ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Monday, November 14, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Monday, November 14, 2011

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Mid-ocean creatures control light to avoid becoming snacks (November 13, 2011) -- If you're a snack-sized squid or octopus living in the ocean zone where the last bit of daylight gives way, having some control over your reflection could be a matter of life and death. Two transparent cephalopods have been found with the ability to quickly change to opaque in the presence of predators who use flashlights. ... > full story

Study suggests new benefits of eating nuts for patients with metabolic syndrome (November 12, 2011) -- A recent scientific study has revealed the relationship between nut consumption and a high level of serotonin metabolites (an important neurotransmitter) in patients with metabolic syndrome, who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease. ... > full story

'Fishy lawnmowers' help save Pacific corals (November 11, 2011) -- Can fish save coral reefs from dying? Researchers have found one case where fish have helped coral reefs to recover from cyclones and predators. ... > full story

2012: Killer solar flares are a physical impossibility, experts say (November 11, 2011) -- Given a legitimate need to protect Earth from the most intense forms of space weather – great bursts of electromagnetic energy and particles that can sometimes stream from the sun – some people worry that a gigantic "killer solar flare" could hurl enough energy to destroy Earth. Citing the accurate fact that solar activity is currently ramping up in its standard 11-year cycle, there are those who believe that 2012 could be coincident with such a flare. But this same solar cycle has occurred over millennia. Anyone over the age of 11 has already lived through such a solar maximum with no harm. In addition, the next solar maximum is predicted to occur in late 2013 or early 2014, not 2012. ... > full story

Americans using more fossil fuels (November 11, 2011) -- American energy use went back up in 2010 compared to 2009, when consumption was at a 12-year low. The United States used more fossil fuels in 2010 than in 2009, while renewable electricity remained approximately constant, with an increase in wind power offset by a modest decline in hydroelectricity. There also was a significant increase in biomass consumption, according to the most recent energy flow charts. ... > full story

Kawasaki disease linked to wind currents: First evidence that long-range wind transport of an infectious agent might result in human disease (November 11, 2011) -- Kawasaki Disease (KD) is a severe childhood disease that many parents, even some doctors, mistake for an inconsequential viral infection. In fact, if not diagnosed or treated in time, it can lead to irreversible heart damage. After 50 years of research, including genetic studies, scientists have been unable to pinpoint the cause of the disease. Now, surprising findings suggest that KD cases are linked to large-scale wind currents that track from Asia to Japan and also traverse the North Pacific. ... > full story

Dead of winter is tough on arthritis sufferers (November 11, 2011) -- As cold winter weather sets in and daylight hours dwindle, many older Chicagoans with arthritis tend to sit idle, missing out on the daily dose of physical activity they need to improve their health, according to a new study. ... > full story

Aerial robot system can save firefighter lives, study suggests (November 11, 2011) -- A new system built around an unmanned aerial vehicle has faced a real-world test in a West Virginia controlled forest burn, and proved its usefulness. ... > full story

Obese monkeys lose weight on drug that attacks blood supply of fat cells (November 11, 2011) -- Obese rhesus monkeys given an experimental anti-obesity drug lost on average 11 percent of their body weight over four weeks. The targeted combination drug selectively attacks blood vessels that support white fat. ... > full story

Woodsmoke from cooking fires linked to pneumonia, cognitive impacts (November 11, 2011) -- Researchers have found a dramatic one-third reduction in severe pneumonia diagnoses among children in homes with smoke-reducing chimneys on their cookstoves. Reducing wood smoke could have a major impact on the burden of pneumonia, the leading cause of child mortality in the world, the researchers said. A separate pilot study also found a link between prenatal maternal exposure to woodsmoke and poorer performance in markers for IQ at ages six and seven. ... > full story

Nitrogen fertilizers' impact on lawn soils (November 11, 2011) -- Nitrogen fertilizers from farm fields often end up in aquatic ecosystems, resulting in water quality problems, such as toxic algae and underwater 'dead zones'. There are concerns that fertilizers used on lawns may also contribute to these problems. All of the lawns in the United States cover an area almost as large as Florida, making turfgrass our largest 'crop' and lawn fertilizer use a legitimate issue. In a new study, researchers have utilized recent technological advances to measure gaseous nitrogen emissions in home lawns. ... > full story

