ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Wednesday, March 21, 2012

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Wednesday, March 21, 2012

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NASA's Swift narrows down origin of important supernova class (March 20, 2012) -- Studies using X-ray and ultraviolet observations from NASA's Swift satellite provide new insights into the elusive origins of an important class of exploding star called Type Ia supernovae. ... > 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

Cassini sees Saturn stressing out Enceladus (March 20, 2012) -- Images from NASA's Cassini spacecraft have, for the first time, enabled scientists to correlate the spraying of jets of water vapor from fissures on Saturn's moon Enceladus with the way Saturn's gravity stretches and stresses the fissures. ... > full story

Nuclear fusion simulation shows high-gain energy output (March 20, 2012) -- A computer simulation that shows a release of high-yield fusion energy much greater than previously achieved at Sandia's Z accelerator is being prepared for testing in 2013. ... > 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

Pain relievers could be spiking your blood pressure (March 20, 2012) -- Both doctors and patients should be aware that many common over-the-counter and prescription medications can be the underlying cause of hypertension, one researcher says. He warns that while many of the chemicals in these drugs can raise blood pressure, both patients and doctors remain dangerously uninformed. ... > 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

Explosive stars with good table manners (March 20, 2012) -- In two comprehensive studies of SN 2011fe -- the closest Type Ia supernova in the past two decades -- there is new evidence that indicates that the white dwarf progenitor was a particularly picky eater, leading scientists to conclude that the companion star was not likely to be a sun-like star or an evolved giant. ... > 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

Nanotherapy: Treating deadly brain tumors by delivering big radiation with tiny tools (March 20, 2012) -- For the past 40 years, radiation has been used to treat deadly brain tumors. But beams of radiation still must pass through healthy brain tissue to reach the tumor, and large amounts cause serious side effects. Medical researchers can now deliver nanoparticle radiation directly to the tumor and keep it there, dosing the tumor itself with much higher levels of radiation but sparing a much greater area of brain tissue. ... > full story

A basic -- and slightly acidic -- solution for hydrogen storage (March 20, 2012) -- Sometimes, solutions for hard problems can turn out to be pretty basic. That's especially true researchers where the solution for a hard problem they were working on turned out to be pretty basic ... and also a bit acidic. The hard problem they were working on was how to store hydrogen fuel. ... > full story

Better organic electronics: Researchers show the way forward for improving organic and molecular electronic devices (March 20, 2012) -- Scientists have provided the first experimental determination of the pathways by which electrical charge is transported from molecule-to-molecule in an organic thin film. These results also show how such organic films can be chemically modified to improve conductance for superior organic electronics. ... > full story

Super-Earth unlikely able to transfer life to other planets (March 20, 2012) -- While scientists believe conditions suitable for life might exist on the so-called "super-Earth" in the Gliese 581 system, it's unlikely to be transferred to other planets within that solar system. ... > 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

Detection of cosmic effect may bring universe's formation into sharper focus (March 20, 2012) -- The first observation of a cosmic effect theorized 40 years ago could provide astronomers with a more precise tool for understanding the forces behind the universe's formation and growth, including the enigmatic phenomena of dark energy and dark matter. ... > full story

Feeding your baby on demand 'may contribute to higher IQ' (March 20, 2012) -- A new study suggests that babies who are breast-fed or bottle-fed to a schedule do not perform academically as well at school as their demand-fed peers. The finding is based on the results of IQ tests and school-based SATs tests carried out between the ages of five and 14, which show that demand-feeding was associated with higher IQ scores. The IQ scores of eight-year-old children who had been demand-fed as babies were between four and five points higher than the scores of schedule-fed children, says the new study. ... > full story

Watching Harry Potter films enhances creativity in children (March 20, 2012) -- Parents who feel guilty about letting their young children watch too many fantasy movies on TV can relax. Researchers have discovered that youngsters who watch films like Harry Potter improve their imagination and creativity. This is believed to be the first attempt to study whether there any educational benefits in exposing children to magical content like witches and wizards, Santa Claus, the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy. ... > 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

Facebook's dark side (March 19, 2012) -- For the average narcissist, Facebook "offers a gateway for hundreds of shallow relationships and emotionally detached communication," one expert says. More importantly, for this study, social networking in general allows the user a great deal of control over how he or she is presented to and perceived by peers and other users, he added. ... > full story

Identifying specific cancers using molecular analysis (March 19, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered a method to identify cancer-causing rearrangements of genetic material called chromosomal translocations quickly, accurately, and inexpensively. ... > full story

Biplane to break the sound barrier: Cheaper, quieter and fuel-efficient biplanes could put supersonic travel on the horizon (March 19, 2012) -- A researcher has come up with a concept that may solve many of the problems that grounded the Concorde. An assistant professor of aeronautics and astronautics, says the solution, in principle, is simple: Instead of flying with one wing to a side, why not two? ... > full story

Greenhouse gas can find a home underground (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

Discovery provides blueprint for new drugs that can inhibit hepatitis C virus (March 19, 2012) -- Chemists have produced the first high resolution structure of a molecule that when attached to the genetic material of the hepatitis C virus prevents it from reproducing. ... > full story

Circadian rhythms have profound influence on metabolic output (March 19, 2012) -- By analyzing the hundreds of metabolic products present in the liver, researchers have discovered that circadian rhythms -- our own body clock -- greatly control the production of such key building blocks as amino acids, carbohydrates and lipids. ... > full story

