ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Friday, March 23, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Friday, March 23, 2012

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Can our genes be making us fat? (March 22, 2012) -- While high-fat foods are thought to be of universal appeal, there is actually a lot of variation in the extent to which people like and consume fat. A new study reported that two specific genes (TAS2R38–a bitter taste receptor and CD36–a possible fat receptor), may play a role in some people’s ability to taste and enjoy dietary fat. By understanding the role of these two genes, food scientists may be able to help people who have trouble controlling how much fat they eat. ... > full story

New light shed on wandering continents (March 22, 2012) -- A layer of partially molten rock about 22 to 75 miles underground can't be the only mechanism that allows continents to gradually shift their position over millions of years, according to a new research. The result gives insight into what allows plate tectonics -- the movement of the Earth's crustal plates -- to occur. ... > full story

Seismic survey at the Mariana trench will follow water dragged down into the Earth's mantle (March 22, 2012) -- Seismologists have just returned from a cruise in the Western Pacific to lay the instruments for a seismic survey that will follow the water chemically bound to or trapped in the down-diving Pacific Plate at the Mariana trench, the deep trench to which Avatar director James Cameron is poised to plunge. ... > full story

Cooking better biochar: Study improves recipe for soil additive (March 22, 2012) -- A simple way to remove carbon from the atmosphere is by adding charcoal, or biochar, to topsoil -- a centuries-old practice that also boosts crop production. A new study finds that when it comes to helping get water to plants, not all biochar is equal. ... > full story

Do animals have reflective minds able to self-regulate perception, reasoning, memory? (March 22, 2012) -- There is an emerging consensus among scientists that animals share functional parallels with humans' conscious metacognition -- that is, our ability to reflect on our own mental processes and guide and optimize them, one expert says. ... > full story

Somatic stem cells obtained from skin cells; pluripotency 'detour' skipped (March 22, 2012) -- Breaking new ground, scientists have succeeded in obtaining somatic stem cells from fully differentiated somatic cells. Researchers in Germany took skin cells from mice and, using a unique combination of growth factors while ensuring appropriate culturing conditions, have managed to induce the cells' differentiation into neuronal somatic stem cells. ... > full story

Studying climbers on Everest to help heart patients at home (March 22, 2012) -- Mount Everest is a natural laboratory for studying heart disease, lung problems, muscle loss, sleeping disorders and new medical technologies. ... > full story

In wild winter, citizen scientists see where and why birds traveled (March 22, 2012) -- When bird watchers joined this year’s Great Backyard Bird Count, they recorded the most unusual winter in the count’s 15-year history. With 17.4 million bird observations, participants reported 623 species, including an influx of Snowy Owls from the arctic, early-migrating Sandhill Cranes and Belted Kingfishers in northern areas normally frozen over. ... > full story

Trace element plays major role in tropical forest nitrogen cycle (March 22, 2012) -- New research sheds light on the critical part played by a little-studied element, molybdenum, in the nutrient cycles of tropical forests. Understanding the role of molybdenum may help scientists more accurately predict how tropical forests will respond to climate change. ... > full story

What is the monetary value of a healthy ocean? (March 22, 2012) -- Scientists have attempted to measure the ocean's monetary value and to tally the costs and savings associated with human decisions affecting ocean health. The study estimates that if human impacts on the ocean continue unabated, declines in ocean health and services will cost the global economy 8 billion per year by 2050, and .979 trillion per year by 2100. ... > full story

Runner's high motivated the evolution of exercise, research suggests (March 22, 2012) -- Runners often extol the virtues of the runner's high, but now a team of researchers suggest that the runner's high could have evolved to motivate us to exercise as part of our early long-distance nomadic lifestyle. ... > full story

False killer whales use acoustic squint to target prey (March 22, 2012) -- Toothed whales and dolphins are remarkable accurate hunters, considering that they locate prey using echolocation alone, so how do they pull this off? Biologists tested the echolocation skills of a false killer whale called Kina and discovered that she focuses her echolocation beam on targets, effectively "squinting" to locate far off objects or objects that are hard to differentiate. ... > full story

Antibiotic resistance genes accumulating in Lake Geneva (March 22, 2012) -- Large quantities of antibiotic-resistant bacteria enter the environment via municipal – and especially hospital – wastewater streams. Although wastewater treatment plants reduce the total number of bacteria, the most hazardous – multiresistant – strains appear to withstand or even to be promoted by treatment processes. ... > full story

Puzzling over links between monkey research and human health (March 21, 2012) -- Studies in monkeys are unlikely to provide reliable evidence for links between social status and heart disease in humans, according to the first ever systematic review of the relevant research. ... > full story

Monarch butterflies down again this year as decline continues (March 21, 2012) -- Unlike their colorful wings, the future of monarch butterflies may not be too bright and their numbers are expected to be alarmingly down again this year, says a researcher. ... > full story

