ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Monday, March 19, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Monday, March 19, 2012

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Need for speed: Molecular ticket determines RNA’s destination and speed inside egg cell (March 18, 2012) -- Like any law-abiding train passenger, a molecule called oskar RNA carries a stamped ticket detailing its destination and form of transport, scientists have found. They show that for this molecule, moving in the right direction isn’t enough: speed is of the essence. Their study also provides clues as to how a single molecule could receive tickets for different destinations, depending on what type of cell it is in. ... > full story

Surprise: Protons bypass hydrogen bonds but still change molecules (March 18, 2012) -- Common wisdom has it that protons only travel between molecules via hydrogen bonds: no hydrogen bonds, no proton transfer. Scientists investigating molecular components of RNA were surprised to find that protons can find ways to transfer even when hydrogen bonds are blocked. The discovery may open new opportunities for research in biology, environmental science, and green chemistry. ... > full story

T. rex's killer smile revealed (March 18, 2012) -- One of the most prominent features of life-size models of Tyrannosaurus rex is its fearsome array of flesh-ripping, bone-crushing teeth. New research shows that the T. rex’s front teeth gripped and pulled, while the teeth along the side of the jaw punctured and tore flesh. ... > full story

'Gravity is climate': 10 years of climate research satellites GRACE (March 16, 2012) -- For the first time, the melting of glaciers in Greenland can now be measured with high accuracy from space. A new sharp image also renders the spatial distribution of the glacial melt more precisely. ... > full story

Fundamental steps needed now in global redesign of Earth system governance, experts say (March 16, 2012) -- Some 32 social scientists and researchers from around the world have concluded that fundamental reforms of global environmental governance are needed to avoid dangerous changes in the Earth system. The scientists argued in the journal Science that the time is now for a “constitutional moment” in world politics. ... > full story

NASA sees cyclone Lua strengthening for March 17 landfall (March 16, 2012) -- Northern Australia's Pilbara coast is under warnings, alerts and watches as powerful Cyclone Lua nears for a landfall. NASA's Aqua satellite has been providing infrared, visible and microwave data on Lua that have shown forecasters the storm is strengthening on its approach to land. ... > full story

Past in monsoon changes linked to major shifts in Indian civilizations (March 16, 2012) -- A fundamental shift in the Indian monsoon has occurred over the last few millennia, from a steady humid monsoon that favored lush vegetation to extended periods of drought, researchers report. Their study has implications for our understanding of the monsoon's response to climate change. ... > full story

Highly exposed to phthalates as fetuses, female mice have altered reproductive lives (March 16, 2012) -- Many environmental and public health officials are concerned about the potential health effects of phthalates, which are common chemicals used to make plastics softer and more pliable. In the first study to examine what effect in utero doses of phthalates have on the reproductive system of mice, toxicologists found that extremely high doses were associated with significant changes, such as a shortened reproductive lifespan and abnormal cell growth in mammary glands. ... > full story

Live cells 'printed' using standard inkjet printer (March 16, 2012) -- Researchers have found a way to create temporary holes in the membranes of live cells using a standard inkjet printer. Creating temporary pores allow researchers to put molecules inside of cells that wouldn't otherwise fit, and study how the cells react. ... > full story

Glacier-fed river systems threatened by climate change (March 16, 2012) -- As glaciers vanish due to global warming, so will those species dependent upon the icy runoff. ... > full story

Molecular pathway through which common yeast becomes fungal pathogen determined (March 16, 2012) -- Scientists have found a molecular mechanism that plays a key role in the transition of Candida albicans yeast into disease-causing fungus -- one of the leading causes of hospital-acquired infection. The finding highlights the importance of heat in fungal growth, and provides a new target for drug therapies to counter Candida albicans infection. In an additional study, the researchers identified 224 new genetic interactors for central protein in Candida albicans. ... > full story

