ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Thursday, March 8, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Thursday, March 8, 2012

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NASA sees second biggest flare of the solar cycle (March 7, 2012) -- The leading edge of the first of two major coronal mass ejections will reach Earth at about 1:25 AM EST on the morning of March 8 (plus or minus 7 hours). Such a CME could result in a severe geomagnetic storm, causing aurora at low latitudes, with possible disruption to high frequency radio communication, global positioning systems (GPS), and power grids. ... > full story

Chimpanzees have police officers, too (March 7, 2012) -- Chimpanzees are interested in social cohesion and have various strategies to guarantee the stability of their group. Anthropologists now reveal that chimpanzees mediate conflicts between other group members, not for their own direct benefit, but rather to preserve the peace within the group. Their impartial intervention in a conflict -- so-called "policing" -- can be regarded as an early evolutionary form of moral behavior. ... > full story

Genetic survey of endangered Antarctic blue whales shows surprising diversity (March 7, 2012) -- More than 99 percent of Antarctic blue whales were killed by commercial whalers during the 20th century, but the first circumpolar genetic study of these critically endangered whales has found a surprisingly high level of diversity among the surviving population of some 2,200 individuals. That may bode well for their future recovery. ... > full story

Teaching fat cells to burn calories: New target against obesity involves brown fat (March 7, 2012) -- In the war against obesity, one’s own fat cells may seem an unlikely ally, but new research suggests ordinary fat cells can be reengineered to burn calories. ... > full story

Eating berries benefits the brain (March 7, 2012) -- Strong scientific evidence exists that eating blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and other berry fruits has beneficial effects on the brain and may help prevent age-related memory loss and other changes, scientists report. ... > full story

That caffeine in your drink -- is it really 'natural?' (March 7, 2012) -- That caffeine in your tea, energy drink or other beverage -- is it really natural? Scientists are reporting successful use for the first time of a simpler and faster method for answering that question. ... > full story

New species of deep-sea catshark described from the Galapagos (March 7, 2012) -- Scientists conducting deep-sea research in the Galapagos have described a new species of catshark, Bythaelurus giddingsi. The new shark is approximately a foot long and has a chocolate-brown coloration with pale, irregularly distributed spots on its body. The spotted patterns appear to be unique to each individual. ... > full story

What have we got in common with a gorilla? Insight into human evolution from gorilla genome sequence (March 7, 2012) -- Scientists have sequenced the genome of the last great ape to have its genome decoded, the gorilla. This study provides a unique perspective on our own origins and is an important resource for research into human evolution and biology, as well as for gorilla biology and conservation. ... > full story

Deafening affects vocal nerve cells within hours (March 7, 2012) -- Portions of a songbird's brain that control how it sings have been shown to decay within 24 hours of the animal losing its hearing. ... > full story

Nanotrees harvest the sun's energy to turn water into hydrogen fuel (March 7, 2012) -- Electrical engineers are building a forest of tiny nanowire trees in order to cleanly capture solar energy without using fossil fuels and harvest it for hydrogen fuel generation. The team said nanowires, which are made from abundant natural materials like silicon and zinc oxide, also offer a cheap way to deliver hydrogen fuel on a mass scale. ... > full story

Sperm can do 'calculus' to calculate calcium dynamics and react accordingly (March 7, 2012) -- Sperm have only one aim: to find the egg. The egg supports the sperm in their quest by emitting attractants. Calcium ions determine the beating pattern of the sperm tail which enables the sperm to move. Scientists have discovered that sperm only react to changes in calcium concentration but not to the calcium concentration itself. Probably sperm make this calculation so that they remain capable of maneuvering even in the presence of high calcium concentrations. ... > full story

Archaea: Crystal structure of archael chromatin clarified (March 7, 2012) -- Researchers have clarified for the first time how chromatin in archaea, one of the three evolutionary branches of organisms in nature, binds to DNA. The results offer valuable clues into the evolution of chromatin structure in multi-cellular organisms and promise insights into how abnormalities in such structure can contribute to cancers and gene disorders. ... > full story

When it comes to creating wetlands, Mother Nature is in charge (March 7, 2012) -- Fifteen years of studying two experimental wetlands has convinced experts that turning the reins over to Mother Nature makes the most sense when it comes to this area of ecological restoration. ... > full story

Running hot and cold in the deep sea: Scientists explore rare environment (March 6, 2012) -- It's extremely rare to find hot hydrothermal vents and cold methane seeps intersecting in one place, but that's what researchers found and explored during an expedition in 2010. A description of the scientists' findings, including a large number of mysterious, undescribed species, has just been published. ... > full story

The cutting edge: Exploring the efficiency of bladed tooth shape (March 6, 2012) -- Using a combination of guillotine-based experiments and cutting-edge computer modeling, researchers have explored the most efficient ways for teeth to slice food. Their results show just how precisely the shape of an animal's teeth is optimized to suit the type of food it eats. ... > full story

