drugs, increasing a person's future likelihood of abusing cocaine and perhaps other drugs as well, according to researchers. The study is the first to show that nicotine might prime the brain to enhance the behavioral effects of cocaine. ... > full story

'Saber-toothed squirrel': First known mammalian skull from Late Cretaceous in South America (November 3, 2011) -- Paleontologists have discovered two skulls from the first known mammal of the early Late Cretaceous period of South America. The fossils break a roughly 60 million-year gap in the currently known mammalian record of the continent and provide new clues on the early evolution of mammals. ... > full story

Solar power could get boost from new light absorption design (November 3, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new material that absorbs a wide range of wavelengths and could lead to more efficient and less expensive solar technology. ... > full story

Kicking hybrids out of carpool lanes backfires, slowing traffic for all, study finds (November 3, 2011) -- The end of a California program granting free access to carpool lanes by solo drivers of hybrid cars has unintentionally slowed traffic in all lanes, according to a new report. It turns out that when regular-use lanes became more congested with the addition of more hybrids, the carpool lanes slowed down as well. ... > full story

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