ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Thursday, March 25, 2010
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New way to attack TB (March 25, 2010) -- Suspecting that a particular protein in tuberculosis was likely to be vital to the bacteria's survival, scientists screened 175,000 small chemical compounds and identified a potent class of compounds that selectively slows down this protein's activity and, in a test tube, blocks TB growth, demonstrating that the protein is indeed a vulnerable target. ... > full story
Dormant microbes promote diversity, serve environment (March 25, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a mathematical model and molecular tools to study how dormancy affects the biodiversity of natural microbial communities, especially in lakes. ... > full story
Biofuel mandates would make corn shortfall costly, experts say (March 25, 2010) -- Grocery shoppers face hefty price increases if bad weather withers a US corn crop that is now tethered to grain-intensive renewable fuel mandates, a new study warns. ... > full story
Even soil feels the heat: Soils release more carbon dioxide as globe warms (March 25, 2010) -- Twenty years of field studies reveal that as the Earth has gotten warmer, plants and microbes in the soil have given off more carbon dioxide. So-called soil respiration has increased about one-tenth of 1 percent per year since 1989, according to an analysis of past studies. ... > full story
Pure maple syrup contains medicinally beneficial compounds, pharmacy researcher finds (March 25, 2010) -- An expert in medicinal plant research has found more than 20 compounds in maple syrup from Canada that have been linked to human health, 13 of which are newly discovered in maple syrup. In addition, eight of the compounds have been found in the Acer (maple) family for the first time. ... > full story
Scientists are helping rice farmers in Uruguay stop polluting their waterways (March 25, 2010) -- Scientists are helping rice farmers in Uruguay stop polluting their waterways -- including drinking-water sources and a globally valuable nature reserve. ... > full story
Healthy food makes consumers feel hungrier when choices are limited (March 25, 2010) -- If we don't have a choice in the matter, eating something that's considered healthy might simply lead us to feel hungry and eat something else, according to a new study. ... > full story
Great apes know they could be wrong, research suggests (March 24, 2010) -- Great apes -- orangutans, chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas -- realize that they can be wrong when making choices, according to new research. ... > full story
Newly discovered gene explains mouse embryonic stem cell immortality (March 24, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered a key to embryonic stem cell rejuvenation in a gene -- Zscan4. This breakthrough finding could have major implications for aging research, stem cell biology, regenerative medicine and cancer biology. ... > full story
Increasingly threatened loggerheads follow their own paths in travel, eating (March 24, 2010) -- With loggerhead sea turtle nests in dramatic decline, researchers would love to know more about where the turtles go, and what they eat, so they can better protect the creatures' habitat. ... > full story
Scientists in hot pursuit of first new drug for global killer in 50 years (March 24, 2010) -- This World TB Day, researchers in Australia have announced they have made an important discovery that could lead to the first new drug for tuberculosis in almost 50 years. The scientists are looking at the genetics of TB in the hope they will reveal a way to reduce the impact of one of the deadliest diseases in the world. ... > full story
Warmer summers could create challenges for nesting Arctic seabirds (March 24, 2010) -- In tropical regions, seabird deaths are often due to introduced predators, ecto-parasites or fishery collapse. In the Arctic, however, causes of bird deaths are a bit unusual. For example, birds can crash into each other or cliffs during heavy fogs, they can be smashed into the water by Katabatic winds, or they can die in rock slides. Three northern biologists suggest that warmer temperatures could also create survival challenges for nesting Arctic seabirds. ... > full story
Pulling power points the way to world's strongest insect -- a dung beetle (March 24, 2010) -- Following months of grueling tests and trials, scientists now reveal the world's strongest insect to be a species of dung beetle called Onthophagus taurus. ... > full story
Hard plastics decompose in oceans, releasing endocrine disruptor BPA (March 24, 2010) -- Scientists have reported widespread global contamination of sea sand and sea water with the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA) and said that the BPA probably originated from a surprising source: Hard plastic trash discarded in the oceans and the epoxy plastic paint used to seal the hulls of ships. ... > full story
Social bees have bigger brain area for learning, memory (March 24, 2010) -- Who's in charge? Who's got food? The brain region responsible for learning and memory is bigger in social bee queens who may have to address these questions than in solitary queens, report scientists who study the tropical sweat bee species, Megalopta genalis, in Panama. Their study is the first comparison of the brain sizes of social and non-social individuals of the same species. ... > full story
New dinosaur from Utah's red rocks (March 24, 2010) -- Utah's red rocks -- world-famous attractions at numerous national parks, monuments and state parks -- have yielded a rare skeleton of a new species of plant-eating dinosaur that lived 185 million years ago and may have been buried alive by a collapsing sand dune. ... > full story