Increase in Arctic shipping is risk to marine mammals (March 16, 2012) -- A rapid increase in shipping in the formerly ice-choked waterways of the Arctic poses a significant increase in risk to the region’s marine mammals and the local communities that rely on them for food security and cultural identity, according to experts. ... > full story

Early spring drives butterfly population declines: 'Ahead-of-time' snowmelt triggers chains of events in the Mormon Fritillary butterfly (March 16, 2012) -- Early snowmelt caused by climate change in the Colorado Rocky Mountains snowballs into two chains of events: a decrease in the number of flowers, which, in turn, decreases available nectar. The result is decline in a population of the Mormon Fritillary butterfly, Speyeria mormonia. ... > full story

Nano rescues skin: Shrimp shell nanotech for wound healing and anti-aging face cream (March 16, 2012) -- Nanoparticles containing chitosan have been shown to have effective antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Escherichia coli. The materials could be used as a protective wound-healing material to avoid opportunistic infection as well as working to facilitate wound healing. ... > full story

Lyme disease surge predicted for Northeastern US: Due to acorns and mice, not mild winter (March 16, 2012) -- The northeastern US should prepare for a surge in Lyme disease this spring. And we can blame fluctuations in acorns and mouse populations, not the mild winter. ... > full story

Invasive plants: Climate is a determining factor (March 16, 2012) -- Most invasive plants colonize regions with climates similar to the one from their native areas. With the analysis of fifty invasive plant species introduced worldwide, this study confirms that it is possible, for the most part, to predict the regions of potential invasibility based on the principle of climatic niche conservation. ... > full story

Australian saltwater crocodiles are world’s most powerful biters (March 16, 2012) -- Marine biologists have been pondering a particularly painful-sounding question: How hard do alligators and crocodiles bite? The answer is a bite force value of 3,700 pounds for a 17-foot saltwater crocodile (as well as tooth pressures of 350,000 pounds per square inch). That’s the highest bite force ever recorded. ... > full story

White rice increases risk of Type 2 diabetes, study claims (March 15, 2012) -- The risk of Type 2 diabetes is significantly increased if white rice is eaten regularly, claims a new study. ... > full story

European grasslands challenge rainforests as the most species-rich spaces on Earth (March 15, 2012) -- The city of Manila holds the human world record for the most densely populated space and now an international team of ecologists are seeking the natural equivalent, the most species rich area on earth. The team's findings reveal the record is contested between South America's tropical rainforests and Central European meadows. ... > full story

Wild orangutans stressed by eco-tourists, but not for long, study out of North Borneo finds (March 15, 2012) -- Wild orangutans that have come into contact with eco-tourists over a period of years show an immediate stress response but no signs of chronic stress, unlike other species in which permanent alterations in stress responses have been documented, new research from an Indiana University anthropologist has found. ... > full story

Was human evolution caused by climate change? (March 15, 2012) -- Models of how animal and plant distributions are affected by climate change may also explain aspects of human evolution. ... > full story

Scientists map hotspots for genetic exchange in chimpanzees (March 15, 2012) -- Scientists have constructed the world's first genetic map in chimpanzees of recombination -- the exchange of genetic material within a chromosome that makes us all unique. The study shows surprising differences compared to how the process occurs in the human genome. ... > full story

Implanted Biofuel Cell Operating in Living Snail (March 15, 2012) -- Researchers have implanted a biofuel cell in a living snail. This is the first incidence of an implanted biofuel cell continuously operating in a snail and producing electrical power over a long period of time using the snail's physiologically produced glucose as a fuel. ... > full story

Deprived of sex, jilted flies drink more alcohol (March 15, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered that a tiny molecule in the fly’s brain called neuropeptide F governs this behavior—as the levels of the molecule change in their brains, the flies’ behavior changes as well. ... > full story