New antibiotic could make food safer and cows healthier (March 19, 2012) -- Food-borne diseases might soon have another warrior to contend with, thanks to a new molecule discovered by chemists. The new antibiotic, an analog of the widely used food preservative nisin, also has potential to be a boon to the dairy industry as a treatment for bovine mastitis. ... > full story

Clinical trial examines antioxidant effects for Alzheimer's disease on cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers (March 19, 2012) -- An antioxidant combination of vitamin E, vitamin C and alpha-lipoic acid was not associated with changes in some cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers related to Alzheimer's disease in a randomized controlled trial, according to a new study. ... > full story

Beer and bling in Iron Age Europe (March 19, 2012) -- Celtic burial mounds in southwest Germany, offer a glimpse of how Iron Age people lived in a time before written records were kept. Using both old-school archaeology and new technology, the researchers were able to reconstruct elements of dress and ornamentation and also social behavior of those aspiring status. ... > full story

Experiments may force revision of astrophysical models: Ice giant planets have more water volume than believed (March 19, 2012) -- In a challenge to current astrophysical models of the universe, researchers have found that current estimates of the interiors of so-called ice giant planets within and without the solar system overstate water's compressibility by as much as 30 percent, forcing revisions in estimates of other elements. ... > full story

Neurotoxin resistance in snakes around the world (March 19, 2012) -- Biologists have found that snakes from different regions of the world have evolved a similar, remarkable resistance to a deadly neurotoxin. ... > full story

Geologic map of Jupiter's moon Io details an otherworldly volcanic surface (March 19, 2012) -- More than 400 years after Galileo's discovery of Io, the innermost of Jupiter's largest moons, a team of scientists has produced the first complete global geologic map of the Jovian satellite. ... > full story

Cosmic rays alter chemistry of lunar ice, may create building blocks of life (March 19, 2012) -- Space scientists report they have quantified levels of radiation on the moon's surface from galactic cosmic ray (GCR) bombardment that over time causes chemical changes in water ice and can create complex carbon chains similar to those that help form the foundations of biological structures. In addition, the radiation process causes the lunar soil, or regolith, to darken over time, which is important in understanding the geologic history of the moon. ... > full story

Polycrystalline diamond drill bits open up options for geothermal energy (March 19, 2012) -- Nearly two-thirds of the oil we use comes from wells drilled using polycrystalline diamond compact bits, originally developed nearly 30 years ago to lower the cost of geothermal drilling. Scientists recently brought the technology full circle, showing how geothermal drillers might use the original PDC technology, incorporating decades of subsequent improvements by the oil and gas industry. ... > full story

Focus on technology overlooks human behavior when addressing climate change (March 19, 2012) -- Technology alone won't help the world turn away from fossil fuel-based energy sources, says a sociologist. A shift in political and economic policies to is needed to embrace the concept that continued growth in energy consumption is not sustainable, experts say. ... > full story

Diagnosis of ADHD on the rise (March 19, 2012) -- The number of American children leaving doctors' offices with an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnosis has risen 66 percent in 10 years, according to a new study. ... > full story

Genetic variation in human gut viruses could be raw material for inner evolution (March 19, 2012) -- A growing body of evidence underscores the importance of human gut bacteria in modulating human health, metabolism, and disease. Yet bacteria are only part of the story. Viruses that infect those bacteria also shape who we are. A new study sequenced the DNA of viruses -- the virome -- present in the gut of healthy people. ... > full story

How bacteria resist a 'Trojan horse' antibiotic (March 19, 2012) -- A new study describes how bacteria use a previously unknown means to defeat an antibiotic. The researchers found that the bacteria have modified a common "housekeeping" enzyme in a way that enables the enzyme to recognize and disarm the antibiotic. ... > full story

Smoking may restore tapped-out self-control resources (March 19, 2012) -- When researchers deplete a smoker's self control, smoking a cigarette may restore self-control, new research suggests. ... > full story

Global sea level likely to rise as much as 70 feet for future generations (March 19, 2012) -- Even if humankind manages to limit global warming to 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F), as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recommends, future generations will have to deal with sea levels 12 to 22 meters (40 to 70 feet) higher than at present, according to new research. ... > full story

Targeted X-ray treatment of mice prevents glaucoma (March 19, 2012) -- Researchers have demonstrated that a single, targeted x-ray treatment of an individual eye in young, glaucoma-prone mice provided that eye with apparently life-long and typically complete protection from glaucoma. They used sophisticated genomics methods to uncover some of the very first pathways to change during glaucoma in these mice. The first pathway they detected to change suggests a critical mechanism that could be responsible for the earliest damage that glaucoma inflicts on the optic nerve. ... > full story

Scientists break through pancreas cancer treatment barrier (March 19, 2012) -- Pancreas cancer tumors spread quickly and are notoriously resistant to treatment, making them among the deadliest of malignancies. Their resistance to chemotherapy stems in part from a unique biological barrier the tumor builds around itself. Now scientists have found a way to break through that defense, and their research represents a potential breakthrough in the treatment of pancreas cancer. ... > full story

A new tool to reveal structure of proteins (March 19, 2012) -- A new method to reveal the structure of proteins could help researchers understand biological molecules -- both those involved in causing disease and those performing critical functions in healthy cells. For roughly a decade, a technique called solid state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has allowed researchers to detect the arrangements of atoms in proteins that defy study by traditional laboratory tools such as X-ray crystallography. ... > full story

How monarch butterflies recolonize northern breeding range (March 19, 2012) -- New research reveals how monarchs recolonize the northern reaches of their breeding grounds -- information that will help preserve this migratory species threatened by loss of critical food and habitat. ... > full story