Venice hasn't stopped sinking after all (March 21, 2012) -- The water flowing through Venice's famous canals laps at buildings a little higher every year -- and not only because of a rising sea level. Although previous studies had found that Venice has stabilized, new measurements indicate that the historic city continues to slowly sink, and even to tilt slightly to the east. ... > full story

Discovery offers insight into treating viral stomach flu (March 21, 2012) -- While researchers say that vaccines for intestinal infections are among the most difficult to develop, a recent discovery may provide the critical information needed for success. "Sometimes atomic structure gives us clues on how viruses work and how to make better vaccines," said one of the researchers. ... > full story

Graphene: Potential for modelling cell membrane systems (March 21, 2012) -- Intriguing properties of graphene -— a single atomic-layer of carbon -— such as high electron mobility and fluorescence quenching are being exploited for biosensing and analysis of nucleotides, peptides, and proteins. ... > full story

Graphene produced using microorganisms from an ordinary river (March 21, 2012) -- Scientists have synthesized graphene by reducing graphene oxide using microorganisms extracted from a local river. ... > full story

Far higher potential for wind energy in India than previously estimated (March 21, 2012) -- A new assessment of wind energy in India has found that the potential for on-shore wind energy deployment is far higher than the official estimates -- about 20 times and up to 30 times greater than the current government estimate of 102 gigawatts. This landmark finding may have significant impact on India's renewable energy strategy as it attempts to cope with a massive and chronic shortage of electricity. ... > full story

Structure of ‘salvia’ receptor solved (March 21, 2012) -- A research team has determined the structure of the kappa-opioid receptor—site of action of the widely abused hallucinogen Salvia divinorum – solving longstanding scientific mysteries and offering new insights for treating drug addiction, chronic pain and depression. ... > full story

Warming Antarctic brings changes to penguin breeding cycles (March 21, 2012) -- Three penguin species that share the Western Antarctic Peninsula for breeding grounds have been affected in different ways by the higher temperatures brought on by global warming, according to new research. ... > full story

Trees may play role in electrifying the atmosphere, study suggests (March 21, 2012) -- Plants have long been known as the lungs of the Earth, but a new finding has found they may also play a role in electrifying the atmosphere. Scientists have long-suspected an association between trees and electricity, but researchers in Australia think they may have finally discovered the link. The scientists ran experiments in six locations around Brisbane. They found the positive and negative ion concentrations in the air were twice as high in heavily wooded areas than in open grassy areas, such as parks. ... > full story

Energy requirements make Antarctic fur seal pups vulnerable to climate change (March 21, 2012) -- A new study has found that changing weather conditions can impact the metabolic rates of fur seal pups. Climate models predict windier and wetter conditions in Antarctica in the coming years, and that could cause young seals to assign more energy to thermoregulation, leaving less available for growth and development. ... > full story

Chemical pollution in Europe's seas: The monitoring must catch up with the science, experts say (March 21, 2012) -- According to a recent poll of more than 10,000 citizens from 10 European countries, pollution is the primary concern of the public at large among all issues that threaten the marine environment. A new position paper shows that such public concern is not misplaced and is supported by scientific evidence. ... > full story

Sharp rise in cases of new strain of whooping cough in Australia (March 21, 2012) -- Australia's prolonged whooping cough epidemic has entered a disturbing new phase, with a study showing a new strain or genotype may be responsible for the sharp rise in the number of cases. ... > full story

Jellyfish inspires latest ocean-powered robot (March 21, 2012) -- Researchers have created a robotic jellyfish, named Robojelly, which not only exhibits characteristics ideal to use in underwater search and rescue operations, but could, theoretically at least, never run out of energy thanks to it being fueled by hydrogen. Constructed from a set of smart materials, which have the ability to change shape or size as a result of a stimulus, and carbon nanotubes, Robojelly is able to mimic the natural movements of a jellyfish when placed in a water tank and is powered by chemical reactions taking place on its surface. ... > full story

Contact with 'rivals' changes male behavior (March 21, 2012) -- Males consistently change their mating behavior depending on whether they have spent time with other males before mating, according to new findings. ... > full story

Colourful river crabs: Newly discovered and already threatened by mining project (March 21, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered four new species of the colorful Insulamon freshwater crab. But various mining projects on the island of Palawan pose a huge threat to these creatures. ... > full story

Not just for the birds: Human-made noise has ripple effects on plants, too (March 20, 2012) -- A growing body of research shows that animals change their behavior in response to human-made noise. But human clamor doesn't just affect animals. Because many animals also pollinate plants or eat or disperse their seeds, human noise can have ripple effects on plants too, finds a new study. In cases where noise has ripple effects on long-lived plants like trees, the consequences could last long after the source of the noise goes away, researchers say. ... > full story

