The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Sunday, February 7, 2010

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Sunday, February 7, 2010

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First discovery of the female sex hormone progesterone in a plant (February 7, 2010) -- In a finding that overturns conventional wisdom, scientists are reporting the first discovery of the female sex hormone progesterone in a plant. Until now, scientists thought that only animals could make progesterone. A steroid hormone secreted by the ovaries, progesterone prepares the uterus for pregnancy and maintains pregnancy. ... > full story

Biologists determine microRNA activity is suppressed in mouse ovum (February 7, 2010) -- Scientists studying RNA activity, the so-called dark matter of the biological world, may have found the first event in reprogramming a differentiated oocyte into pluripotent blastomeres of the embryo. ... > full story

How the butterflies got their spots (February 6, 2010) -- How two butterfly species have evolved exactly the same striking wing color and pattern has intrigued biologists since Darwin's day. Now, scientists have found "hot spots" in the butterflies' genes that they believe will explain one of the most extraordinary examples of mimicry in the natural world. ... > full story

Secrets to superb malting barleys explored (February 6, 2010) -- Agricultural scientists are discovering more about what goes on inside malting barley grains as they germinate, or sprout, in the malt house. ... > full story

World's first in-depth study of the malaria parasite genome (February 6, 2010) -- Groundbreaking research could lead to the development of more potent drugs or a vaccine for malaria. Scientists have scored a world first in successfully using transcriptional profiling to uncover hitherto unknown gene expression (activity) patterns in malaria. ... > full story

Leaves whisper their properties through ultrasound (February 6, 2010) -- The water content of leaves, their thickness, their density and other properties can now be determined without even having to touch them. Researchers in Spain have presented an innovative technique that enables plant leaves to be studied using ultrasound in a quick, simple and noninvasive fashion. ... > full story

Sweet! Sugar plays key role in cell division (February 6, 2010) -- Using an elaborate sleuthing system they developed to probe how cells manage their own division, scientists have discovered that common but hard-to-see sugar switches are partly in control. ... > full story

Super material will make lighting cheaper and fully recyclable (February 6, 2010) -- With the use of the new super material graphene, Swedish and American researchers have succeeded in producing a new type of lighting component. It is inexpensive to produce and can be fully recycled. ... > full story

'Zen' bats hit their target by not aiming at it (February 5, 2010) -- New research shows Egyptian fruit bats find a target by NOT aiming their guiding sonar directly at it. Instead, they alternately point the sound beam to either side of the target. The new findings suggest that this strategy optimizes the bats' ability to pinpoint the location of a target, but also makes it harder for them to detect a target in the first place. ... > full story

Prion leaves lasting mark on memory (February 5, 2010) -- Prions are a special class of proteins best known as the source for mad cow and other neurodegenerative diseases. Despite this negative reputation, a prion may also have important and very positive roles in brain function. The researchers suggest that a prion-like protein may participate in memory in higher eukaryotes, from sea slugs on up. ... > full story

Commercial fishing endangers dolphin populations, new study finds (February 5, 2010) -- Extensive commercial fishing endangers dolphin populations in the Mediterranean, according to a new study by researchers in Israel. ... > full story

How sperm get a move on; discovery suggests new target for male contraception (February 5, 2010) -- Most of us probably think of sperm as rather active little cells, swimming with quick movements of their "tail" or flagella. But actually sperm's motility is in fact short lived. When in the male reproductive tract they have to rest easy, lest they wear themselves out prematurely and give up any chance of ever finding an egg. ... > full story

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