With climate change, US could face risk from Chagas disease (March 15, 2012) -- People in the US may be at higher risk for Chagas disease than previously understood. A new study finds that 38 percent of kissing bugs collected in Arizona and California contained human blood and that more than 50 percent of the bugs also carried the parasite that causes this life-threatening disease. This upends the view that US kissing bug species don't regularly feed on people and suggests that Chagas could spread, driven north by climate change. ... > full story

Hotspots for biogenesis of small RNA molecules in plant cells discovered (March 15, 2012) -- Throughout their life, plants form leaves and side roots. These two types of organs have something in common: their development is finely tuned by small regulatory RNA molecules, the trans-acting short interfering RNAs (ta-siRNAs). Scientists were now able to demonstrate how and where within the plant cell these ta-siRNAs are produced. They succeeded in identifying hotspots for the biogenesis of these special RNA molecules. ... > full story

Basketball-sized eyes help squids play defense (March 15, 2012) -- Researchers have used complex computations to explain squids' massive peepers. Giant squids' 10-inch eyes allow them to see very large and hungry sperm whales from a distance in the pitch darkness of their deep-sea home. ... > full story

Protein researchers unravel the molecular dance of DNA repair (March 15, 2012) -- Using state-of-the-art technology, scientists have successfully obtained "molecular snapshots" of tens of thousands processes involved in DNA damage repair. The results will help unravel exactly how cells repair their broken DNA, how chemotherapy affects cells' workings and will assist in the discovery of new drugs with fewer side effects. ... > full story

Rising ocean temperatures harm protected coral reefs (March 15, 2012) -- Special conservation zones known as marine protected areas provide many direct benefits to fisheries and coral reefs. However, such zones appear to offer limited help to corals in their battle against global warming, according to a new study. ... > full story

Cell phone use in pregnancy may cause behavioral disorders in offspring, mouse study suggests (March 15, 2012) -- Exposure to radiation from cell phones during pregnancy affects the brain development of offspring, potentially leading to hyperactivity, researchers have determined. ... > full story

Animal health breakthrough: Research uncovers genetic marker that could help control, eliminate PRRS virus (March 15, 2012) -- Scientists have recently discovered a genetic marker that identifies pigs with reduced susceptibility to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, or PRRS. The discovery may improve animal health and save the U.S. pork industry millions of dollars each year. ... > full story

Vineyard records link early grape ripening to climate change (March 15, 2012) -- By using decades of vineyard records, scientists have for the first time been able to attribute early ripening of wine grapes to climate warming and declines in soil water content. ... > full story

Diverse catches are better for fishery ecosystems (March 15, 2012) -- Fishing for a "balanced harvest" can achieve productive fisheries as well as environmental conservation, an international scientific team reports. ... > full story

Clash of the crayfish: Why the Americans are winning (March 15, 2012) -- Aggressive American signal crayfish are threatening Britain's native white-clawed crayfish populations because they have better resistance to parasites and are less fussy about what they eat. ... > full story

Dietary cadmium may be linked with breast cancer risk (March 15, 2012) -- Dietary cadmium, a toxic metal widely dispersed in the environment and found in many farm fertilizers, may lead to an increased risk of breast cancer, according to a new study. Cadmium occurs at low concentrations naturally, but scientists are concerned because contamination of farmland mainly due to atmospheric deposition and use of fertilizers leads to higher uptake in plants. Consuming whole grains and vegetables may counteract the effects. ... > full story

Recent generations focus more on fame, money than giving back (March 15, 2012) -- The times are changing, and not necessarily for the better when it comes to giving back to society, according to 40 years of research on 9 million young adults. Since the baby boomer generation, there has been a significant decline among young Americans in political participation, concern for others and interest in saving the environment, according to a new study. ... > full story

Plants 'remember' drought, change responses to survive (March 15, 2012) -- Plants subjected to a previous period of drought learn to deal with the stress thanks to their memories of the previous experience, new research has found. The findings could lead to development of crops better able to withstand drought. ... > full story

