ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Wednesday, November 16, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Wednesday, November 16, 2011

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Erratic, extreme day-to-day weather puts climate change in new light (November 16, 2011) -- Researchers report the first climate study to focus on variations in daily weather conditions, which found that day-to-day weather has grown increasingly erratic and extreme, with significant fluctuations in sunshine and rainfall affecting more than a third of the planet. These swings could have consequences for ecosystem stability and the control of pests and diseases; industries such as agriculture and solar-energy production; and could affect what scientists can expect to see as the Earth's climate changes. ... > full story

Making chemicals from biogas instead of burning it (November 16, 2011) -- Combustible gases generated by organic matter in landfill sites or from biomass are commonly burned to generate electricity. However, Finnish researchers suggest that such biogas might be more usefully used as an alternative feedstock for the chemical industry. They explain that using biogas in this way would reduce our dependency on oil and gas-derived products and is commercially and technically viable. ... > full story

Ionized plasmas as cheap sterilizers for developing world (November 15, 2011) -- Devices that create ionized plasmas could be life-savers in the developing world or on the battlefield, providing an inexpensive way to sterilize water and medical instruments. Researchers have created low-temperature plasma devices that sterilize water and keep it antimicrobial for at least a week. A new report finds that the hydrogen peroxide and nitrites produced by the plasma discharge are not the source of long-term antimicrobial activity. ... > full story

Supervolcanoes: Not a threat for 2012 (November 15, 2011) -- The geological record holds clues that throughout Earth's 4.5-billion-year lifetime massive supervolcanoes, far larger than Mount St. Helens or Mount Pinatubo, have erupted. However, despite the claims of those who fear 2012, there's no evidence that such a supereruption is imminent. ... > full story

U.S. Marines test new energy-efficient weapon in the war on trash (November 15, 2011) -- U.S. Marines are testing a high-tech trash disposal system that can reduce a standard 50-gallon bag of waste to a half-pint jar of harmless ash. Called the Micro Auto Gasification System, the unit is currently undergoing evaluation by US Marine Corps Forces, Pacific as a possible solution to help Marines win their daily battle against the increasing trash at remote forward operating bases. ... > full story

Milk thistle extract stops lung cancer in mice, study shows (November 15, 2011) -- A new study shows that the milk thistle extract, silibinin, interferes with cell signaling that otherwise leads to the production of tumor-causing enzymes COX2 and iNOS. ... > full story

Protecting Houston from the next big hurricane (November 15, 2011) -- To protect Houston and Galveston from future hurricanes, experts recommends building a floodgate across the Houston Ship Channel, adding new levees to protect densely populated areas on east Galveston Island and west Galveston Bay and creating an 130-mile-long coastal recreation area to preserve wetlands that act as a natural flood barrier. The recommendations follow a two-year study by more than a dozen experts at universities in Texas and Louisiana. ... > full story

Bats, dolphins, and mole rats inspire advances in ultrasound technology (November 15, 2011) -- Researchers are using a unique method to interpret and manipulate the pings and echoes that bats, dolphins, and mole rats use for learning about their environments and capturing their prey. With this knowledge, he's created mathematical models that may significantly improve the accuracy of existing medical and navigational technologies. ... > full story

Multidrug-resistant acinetobacter baumannii found growing in nearly half of infected patient rooms (November 15, 2011) -- Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-AB) was found in the environment of 48 percent of the rooms of patients colonized or infected with the pathogen, according to a new study. ... > full story

New biosensor benefits from melding of carbon nanotubes, DNA (November 15, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a method for stacking synthetic DNA and carbon nanotubes onto a biosensor electrode, a development that may lead to more accurate measurements for research related to diabetes and other diseases. ... > full story

The strange rubbing boulders of the Atacama (November 15, 2011) -- A geologist's sharp eyes and upset stomach has led to the discovery, and almost too-close encounter, with an otherworldly geological process operating in a remote corner of northern Chile's Atacama Desert. ... > full story