Greenland ice sheet losing mass on northwest coast (March 24, 2010) -- Ice loss from the Greenland ice sheet, which has been increasing during the past decade over its southern region, is now moving up its northwest coast, according to a new international study. ... > full story
Diesel exhaust associated with lethargy in offspring (March 24, 2010) -- Breathing diesel exhaust during pregnancy is associated with sluggishness in offspring. Researchers studied the effects of pollution exposure in mice, finding that the offspring of mothers who breathed diesel fumes while pregnant were less likely to show spontaneous movement. ... > full story
Infection with tickborne parasite may suppress malaria (March 24, 2010) -- A new study suggests that monkeys chronically infected with babesiosis, a tick-borne parasite, are able to suppress malaria infection when exposed to a simian malaria parasite. ... > full story
Tsunami generator will help protect against future catastrophe (March 24, 2010) -- A unique wave-generating machine that mimics the activity of real-life tsunamis with unprecedented realism has been used successfully in a laboratory in the UK. The simulator has copied the behavior of the first massive wave of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. ... > full story
Are hand sanitizers better than handwashing against the common cold? (March 24, 2010) -- A new study suggests that hand sanitizers containing ethanol are much more effective at removing rhinovirus from hands than washing with soap and water. Sanitizers containing both ethanol and organic acids significantly reduced recovery of the virus from hands and rhinovirus infection up to 4 hours following application. ... > full story
Indian spice may delay liver damage and cirrhosis, study suggests (March 24, 2010) -- Curcumin, one of the principal components of the Indian spice turmeric, seems to delay the liver damage that eventually causes cirrhosis, suggests preliminary experimental research. ... > full story
Could smell play a role in the origin of new bird species? (March 24, 2010) -- Two recently diverged populations of a southern California songbird produce unique odors, suggesting smell could contribute to the reproductive isolation that accompanies the origin of new bird species. ... > full story
Cup plant is potential new biomass/carbon storage crop (March 24, 2010) -- American researchers are exploring a native perennial called the cup plant as a potential new biomass crop that could also store carbon in its extensive root system and add biodiversity to biomass plantings. ... > full story
Marine conditions of Aralar mountain range of 120 million years ago (March 24, 2010) -- The Early Aptian (120 million years ago) was an age of intense volcanic activity on Earth, eruptions that emitted large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, thus causing a revolution in the carbon cycle. As a consequence, great changes happened in the whole of the terrestrial system. A researcher in Spain has studied how these changes happened in the marine environment of the Aralar mountain range (at that time it was under the sea) in the Basque Country, and found more than one surprise. ... > full story
New method could revolutionize dating of ancient treasures (March 23, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a first-of-its-kind method for determining the age of ancient artifacts without causing damage to the objects. The method could help shed new light on the history of mummified bodies, old maps, cave paintings, and other treasures, they say. ... > full story
HIV vaccine strategy expands immune responses (March 23, 2010) -- Researchers have announced an HIV vaccination strategy that has been shown to expand the breadth and depth of immune responses in rhesus monkeys. Rhesus monkeys provide the best animal model currently available for testing HIV vaccines. ... > full story
Mouse work: New insights on a fundamental DNA repair mechanism (March 23, 2010) -- A team of researchers has demonstrated for the first time the specific activity of the protein NEIL3, one of a group responsible for maintaining the integrity of DNA in humans and other mammals. Their work sheds new light on a potentially important source of harmful DNA mutations. ... > full story
Destructive citrus disease affecting Florida could be combated with bacteria-resistant trees, early detection (March 23, 2010) -- Urgency, cooperation, and persistent management are needed among producers, processors, government officials, and scientists while solutions are developed and implemented to combat the citrus greening disease threatening Florida citrus production, says a new report from the National Research Council. ... > full story
New approach to water desalination could lead to small, portable units for disaster sites or remote locations (March 23, 2010) -- A new approach to desalination could lead to small, portable desalination units that could be powered by solar cells or batteries and could deliver enough fresh water to supply the needs of a family or small village. As an added bonus, the system would also remove many contaminants, viruses and bacteria at the same time. ... > full story
Ingredient in tequila plant may fight osteoporosis and other diseases (March 23, 2010) -- The plant that gave the world tequila contains a substance that seems ideal for use in a new genre of processed foods -- so-called "functional foods" -- with health benefits over and above serving as a source of nutrients, scientists report. ... > full story
Scientists share secret of how our cells make us tick (March 23, 2010) -- Scientists have shed light on a key control process within cells that helps ensure our bodies function efficiently. ... > full story