Density stratification on microorganisms in aquatic ecosystems (March 6, 2012) -- Scientists have shown that density stratification, a frequent feature of aquatic environments, has important ecological consequences on these small organisms. ... > full story

New advances in science of carbon accounting (March 6, 2012) -- Determining with precision the carbon balance of North America is complicated, but researchers have devised a method that considerably advances the science. ... > full story

Listening to the 9. 0-magnitude Japanese earthquake: Seismic waves converted to audio to study quake's traits (March 6, 2012) -- A professor has converted the seismic waves from last year's historic Japanese earthquake into audio files. The results allow experts and general audiences to “hear” what the quake sounded like as it moved through the earth and around the globe. ... > full story

Using a gun in bear encounters doesn't make you safer (March 6, 2012) -- Carrying a gun in bear country doesn't mean you're more protected in the event of a bear encounter, according to new research. Firing a gun is no more effective in keeping people from injury or death during bear attacks than not using a firearm, new research shows. ... > full story

Scientists revolutionize electron microscope: New method could create highest resolution images ever (March 6, 2012) -- Researchers have revolutionized the electron microscope by developing a new method which could create the highest resolution images ever seen. ... > full story

Vegetarian cutlet: New method to prepare a meat substitute (March 6, 2012) -- It looks like a cutlet, it's juicy and fibrous like a cutlet, and it even chews with the consistency of a real cutlet -- but the ingredients are 100 percent vegetable. Researchers are using a new method to prepare a meat substitute that not only tastes good, but is also environmentally sustainable. ... > full story

Ancient 'graffiti' unlock the life of the common man (March 6, 2012) -- A professor of classics is translating and analyzing ancient inscriptions from columns, stones, tombs, floors, and mosaics of ancient Israel to uncover the life of the common men -- and women -- of antiquity. ... > full story

Carp dominate crayfish in invasive species battleground (March 6, 2012) -- Common carp and Louisiana red swamp crayfish are some of the most invasive species on the planet yet how they interact has been poorly understood until now. Scientists investigated their relationship in the waters of Kenya's Lake Naivasha over eight years. ... > full story

Exercise and caffeine change your DNA in the same way, study suggests (March 6, 2012) -- When healthy but inactive men and women exercise for a matter of minutes, it produces a rather immediate change to their DNA. Perhaps even more tantalizing, the study suggests that the caffeine in your morning coffee might also influence muscle in essentially the same way. ... > full story

With extra gene, mice are footloose and cancer free (March 6, 2012) -- In a perfect world, we could eat to our heart's content without sacrificing our health and good looks, and now it appears that maybe we can. Mice with an extra dose of a known anti-cancer gene lose weight even as their appetites grow. Not only that, but according to new research, the animals also live longer, and that isn't just because they aren't getting cancer, either. ... > full story

How protein machinery binds and wraps DNA to start replication (March 6, 2012) -- Scientists have deciphered molecular-level details of the complex choreography by which intricate cellular proteins recognize and bind to DNA to start the DNA replication process. The research may point to ways to block unwanted cell division. ... > full story

How world's smallest DNA virus evolved in rare parakeets (March 6, 2012) -- Scientists have gained new insight into a rare virus that is threatening to wipe out the Mauritius parakeet -- one of the world’s most endangered species of parrot. ... > full story

New H5N1 viruses: How to balance risk of escape with benefits of research? (March 6, 2012) -- In the controversy surrounding the newly developed strains of avian H5N1 flu viruses, scientists and policy makers are struggling with one question in particular: what level of biosafety is best for studying these potentially lethal strains of influenza? Experts now argue their different views of how to safely handle H5N1 flu viruses. ... > full story

Hiding behavior of the scrub jay: More stress than smarts? (March 6, 2012) -- The fact that scrub jays continually move their food from one hiding place to another (known as recaching) does not necessarily imply subtle social intelligence on their part – it could simply be due to stress. ... > full story

More effective method of imaging proteins (March 6, 2012) -- Scientists have found a more effective way of imaging proteins. The next step is to film how proteins work – at molecular level. ... > full story

Predicting the spread of ticks across Canada (March 5, 2012) -- Researchers are watching as ticks that carry Lyme disease colonize Canada, but their research aims to predict the communities most likely to be hit by this sickness. ... > full story

New research supports theory of extraterrestrial impact (March 5, 2012) -- Scientists have identified a nearly 13,000-year-old layer of thin, dark sediment buried in the floor of Lake Cuitzeo in central Mexico. The sediment layer contains an exotic assemblage of materials, including nanodiamonds, impact spherules, and more, which, according to the researchers, are the result of a cosmic body impacting Earth. ... > full story