Catching camels in the Gobi (November 15, 2011) -- Veterinary scientists have successfully attached GPS satellite collars to endangered wild Bactrian camels in the Mongolian desert. Their efforts are part of the long-term Gobi Research Project on wild horses, Asiatic wild asses, and other animals that make this unique environment their home. ... > full story

Born to roar: Lions' and tigers' fearsome roars are due to their unusual vocal cords (November 15, 2011) -- When lions and tigers roar loudly and deeply -- terrifying every creature within earshot -- they are somewhat like human babies crying for attention, although their voices are much deeper. So says the senior author of a new study that shows lions' and tigers' loud, low-frequency roars are predetermined by physical properties of their vocal fold tissue -- namely, the ability to stretch and shear -- and not by nerve impulses from the brain. ... > full story

Storm chasers of Utah (November 15, 2011) -- A truck-mounted radar dish often used to chase Midwest tornadoes is getting a workout in Utah this month as meteorologists use it to get an unprecedented look inside snow and rain storms over the Salt Lake Valley and the surrounding Wasatch and Oquirrh mountains. ... > full story

Whiskers marked milestone in evolution of mammals from reptiles (November 15, 2011) -- New research comparing rats and mice with their distance relatives the marsupial, suggests that moveable whiskers were an important milestone in the evolution of mammals from reptiles. ... > full story

Long-term carbon storage in Ganges basin may portend global warming worsening (November 15, 2011) -- Scientists have found that carbon is stored in the soils and sediments of the Ganges-Brahmaputra basin for a surprisingly long time, making it likely that global warming could destabilize the pool of carbon there and in similar places on Earth, potentially increasing the rate of CO2 release into the atmosphere. ... > full story

Eating fish can reduce the risk of diabetes, study suggests (November 15, 2011) -- A study analyses the dietary patterns of the adult Spanish population with high cardiovascular risk. The results reveal a high consumption of both red meat and fish. However, whilst eating lots of cured meats is associated with greater weight gain and a higher obesity rate, the consumption of fish is linked to lower glucose concentrations and a smaller risk of developing diabetes. ... > full story

Archeologists discover huge ancient Greek commercial area on island of Sicily (November 15, 2011) -- The Greeks were not always in such dire financial straits as today. German archeologists have discovered a very large commercial area from the ancient Greek era during excavations on Sicily. ... > full story

Self-organized pituitary-like tissue from mouse ES cells (November 15, 2011) -- The possibility that functional, three-dimensional tissues and organs may be derived from pluripotent cells, such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), represents one of the grand challenges of stem cell research, but is also one of the fundamental goals of the emerging field of regenerative medicine. New research has shown that when ES cells are cultured under the appropriate conditions, they can be driven to self-organize into complex, three-dimensional tissue-like structures that closely resemble their physiological counterparts, a remarkable advance for the field. ... > full story

Galaxy DNA-analysis software is now available 'in the cloud' (November 15, 2011) -- Galaxy -- an open-source, web-based platform for data-intensive biomedical and genetic research -- is now available as a "cloud computing" resource. The new technology will help scientists and biomedical researchers to harness such tools as DNA-sequencing and analysis software, as well as storage capacity for large quantities of scientific data. ... > full story

Teaching skills key to selection of a successful model farmer (November 15, 2011) -- A model farmer does not effectively train other farmers on new innovative farming methods if they do not possess appropriate dissemination skills, a recent study has found. ... > full story

Evidence of ancient lake in California's Eel River emerges (November 14, 2011) -- A catastrophic landslide 22,500 years ago dammed the upper reaches of northern California's Eel River, forming a 30-mile-long lake, which has since disappeared, and leaving a living legacy found today in the genes of the region's steelhead trout, scientists report. ... > full story

Fish flu: Genetics approach may lead to treatment (November 14, 2011) -- A research team has provided the first look at a genetic structure that may play a critical role in the reproduction of the infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV), more commonly known as the "fish flu." ... > full story

New advances in the study of silicon structure (November 14, 2011) -- Amorphous silicon is one of the key materials in the manufacturing of next-generation solar panels and flat-screen televisions. A recent study has revealed that the energy of amorphous silicon – the state in which it exhibits the greatest stability – is 50% lower than the value commonly accepted until now. According to the researchers, this information is important for understanding the structure of the material and improving its properties. ... > full story

