ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Monday, March 15, 2010
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Silk structure analysis explains paradox of super-strength; could lead to even stronger synthetic materials (March 15, 2010) -- Spiders and silkworms are masters of materials science, but scientists are finally catching up. Silks are among the toughest materials known, stronger and less brittle, pound for pound, than steel. Now scientists have unraveled some of their deepest secrets in research that could lead the way to the creation of synthetic materials that duplicate, or even exceed, the extraordinary properties of natural silk. ... > full story
Forest tree species diversity depends on individual variation (March 15, 2010) -- It's a paradox that's puzzled scientists for a half-century. Models clearly show that the coexistence of competing species depends on those species responding differently to the availability of resources. Then why do studies comparing competing tree species draw a blank? ... > full story
To Arctic animals, time of day really doesn't matter (March 15, 2010) -- In the far northern reaches of the Arctic, day versus night often doesn't mean a whole lot. During parts of the year, the sun does not set; at other times, it's just the opposite. A new study shows that Arctic reindeer have come up with a solution to living under those extreme conditions: They've abandoned use of the internal clock that drives the daily biological rhythms in other organisms. ... > full story
Can a single layer of cells control a leaf's size? (March 15, 2010) -- Little is known about the developmental control of leaf size and shape, and understanding the mechanisms behind this is a major issue in plant biology. New research concludes that communication between adjacent cell layers plays an important role in determining leaf size. Cells in one tissue layer can control the rate of division of cells in another tissue layer, which in turn influences overall leaf size. ... > full story
Fishery management practices for beluga sturgeon must change, experts urge (March 15, 2010) -- A first-of-its-kind study of a Caspian Sea beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) fishery demonstrates current harvest rates are four to five times higher than those that would sustain population abundance. The study's results suggest that conservation strategies for beluga sturgeon should focus on reducing the overfishing of adults rather than heavily relying upon hatchery supplementation. ... > full story
'World's most useful tree' provides new low-cost water purification method for developing world (March 14, 2010) -- A low-cost water purification technique could help drastically reduce the incidence of waterborne disease in the developing world. The procedure, which uses seeds from the Moringa oleifera tree, can produce a 90.00% to 99.99% bacterial reduction in previously untreated water. ... > full story
Discovery of cellular 'switch' may provide new means of triggering cell death, treating disease (March 14, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a previously unknown cellular "switch" that may provide researchers with a new means of triggering programmed cell death, findings with implications for treating cancer. ... > full story
Quantum dots spotlight DNA-repair proteins in motion (March 14, 2010) -- Repair proteins appear to efficiently scan the genome for errors by jumping like fleas between DNA molecules, sliding along the strands, and perhaps pausing at suspicious spots, say researchers who tagged the proteins with quantum dots to watch the action unfold. ... > full story
Scientists identify key protein from mitochondria in energy regulation (March 14, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a new mechanism that governs this pathway and in the process identified a novel potential therapeutic target for controlling fat metabolism. ... > full story
Scientists identify driving forces in human cell division (March 14, 2010) -- Using a novel imaging system for quantifying aspects of cell division in three dimensions, scientists have discovered new interactions between sister kinetochores -- the protein bundles at the contact point between the two identical strands of a chromosome -- and the microtubule motors that help pull the strands apart. ... > full story
Barrier in mosquito midgut protects invading pathogens (March 14, 2010) -- Scientists studying the Anopheles gambiae mosquito have found that the act of feeding triggers two enzymes to form a protective barrier that prevents the mosquito's immune defense system from clearing disease-causing agents that can be passed on to humans. Disrupting the protein barrier can trigger mosquito immune defenses to intervene and protect the insect from infection. This finding could inform new strategies for blocking malaria transmission. ... > full story
Human cells exhibit foraging behavior like amoebae and bacteria (March 13, 2010) -- When cells move about in the body, they follow a complex pattern similar to that which amoebae and bacteria use when searching for food, researchers have found. ... > full story
Prehistoric response to global warming informs human planning today (March 13, 2010) -- Since 2004, University at Buffalo anthropologist Ezra Zubrow has worked intensively with teams of scientists in the Arctic regions of St. James Bay, Quebec, northern Finland and Kamchatka to understand how humans living 4,000 to 6,000 years ago reacted to climate changes. ... > full story
Small dogs originated in the Middle East, genetic study finds (March 13, 2010) -- A genetic study has found that small domestic dogs probably originated in the Middle East more than 12,000 years ago. Researchers have traced the evolutionary history of the IGF1 gene, finding that the version of the gene that is a major determinant of small size probably originated as a result of the domestication of the Middle Eastern gray wolf. ... > full story
Plants discover the benefits of good neighbors in strategy against herbivores (March 13, 2010) -- Scandinavian scientists have discovered that a species of tree defends itself from herbivore attack by using chemicals emitted by neighboring plants. The study reveals how species of Birch tree absorb chemical compounds from neighboring Marsh tea plants, Rhondodendron tomentosum, in a unique "defense by neighbor strategy." ... > full story