A light wave of innovation to advance solar energy: Researchers adapt classic antennas to harness more power from the sun (November 11, 2011) -- Engineers are developing a solar panel composed of nano-antennas instead of silicon semiconductors. They say that through the use of these antennas, a much higher conversion rate from light into usable energy can be achieved -- and could lead to a more cost-effective way to harvest and utilize "green" energy. ... > full story

Biologists slow the aging process in fruit flies: Study has implications for humans (November 11, 2011) -- Biologists have identified a gene that slows the aging process. The biologists, working with fruit flies, activated a gene called PGC-1, which increases the activity of mitochondria, the tiny power generators in cells that control cell growth and tell cells when to live and die. ... > full story

Plant with 'eggbeater' texture inspires waterproof coating (November 11, 2011) -- A floating weed that clogs waterways around the world has at least one redeeming feature: It's inspired a high-tech waterproof coating intended for boats and submarines. The Brazilian fern Salvinia molesta has proliferated around the Americas and Australia in part because its surface is dotted with oddly shaped hairs that trap air, reduce friction, and help the plant stay afloat. ... > full story

Precipitation variability in Northeast, Southwest linked in 1,000-year analysis (November 11, 2011) -- An analysis of precipitation data collected from a lakebed in New York and a Rhode Island estuary has provided a link between the variability of precipitation in the Northeast with that of the Southwest. The results validate climate models that predict an increasing number of extreme weather events. ... > full story

Sea change can forecast South American wildfires (November 11, 2011) -- Tiny temperature changes on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans provide an excellent way to forecast wildfires in South American rainforests, new research shows. ... > full story

Deepwater Horizon oil spill: New approach to assessing impacts of ecological damage (November 11, 2011) -- The magnitude and depth of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill will require an unprecedented effort to determine the extent and severity of ecological damage and to develop restoration plans for affected areas in the Gulf of Mexico, says a new report. A broad approach that focuses on repairing ecosystem processes -- such as fisheries production -- in addition to replacing natural resources damaged by the spill could offer more options for restoring the Gulf region, says the congressionally mandated report. ... > full story

Chemists reveal the force within you: New method for visualizing mechanical forces on cell surface (November 10, 2011) -- A new method for visualizing mechanical forces on the surface of a cell provides the first detailed view of those forces, as they occur in real-time. Emory chemists were able to measure something that's never been measured before: The force that one molecule applies to another molecule across the entire surface of a living cell, and as this cell moves and goes about its normal processes. ... > full story

Knocking out key protein in mice boosts insulin sensitivity (November 10, 2011) -- By knocking out a key regulatory protein, scientists have dramatically boosted insulin sensitivity in lab mice, an achievement that opens a new door for drug development and the treatment of diabetes. ... > full story

Benefits of nut consumption for people with abdominal obesity, high blood sugar, high blood pressure (November 10, 2011) -- For the first time, scientists report a link between eating nuts and higher levels of serotonin in the bodies of patients with metabolic syndrome. Serotonin helps transmit nerve signals and decreases feelings of hunger, makes people feel happier and improves heart health. It took only one ounce of mixed nuts (raw unpeeled walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts) a day to produce the good effects. ... > full story

Revolutionary ultrasonic nozzle that will change the way water cleans (November 10, 2011) -- A team of scientists from the UK has developed a revolutionary ultrasonic attachment for taps, which massively enhances the ability of water to clean. ... > full story

Scientists defuse the 'Vietnam time bomb': How bacterial pathogen causes deadly tropical disease melioidosis (November 10, 2011) -- A key mechanism by which a bacterial pathogen causes the deadly tropical disease melioidosis has been discovered by an international team of scientists. ... > full story

Rare earth metal shortages could hamper deployment of low-carbon energy technologies (November 10, 2011) -- Scientists report that five metals, essential for manufacturing low-carbon technologies, show a high risk of shortage. Reasons for this lie in Europe's dependency on imports, increasing global demand, supply concentration and geopolitical issues. ... > full story