Bats show ability to instantly change their ear shapes, making their hearing more flexible (November 14, 2011) -- Within just one tenth of a second, certain bats are able to change the shape of their outer ear from one extreme configuration to another in order to change their hearing, researchers have discovered. ... > full story

Every mouse is different: How mouse 'personality' sheds light on human depression (November 14, 2011) -- Just as in humans, there are also the tough types or those with a more delicate personality among mice, researchers confirm. Some adopt an active strategy when faced with stressful situations and somehow try to tackle the problem, whereas others display a passive attitude. Those in the second group are more vulnerable: some of the physiological characteristics resemble those attributed to human depression. ... > full story

Enzyme boosts metabolism, prevents weight gain in mice (November 14, 2011) -- Male and female mice engineered to express the inflammatory enzyme IKKbeta in their fat tissue ate more but gained less weight. They burned sugar and fat more effectively than mice who were left unaltered. The research may shed light on how obesity and inflammation affect insulin resistance and sensitivity. ... > full story

Prenatal exposure to environmental pollutants may affect weight and size of newborn (November 14, 2011) -- A higher exposure to xenoestrogens -- a type of environmental pollutants acting as hormones -- might affect neonatal weight and size in term infants. Researchers have found a correlation between estrogenic burden in women’s placenta and a higher neonatal weight at birth. ... > full story

New sources found for accumulated dust on Chinese Loess Plateau (November 14, 2011) -- Fine silt on the Chinese Loess Plateau may actually have come from due west, not the northwest, which would change conventional thinking about wind patterns over the last 2.6 million years. ... > full story

Rising air pollution worsens drought, flooding, new study finds (November 14, 2011) -- Increases in air pollution and other particulate matter in the atmosphere can strongly affect cloud development in ways that reduce precipitation in dry regions or seasons, while increasing rain, snowfall and the intensity of severe storms in wet regions or seasons, says a new study. The research provides the first clear evidence of how aerosols can affect weather and climate, with important economic and water resource implications. ... > full story

Violent passions: Jealous cleaner shrimp murder their rivals (November 14, 2011) -- The hermaphroditic cleaner shrimp Lysmata amboinensis usually live in monogamous pairs, but dark passions underlie their social structure. New research shows that cleaner shrimp, in any group larger than two, viciously attack and kill each other until only a single pair remains. ... > full story

Ancient bronze artifact from East Asia unearthed at Alaska archaeology site (November 14, 2011) -- Archeologists have discovered the first prehistoric bronze artifact made from a cast ever found in Alaska, a small, buckle-like object found in an ancient Eskimo dwelling and which likely originated in East Asia. ... > full story

Exploring the last white spot on Earth: New X-ray facility (November 14, 2011) -- Scientists will soon gain new insight into matter at conditions so extreme it can only be produced for microseconds using intense laser pulses. Such matter is present in the interior of the Earth and other planets, and we know surprisingly little about it. A new X-ray beamline will explore the last white spot on our globe: The Earth's core. ... > full story

More power to the cranberry: Study shows juice better than extracts at fighting infections (November 14, 2011) -- With scientific evidence now supporting the age-old wisdom that cranberries prevent urinary tract infections, people have wondered if proanthocyanidins or PACs, a group of flavonoids found in cranberries, if extracted and condensed, perhaps in pill form, would be as effective as drinking the juice or eating cranberry sauce. A new study shows that the juice is far better at preventing biofilm formation, the precursor of infection, than PACs alone. ... > full story

Scientists take up golf to prove long-standing theory of cell stickiness (November 14, 2011) -- State-of-the-art, highly-sensitive golf clubs, developed by scientists, regularly catch the eye of golf's elite; however before the likes of Rory McIlroy get excited this time, this new golf putter is being put to use in microbiology laboratories. ... > full story

In bubble-rafting snails, the eggs came first (November 14, 2011) -- It's "Waterworld" snail style: ocean-dwelling snails that spend most of their lives floating upside down, attached to rafts of mucus bubbles. ... > full story

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