Genome analysis of marine microbe reveals a metabolic minimalist (March 13, 2010) -- Flightless birds, blind cave shrimp, and other oddities suggest a "use it or lose it" tendency in evolution. In the microbial world, an unusual marine microorganism appears to have ditched several major metabolic pathways, leaving it with a remarkably reduced set of genes. ... > full story
Genetic mapping of algae biofuel species groundwork done (March 13, 2010) -- Using green algae to produce hydrocarbon oil for biofuel production is nothing new; nature has been doing so for hundreds of millions of years, according a scientists. ... > full story
Fossil bird eggshell provides source of ancient DNA (March 12, 2010) -- Scientists have successfully isolated ancient DNA from fossil eggshell remains of extinct birds for the first time. ... > full story
Conservationists urge treaty panel to reject ivory sale by Tanzania, Zambia (March 12, 2010) -- An international team of conservationists says relaxing a current moratorium on ivory sales to allow one-time sales by Zambia and Tanzania could lead to increased slaughter of elephants for their ivory throughout Africa. ... > full story
Third seed shipment sent to Norway seed vault by USDA (March 12, 2010) -- A shipment of seed sent by the Agricultural Research Service earlier this month to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway included a wild Russian strawberry that an expeditionary team braved bears and volcanoes to collect. ... > full story
Biologists find proof of first confirmed species of monogamous frog (March 12, 2010) -- Amphibians may be a love 'em and leave 'em class, but one frog species defies the norm, scientists have found. Biologists have discovered in Peru the first confirmed species of monogamous amphibian, Ranitomeya imitator, better known as the mimic poison frog -- a finding that provides groundbreaking insight into the ecological factors that influence mating behavior. ... > full story
Seaweed extract may hold promise for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treatment (March 12, 2010) -- Seaweed extract may eventually emerge as a lymphoma treatment, according to laboratory research. Seaweeds containing fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide similar to heparin in chemical structure, have been reported to have anti-tumor activity in mice and some cell lines. ... > full story
How electricity moves through cells: Finding has implications for improving energy efficiency (March 12, 2010) -- Researchers have created a molecular image of a system that moves electrons between proteins in cells. The achievement is a breakthrough for biology and could provide insights to minimize energy loss in other systems, from nanoscale devices to moving electricity around the country. ... > full story
More maize ethanol may boost greenhouse gas emissions (March 12, 2010) -- Mandated increases in the production of maize-derived ethanol will lead to land-use changes that boost carbon dioxide emissions enough to make the fuel a worse environmental option than burning gasoline, according to a new analysis. ... > full story
Scientists discover 600 million-year-old origins of vision (March 12, 2010) -- By studying the hydra, a member of an ancient group of sea creatures that is still flourishing, scientists have made a discovery in understanding the origins of human vision. ... > full story
Immune cells that fight parasites may promote allergies and asthma (March 12, 2010) -- Millions of people in both the developing and developed world may benefit from new immune-system research findings that identify a cell population that fights off parasitic infections but also causes allergies and asthma. ... > full story
Why female moths are big and beautiful (March 12, 2010) -- In most animal species, males and females show obvious differences in body size. But how can this be, given that both sexes share the same genes governing their growth? Entomologists studied this conundrum in moths and found clues that had been overlooked by previous efforts to explain this mystery of nature. ... > full story
Aquatic 'dead zones' contributing to climate change (March 12, 2010) -- The increased frequency and intensity of oxygen-deprived "dead zones" along the world's coasts can negatively impact environmental conditions in far more than local waters. Scientists explain that the increased amount of nitrous oxide produced in hypoxic waters can elevate concentrations in the atmosphere, further exacerbating the impacts of global warming and contributing to ozone "holes" that increase our exposure to harmful UV radiation. ... > full story
End to lice? Effectiveness of new oral treatment demonstrated (March 12, 2010) -- French medical researchers have recently demonstrated the effectiveness of a new molecule in the fight against lice. Faced with the emergence of increasing resistance to conventional treatments by these parasites, this new medication represents a real therapeutic alternative which is effective in 95 percent of cases. ... > full story
Khirbet Qeiyafa identified as biblical 'Neta'im' (March 12, 2010) -- Has another mystery in the history of Israel been solved? Researchers have identified Khirbet Qeiyafa as "Neta'im", which is mentioned in the Bible's book of Chronicles. ... > full story
New study debunks myths about vulnerability of Amazon rain forests to drought (March 12, 2010) -- A new study has concluded that Amazon rain forests were remarkably unaffected in the face of once-in-a-century drought in 2005, neither dying nor thriving, contrary to a previously published report and claims by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. ... > full story
Malaria in pregnant women: Step towards a new vaccine (March 12, 2010) -- By managing to express the protein that enables red blood cells infected with the malaria agent Plasmodium falciparum to bind to the placenta and by deciphering its molecular mechanisms, a team of researchers has taken an important first step in the development of a vaccine against pregnancy-associated malaria. ... > full story