Trees on tundra's border are growing faster in a hotter climate (November 10, 2011) -- Evergreen trees at the edge of Alaska's tundra are growing faster, suggesting that at least some forests may be adapting to a rapidly warming climate, says a new study. While forests elsewhere are thinning from wildfires, insect damage and droughts partially attributed to global warming, some white spruce trees in the far north of Alaska have grown more vigorously in the last hundred years, especially since 1950, the study has found. ... > full story

More than 50 percent decline in elephants in eastern Congo due to human conflict (November 10, 2011) -- Humans play a far greater role in the fate of African elephants than habitat, and human conflict in particular has a devastating impact on these largest terrestrial animals, according to a new study. ... > full story

How global warming could cause animals to shrink (November 10, 2011) -- The way in which global warming causes many of the world's organisms to shrink has been revealed by new research. ... > full story

Manipulative mothers subdue show-off sons, bird researchers demonstrate (November 10, 2011) -- The gaudy plumage and acrobatic displays of birds of paradise are a striking example of sexual selection, Charles Darwin's second great theory of evolution. But new research shows that this powerful process may collapse when mothers can decide whether to have a son or a daughter. ... > full story

First of its kind gene map of sulfate-reducing bacterium created (November 10, 2011) -- Critical genetic secrets of a bacterium that holds potential for removing toxic and radioactive waste from the environment have been revealed in a new study. Researchers have created a first-of-its-kind gene map of Desulfovibrio vulgaris, which can be used to identify the genes that determine how these bacteria interact with their surrounding environment. ... > full story

No need to shrink guts to have a larger brain (November 10, 2011) -- The so-called expensive-tissue hypothesis, which suggests a trade-off between the size of the brain and the size of the digestive tract, has been challenged. Researchers have now shown that brains in mammals have grown over the course of evolution without the digestive organs having to become smaller. The researchers have further demonstrated that the potential to store fat often goes hand in hand with relatively small brains -- except in humans, who owe their increased energy intake and correspondingly large brain to communal child care, better diet and their ability to walk upright. ... > full story

Carbon monoxide: The silent calmer? Inhaling low levels of CO reduces the impact of environmental stress, study suggests (November 10, 2011) -- Carbon monoxide (CO) -- a tasteless, colorless and odorless gas -- is not only a danger to the environment but also highly toxic to human beings. Found in the exhaust of vehicles and generators, CO has been dubbed the "silent killer" because excessive inhalation is lethal, poisoning the nervous system and heart. Now, in a surprising twist, a researcher says that low levels of the poisonous gas carbon monoxide actually have a narcotic effect that helps city-dwellers cope with environmental stress in an urban setting. ... > full story

Greenhouse gas index continues to climb (November 10, 2011) -- NOAA's updated Annual Greenhouse Gas Index (AGGI), which measures the direct climate influence of many greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, shows a continued steady upward trend that began with the Industrial Revolution of the 1880s. ... > full story

International team to drill beneath massive Antarctic ice shelf (November 10, 2011) -- An international team of researchers funded by NASA and the U.S. National Science Foundation will travel next month to one of Antarctica's most active, remote and harsh spots to determine how changes in the waters circulating under an active ice sheet are causing a glacier to accelerate and drain into the sea. ... > full story

New turkey feed helps bird producers gobble up profits (November 10, 2011) -- As feed prices have risen in recent years, feeding turkeys has become more costly than many producers can bear. Satisfying turkeys' hunger accounts for 70 percent of the cost of producing turkey meat.Now, a researcher has produced a cheaper turkey feed, which could fill turkeys' tummies and producers' pockets. ... > full story

Methane may be answer to 56-million-year question: Ocean could have contained enough methane to cause drastic climate change (November 9, 2011) -- The release of massive amounts of carbon from methane hydrate frozen under the seafloor 56 million years ago has been linked to the greatest change in global climate since a dinosaur-killing asteroid presumably hit Earth nine million years earlier. New calculations by researchers show that this long-controversial scenario is quite possible. ... > full story

Chromosome centromeres are inherited epigenetically (November 9, 2011) -- The histone protein CenH3 is both necessary and sufficient to trigger the formation of centromeres and pass them on from one generation to the next. ... > full story