New insights into cloud formation (March 5, 2012) -- Clouds have a profound effect on the climate, but we know surprisingly little about how they form. Researcher have studied how extremely small cloud particles can dispose of excess energy. This knowledge is necessary to understand processes in the atmosphere that affect global climate change. ... > full story

The Blue Planet's new water budget: Do we have enough? (March 5, 2012) -- Investigating the history of water on Earth is critical to understanding the planet's climate. One central question is whether Earth has always had the same amount of water on and surrounding it, the same so-called "water budget". Has Earth gained or lost water from comets and meteorites? Has water been lost into space? New research into the Earth's primordial oceans revisits Earth’s historical water budget. ... > full story

Demise of early large animals caused by both humans and climate change (March 5, 2012) -- Past waves of extinctions which removed some of the world's largest animals were caused by both people and climate change, according to new research. ... > full story

Genetic link between visual pathways of hydras and humans discovered (March 5, 2012) -- What good is half an eye? Evolutionary biologists studying the origins of vision get that question a lot, and new research points to a possible answer. New findings indicate that, even in the absence of eyes altogether, some creatures display a light-sensitivity that uses the same visual pathway that allows humans to see. ... > full story

Spider silk conducts heat as well as metals (March 5, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered that spider silk is surprisingly good at transferring heat. Spider silk, in fact, conducts heat as well or better than most metals. ... > full story

Unraveling biological networks: Biological network motif discovery algorithms (March 5, 2012) -- A new approach to disentangling the complexities of biological networks, such as the way in which proteins interact in our body's cells has been developed. The new algorithm could allow biologists and biomedical researchers to unravel new clues about how cells work and what goes awry with such networks in various diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and cancer. ... > full story

Is seaweed the future of biofuel? (March 5, 2012) -- The problem with environmentally friendly biofuels is the ever-increasing amount of farmland necessary to produce these crops diverts it from food production. Now researchers are exploring common seaweed as a viable alternative. ... > full story

Will a genetic mutation cause trouble? Ask Spliceman (March 5, 2012) -- New, free Web-based software analyzes DNA sequences to determine if mutations are likely to cause errors in splicing of messenger RNA. When gene splicing goes awry, a wide variety of diseases can result. ... > full story

Sawfishes sure can wield a saw: Saw senses electric fields to locate prey and also attack (March 5, 2012) -- Sawfishes wouldn't be sawfishes if they didn't come equipped with long toothy snouts -- their saws. Now, researchers have figured out what they use those saws for, and it turns out the answer is quite impressive. The saws themselves have tiny sensors that enable sawfishes to detect the electric fields of other nearby animals. ... > full story

Elevated carbon dioxide concentrations can increase carbon storage in the soil (March 5, 2012) -- Elevated carbon dioxide concentrations can increase carbon storage in the soil, according to results from a 12-year carbon dioxide-enrichment experiment. ... > full story

Building a beetle antifreeze (March 5, 2012) -- An Alaskan beetle beats the cold using an unusual, natural antifreeze with a novel mode of action that scientists are beginning to unravel. ... > full story

Warming of two degrees inevitable over Canada, experts say (March 5, 2012) -- Even if zero emissions of greenhouse gases were to be achieved, the world's temperature would continue to rise by about a quarter of a degree over a decade. That's a best-case scenario, according to a new article. Experts urge the public, governments and industries to wake up to a harsh new reality. ... > full story

In forests, past disturbances obscure warming impacts (March 5, 2012) -- Past disturbances, such as logging, can obscure the effects of climate change on forest ecosystems. So reports a new study. The article, exploring nitrogen dynamics, found that untangling climate impacts from other factors can be difficult, even when scientists have access to decades of data on a forest's environmental conditions. ... > full story

Rare wolverine photographed in Montana (March 5, 2012) -- Conservationists recently released ta camera-trap photo of a wolverine retrieving bait placed in a tree in Montana. ... > full story

Ice hockey feels the heat in Canada (March 5, 2012) -- The future of Canadian outdoor ice hockey – a sport synonymous with the country’s culture – is being threatened by anthropogenic climate change, new research suggests. As warmer winter temperatures restrict ice from freezing over, researchers believe the ice hockey stars of the future will have limited access to the frozen lakes and backyard rinks that have helped shape the careers of some of the greatest professional players, such as Wayne Gretzky; the Canadian considered to be the greatest of all time who started skating as a child on a rink in his backyard. ... > full story

How plants sniff out unhealthy neighbors to fight off infection (March 5, 2012) -- A new study sheds light on how plants sniff out unhealthy neighbors to fight off infection. People and animals are not the only ones who can smell. Plants are also able to perceive odors, but they process them in a very different way . While insects or mammals smell odors within a second of exposure, plants require much longer exposure times to respond. Then using this information, they react effectively to the odors emitted by infected or infested neighboring plants in order to increase their resistance to pest insects or disease. ... > full story