Production of chemicals from wood waste made more environmentally-friendly and cheaper (March 12, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that the bacterium Cupriavidus basilensis breaks down harmful by-products which are produced when sugars are released from wood. They also managed to incorporate the degradation process in bacteria which are in common industrial use. This breakthrough does away with the need to resort to costly and environmentally unfriendly methods for removing by-products, thereby boosting the appeal of waste wood as a sustainable resource for biochemicals and biofuels. ... > full story
If bonobo Kanzi can point as humans do, what other similarities can rearing reveal? (March 11, 2010) -- You may have more in common with Kanzi, Panbanisha and Nyota, three language-competent bonobos living at Great Ape Trust, than you thought. And those similarities, right at your fingertip, might one day tell scientists more about the effect of culture on neurological disorders that limit human expression. A recently published pointing study supports the assertion that the success of language studies with bonobos is tied to rearing. ... > full story
Inventing new oat and barley breads (March 11, 2010) -- Scientists are working on a delicious new all-oat or all-barley bread. ... > full story
Scientists solve puzzle of chickens that are half male and half female (March 11, 2010) -- A puzzle that has baffled scientists for centuries -- why some birds appear to be male on one side of the body and female on the other -- has been solved by researchers. The research, which involved studying rare naturally occurring chickens with white (male) plumage on one side and brown (female) plumage on the other, sheds new light on the sexual development of birds. ... > full story
Movement disorder symptoms are lessened by an antibiotic: Treating worms with ampicillin helps restore normal movement (March 11, 2010) -- Discovery of an antibiotic's capacity to improve cell function in laboratory tests is providing movement disorder researchers with leads to more desirable molecules with potentially similar traits, according to scientists. ... > full story
World crude oil production may peak a decade earlier than some predict (March 11, 2010) -- In a finding that may speed efforts to conserve oil and intensify the search for alternative fuel sources, scientists in Kuwait predict that world conventional crude oil production will peak in 2014 -- almost a decade earlier than some other predictions. ... > full story
Atmospheric nanoparticles impact health, weather professor says (March 11, 2010) -- Nanoparticles are atmospheric materials so small that they can't be seen with the naked eye, but they can very visibly affect both weather patterns and human health all over the world -- and not in a good way, according to a new study. ... > full story
Scientists make important discovery in gene regulation (March 11, 2010) -- Scientists have a greater understanding of how our genes are controlled following a major research project. The findings of the study, which looked at how proteins work as teams to control genes in the cells, could also help to unravel the mechanisms of disease such as cancer. ... > full story
Can we detect quantum behavior in viruses? (March 11, 2010) -- Scientists are using the principles of an iconic quantum mechanics thought experiment -- Schrödinger's superpositioned cat -- to test for quantum properties in objects composed of as many as one billion atoms, possibly including the flu virus. ... > full story
Students' perceptions of Earth's age influence acceptance of human evolution (March 11, 2010) -- High school and college students who understand the geological age of the Earth (4.5 billion years) are much more likely to understand and accept human evolution, according to a new study. A 2009 Gallup poll reported that 16 percent of biology teachers believe God created humans in their present form at some time during the last 10,000 years. ... > full story
Development of more muscular trout could boost commercial aquaculture (March 11, 2010) -- A 10-year effort by a scientist to develop transgenic rainbow trout with enhanced muscle growth has yielded fish with what have been described as six-pack abs and muscular shoulders that could provide a boost to the commercial aquaculture industry. ... > full story
Mystery of symmetry in vertebrates revealed (March 11, 2010) -- Some of our organs, such as the liver and the heart, are lateralized. As our bodies develop they mostly display bilateral symmetry across the vertebral column. A new molecular pathway, which plays a role in this symmetry in vertebrates, has recently been discovered. ... > full story
Plotting and treachery in ant royal families (March 11, 2010) -- Social insects -- ants in particular -- are usually thought of as selfless entities willing to sacrifice everything for their comrades. However, new research suggests that ant queens are also prepared to compromise the welfare of the entire colony in order to retain the throne. ... > full story
Potential for using algae to produce human therapeutic proteins shown (March 11, 2010) -- Pharmaceutical companies could substantially reduce the expense of costly treatments for cancer and other diseases produced from mammalian or bacterial cells by growing these human therapeutic proteins in algae -- rapidly growing aquatic plant cells that have recently gained attention for their ability to produce biofuels. ... > full story
Mouse model reveals a cause of ADHD (March 11, 2010) -- Although it's typically considered an adolescent curse, ADHD actually affects about five percent of adults as well. New research in a mouse model of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder suggests that the root of the psychiatric disorder might be the over-activity of a protein that regulates dopaminergic pathways. The work suggests a path toward new treatments for symptoms including inattentiveness, over-activity and impulsivity. ... > full story
How sea turtle hatchlings use their flippers to move quickly on sand (March 11, 2010) -- Researchers conducted the first field study showing how endangered loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings use their limbs to move quickly on a variety of terrains in order to reach the ocean. ... > full story
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