Corn insecticide linked to great die-off of beneficial honeybees (March 14, 2012) -- New research has linked springtime die-offs of honeybees critical for pollinating food crops -- part of the mysterious malady called colony collapse disorder -- with technology for planting corn coated with insecticides. The study appears on the eve of spring planting seasons in some parts of Europe where farmers use the technology and widespread deaths of honeybees have occurred in the past. ... > full story

Killer silk: Making silk fibers that kill anthrax and other microbes in minutes (March 14, 2012) -- A simple, inexpensive dip-and-dry treatment can convert ordinary silk into a fabric that kills disease-causing bacteria -- even the armor-coated spores of microbes like anthrax -- in minutes. Researchers describe a range of potential uses for this new killer silk, including make-shift curtains and other protective coatings that protect homes and other buildings in the event of a terrorist attack with anthrax. ... > full story

Evolutionary surprise: Developmental 'scaffold' for vertebrate brain found in brainless marine worm (March 14, 2012) -- Scientists report finding some of the genetic processes that regulate vertebrate brain development in the acorn worm, a brainless, burrowing marine invertebrate. ... > full story

New study lowers estimate of ancient sea-level rise (March 14, 2012) -- The seas are creeping higher as the planet warms. But how high will they go? In Bermuda and the Bahamas, researchers have gone looking for answers; By pinpointing where shorelines stood during a warm period 400,000 years ago, they hope to narrow the range of projections. After correcting for apparent sinking of the islands, the authors of a new study estimate the seas rose 20 to 43 feet higher than today -- far less than previous estimates, but still drastic. ... > full story

Researchers identify unexpected player in intestinal immunity (March 14, 2012) -- With every meal, immune cells in the intestine stand like sentries at a citadel, turning away harmful bacteria but allowing vitamins and nutrients to pass. Now, researchers have identified the cells that chaperone food antigens, or proteins, in the intestine so that the immune system doesn’t mount an attack. Their discovery provides scientists with a potential target for therapies against inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease and food allergies. ... > full story

Some mammals used highly complex teeth to compete with dinosaurs (March 14, 2012) -- New research shows that at least one group of small mammals, the multituberculates, actually flourished in the last 20 million years of dinosaurs’ reign and survived their extinction. ... > full story

How salmonella avoids the body's immune response (March 14, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered how salmonella, a bacterium found in contaminated raw foods that causes major gastrointestinal distress in humans, thrives in the digestive tract despite the immune system's best efforts to destroy it. ... > full story

Tiny teeth of long-extinct vertebrate – with tips only two micrometers across -- are sharpest dental structures ever (March 14, 2012) -- The tiny teeth of a long-extinct vertebrate -- with tips only two micrometers across: one twentieth the width of a human hair -- are the sharpest dental structures ever measured, new research has found. ... > full story

H. pylori bacteria linked to blood sugar control in adult type II diabetes (March 14, 2012) -- A new study reveals that the presence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria is associated with elevated levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), an important biomarker for blood glucose levels and diabetes. The association was even stronger in obese individuals with a higher Body Mass Index (BMI). The results suggest the bacteria may play a role in the development of diabetes in adults. ... > full story

Health and ecosystem issues found with popular pavement sealcoat (March 14, 2012) -- A parking lot at the edge of the University of New Hampshire campus has contributed important research to an emerging concern for the environment and human health. The research has found that one type of pavement sealcoat, common on driveways and parking lots throughout the nation, has significant health and ecosystem implications. ... > full story

Hiding in plain sight, a new frog species with a 'weird' croak is identified in New York City (March 14, 2012) -- In New York City -- in the midst of some of the world's tallest skyscrapers -- and within view of the Statue of Liberty, scientists have found a new frog species. While the discovery of new species are regularly made in remote rainforests, finding this one in the ponds and marshes of Staten Island, mainland New York, and New Jersey was a big surprise to scientists. ... > full story