Precise model of tectonic-plate movements developed from 20-year study (March 23, 2010) -- When it comes to 3-D puzzles, Rubik's Cube pales in comparison with the latest creation from a team of geophysicists. They have just put the finishing touches on a 20-year effort to precisely describe the relative movements of the interlocking tectonic plates that make up about 97 percent of Earth's surface. ... > full story
Bird bones may be hollow, but they are also heavy (March 23, 2010) -- For centuries biologists have known that bird bones are hollow, and even elementary school children know that bird skeletons are lightweight to offset the high energy cost of flying. Nevertheless, many people are surprised to learn that bird skeletons do not actually weigh any less than the skeletons of similarly sized mammals. In other words, the skeleton of a two-ounce songbird weighs just as much as the skeleton of a two-ounce rodent. ... > full story
Mysterious stone spheres in Costa Rica investigated (March 23, 2010) -- Researchers are investigating the origin of the giant stone balls in Costa Rica that inspired the opening scenes of "Raiders of the Lost Ark." ... > full story
Growing by Biblical portions: Last Supper paintings over Millennium depict growing appetites (March 23, 2010) -- The sizes of the portions and plates in more than four dozen depictions of the Last Supper -- painted over the past 1,000 years -- have gradually grown bigger and bigger, according to a new study. ... > full story
Exploring the link between sunlight and multiple sclerosis (March 23, 2010) -- For more than 30 years, scientists have known that multiple sclerosis is much more common in higher latitudes than in the tropics. Because sunlight is more abundant near the equator, many researchers have wondered if the high levels of vitamin D engendered by sunlight could explain this unusual pattern of prevalence. ... > full story
How strong is your booze? True strength of alcohol revealed by new portable device (March 23, 2010) -- Both legitimate brewers and distillers -- and authorities on the track of illicit alcohol from home stills -- will soon have a helping hand. Measurement experts have unveiled a portable device to determine the strength of alcoholic drinks quickly and easily, almost anywhere. In a new study, the researchers show that their technique is just as accurate, and more sophisticated, than widely used lab-based methods. ... > full story
Fearless fish forget their phobias (March 23, 2010) -- Imagine if your fear of spiders, heights or flying could be cured with a simple injection. Research suggests that one day this could be a reality. ... > full story
How dinosaurs rose to prominence (March 23, 2010) -- How did dinosaurs become rulers of Earth more than 200 million years ago? Widespread volcanism and a spike in atmospheric carbon dioxide wiped out half of all plant species, and extinguished early crocodile relatives that had competed with the earliest dinosaurs, according to experts. ... > full story
Evolution of primordial chemical sensor, nociception, sniffed out (March 23, 2010) -- Whenever you choke on acrid cigarette smoke, feel like you're burning up from a mouthful of wasabi-laced sushi, or cry while cutting raw onions and garlic, your response is being triggered by a primordial chemical sensor conserved across some 500 million years of animal evolution, report scientists. ... > full story
Seafarers' scourge provides hope for biofuel future (March 23, 2010) -- For centuries, seafarers were plagued by wood-eating gribble that destroyed their ships, and these creatures continue to wreak damage on wooden piers and docks in coastal communities. But new research is uncovering how the tiny marine isopod digests could hold the key to converting wood and straw into liquid biofuels. ... > full story
Chagas disease surveillance focuses on palms, undercover bugs (March 23, 2010) -- Failure to detect disease vectors may result in increased disease risk. The first systematic study in the Amazon of surveillance techniques for the bugs that transmit Chagas disease takes into account the fact that sticky traps and manual searches often miss bugs living in palm trees. ... > full story
Apples for me, potato chips for you: Consumers buy healthier foods for themselves (March 23, 2010) -- Feel like Mom is pushing dessert? According to a new study consumers choose foods that are less healthy when they are purchasing for others. ... > full story
Walnuts slow prostate tumors in mice, study finds (March 23, 2010) -- Walnut consumption slows the growth of prostate cancer in mice and has beneficial effects on multiple genes related to the control of tumor growth and metabolism, researchers have found. ... > full story
Alcohol in moderation is good for sick hearts too, Italian study suggests (March 23, 2010) -- A new study shows that moderate consumption, one or two glasses of wine a day or the equivalent amounts of beer or other alcoholic beverages, significantly reduces the risk of death from any cause in those who already suffered from ischemic vascular disease. ... > full story
World has underestimated climate-change effects, expert argues (March 23, 2010) -- The world's policymakers have underestimated the potential dangerous impacts that man-made climate change will have on society, say a professor of earth and atmospheric sciences. ... > full story
Cracking the plant-cell membrane code (March 23, 2010) -- To engineer better crops and develop new drugs to combat disease, scientists look at how the sensor-laden membranes surrounding cells interact with their environment. But remarkably little is known about how proteins interact with these protective structures. For the first time for any multicellular organism, researchers have analyzed 3.4 million potential protein/membrane interactions and have found 65,000 unique relationships. ... > full story
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