Marijuana-like chemicals inhibit human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in late-state AIDS (March 20, 2012) -- Marijuana-like chemicals trigger receptors on human immune cells that can directly inhibit a type of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) found in late-stage AIDS, research suggests. ... > full story

Japan shares space station SMILES via atmospheric data distribution (March 20, 2012) -- Did you panic when you heard in recent news that two massive solar flares from the Sun were hitting Earth's atmosphere? The coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, typically produced by solar flares might pose a danger, if not for Earth's protective atmosphere and magnetosphere. Using International Space Station research and technology, scientists continue to learn more about the atmosphere, adding important new data to the collective understanding of this important defensive veil. ... > full story

Why getting healthy can seem worse than getting sick (March 20, 2012) -- A new article helps explain why the immune system often makes us worse while trying to make us well. ... > full story

Protein critical for tissue regeneration discovered (March 20, 2012) -- Researchers have shown that a protein found in humans stops regeneration when disabled in planaria, providing a potential strategy for preventing the growth of cancer cells. ... > full story

Low-calorie diet may be harmful for bowel disease patients (March 20, 2012) -- In a surprising result, researchers looking at the effects of diet on bowel disease found that mice on a calorie-restricted diet were more likely to die after being infected with an inflammation-causing bacterial pathogen in the colon. ... > full story

New method for cleaning up nuclear waste (March 20, 2012) -- A new crystalline compound can be tailored to safely absorb radioactive ions from nuclear waste streams, experts say. ... > full story

Test to improve peanut allergy diagnosis (March 20, 2012) -- Researchers have identified a new way to accurately test for peanut allergy. ... > full story

Oil from Deepwater Horizon disaster entered food chain in the Gulf of Mexico (March 20, 2012) -- Since the explosion on the BP Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico in April of 2010, scientists have been working to understand the impact the disaster has had on the environment. For months, crude oil gushed into the water before the well was capped. A new study confirms that oil from the Macondo well made it into the ocean's food chain through the tiniest of organisms, zooplankton. ... > full story

Pesticide additives cause drifting droplets, but can be controlled (March 20, 2012) -- Chemical additives that help agricultural pesticides adhere to their targets during spraying can lead to formation of smaller "satellite" droplets that cause those pesticides to drift into unwanted areas, researchers have found. ... > full story

Proteins shine a brighter light on cellular processes: Cyan fluorescent protein will make cellular imaging more sensitive (March 20, 2012) -- Scientists have designed a molecule which, in living cells, emits turquoise light three times brighter than possible until recently. This improves the sensitivity of cellular imaging, a technique where biological processes inside a living organism are imaged at high resolution. ... > full story

Engineers enlist weather model to optimize offshore wind plan (March 20, 2012) -- Using a sophisticated weather model, environmental engineers have defined optimal placement of a grid of four wind farms off the US East Coast. The model successfully balances production at times of peak demand and significantly reduces costly spikes and zero-power events. ... > full story

Bisphenol A (BPA) could affect reproductive capabilities, cause infection of the uterus (March 20, 2012) -- Researchers have found evidence that, in addition to affecting the heart, brain and nervous system, bisphenol A (BPA), could affect a mammal's ability to reproduce by altering the structure of the uterus in ways that can progress to a potentially fatal infection. ... > full story

Robotic fueling of unmanned surface vessels tested (March 20, 2012) -- Engineers have successfully demonstrate the Rapid Autonomous Fuel Transfer system, designed for the autonomous transfer of fuel to unmanned surface vehicles at sea. ... > full story

Scientists develop tools to make more complex biological machines from yeast (March 19, 2012) -- Scientists are one step closer to making more complex microscopic biological machines, following improvements in the way that they can "re-wire" DNA in yeast, according to new research. ... > full story

Novel therapy discovered for Crohn's disease (March 19, 2012) -- Medical researchers have discovered important new information on the efficacy of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in treating Crohn's disease, a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). CLA is a naturally occurring acid found in meat and dairy products known for its anti-cancer and immune modulatory properties. ... > full story

Warm weather puts trees on fast forward (March 19, 2012) -- Flowers are popping open and pollen is flying, driven by higher-than-normal temperatures across the eastern United States. ... > full story

Enough room to safely store at least a century’s worth of U.S. fossil fuel emissions, study shows (March 19, 2012) -- A new study shows that there is enough capacity in deep saline aquifers in the United States to store at least a century's worth of carbon dioxide emissions from the nation's coal-fired powerplants. Though questions remain about the economics of systems to capture and store such gases, this study addresses a major issue that has overshadowed such proposals. ... > full story

One solution to global overfishing found (March 19, 2012) -- A new study indicates that "co-management" -- a collaborative arrangement between local communities, conservation groups, and governments -- provides one solution to a vexing global problem: overfishing. ... > full story