Do plants perform best with family or strangers? Researchers consider social interactions (November 9, 2011) -- In the fight for survival, plants are capable of complex social behaviors and may exhibit altruism towards family members, but aggressively compete with strangers. A growing body of work suggests plants recognize and respond to the presence and identity of their neighbors. But can plants cooperate with their relatives? ... > full story

'Noise' tunes logic circuit made from virus genes (November 9, 2011) -- In the world of engineering, “noise” – random fluctuations from environmental sources such as heat – is generally a bad thing. In electronic circuits, it is unavoidable, and as circuits get smaller and smaller, noise has a greater and more detrimental effect on a circuit’s performance. Now some scientists are saying: if you can’t beat it, use it. ... > full story

Half-billion-year-old predator tracked: Multi-legged creature ruled the seas (November 9, 2011) -- Researchers in Canada have followed fossilized footprints to a multi-legged predator that ruled the seas of the Cambrian period about half a billion years ago. ... > full story

Climate change causing massive movement of tree species across the West (November 9, 2011) -- A huge "migration" of trees has begun across much of the West due to global warming, insect attack, diseases and fire, and many tree species are projected to decline or die out in regions where they have been present for centuries, while others move in and replace them. In an enormous display of survival of the fittest, the forests of the future are taking a new shape. ... > full story

Dairy foods may improve bone health during diet and exercise in overweight premenopausal women (November 9, 2011) -- A recent study found that consumption of dairy foods and higher protein resulted in improvements in markers of bone formation and reductions in markers of bone degradation in overweight and obese young women over 16 weeks of diet- and exercise-induced weight loss. ... > full story

Farmed fish fed vegetable matter may have residual pesticides (November 9, 2011) -- Today, half of all the fish we eat comes from fish farms. The problem is that these fish are increasingly being fed vegetable matter, which could lead to a build-up of residual pesticides in them. A new test shows how high the risk of contamination really is. ... > full story

Easily 're-programmable cells' could be key in creation of new life forms (November 9, 2011) -- Scientists are working on an ambitious research project to develop an in vivo biological cell-equivalent of a computer operating system. ... > full story

Conservation scientists 'unanimous' in expectations of serious loss of biological diversity, study shows (November 9, 2011) -- The number of species recognized as endangered is ever increasing and a new study reveals the unanimity among conservation scientists of expectations of a major loss of biological diversity. The survey also shows a growing acceptance of controversial strategies such as ‘triage’ -- a decision to prioritize resources and not to intervene to save some highly threatened species. ... > full story

New reports urges more detailed utility metering to improve building efficiency (November 9, 2011) -- A new interagency report recommends systematic consideration of new metering technologies, called submetering, that can yield up-to-date, finely grained snapshots of energy and water usage in commercial and residential buildings to guide efficiency improvements and capture the advantages of a modernized electric power grid. ... > full story

New analysis of carbon accounting, biomass use, and climate benefits (November 9, 2011) -- A recent report provides new ideas regarding carbon and energy benefits forests and forest products provide. The report summarizes and analyzes the most recent science regarding forests and carbon accounting, biomass use, and forest carbon offsets. ... > full story

European biofuels are as carbon intensive as petrol, new study suggests (November 8, 2011) -- New research into greenhouse gas emissions from oil palm plantations provides robust measures now being used to inform international policies on greenhouse gas emissions. ... > full story

Castles in the desert: Satellites reveal lost cities of Libya (November 8, 2011) -- Satellite imagery has uncovered new evidence of a lost civilization of the Sahara in Libya's south-western desert wastes that will help re-write the history of the country. The fall of Gaddafi has opened the way for archaeologists to explore the country's pre-Islamic heritage, so long ignored under his regime. ... > full story

Aging could influence climate change: Individual carbon dioxide emissions decline in old age (November 8, 2011) -- New demographic analysis reveals that the carbon dioxide emissions of the average American increase until around the age of 65, and then start to decrease. For the United States this means that, although the aging of the population will lead to a slight overall rise in CO2 emissions over the next four decades, the long-term trends indicate that increasing life expectancy will result in a reduction in emissions. ... > full story