The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Wednesday, May 11, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Wednesday, May 11, 2011

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California's Chumash Indians: Roughly hewn beads are child's play, archaeologist finds (May 11, 2011) -- In a new study, an archaeologist says that she's identified beads made from seashells by apprentices in the Chumash Indian bead trade before the arrival of Europeans. ... > full story

New evidence details spread of amphibian-killing disease from Mexico through Central America (May 11, 2011) -- There's a crisis among the world's amphibians -- about 40 percent of amphibian species have dwindled in numbers in just three decades. Now, museum jars stuffed full of amphibians may help scientists decide whether this wave of extinctions was caused by a fungal infection. ... > full story

New antibody for cell labeling: Stem cells can be distinguished on the basis of sugar residues (May 11, 2011) -- Researchers in Germany have produced an antibody that allows them to distinguish the numerous types of stem cells in the nervous system better than before. The antibody 5750 recognizes a specific sugar residue on the cell surface, which is called LewisX. The research group has now been able to use LewisX for the first time to separate different types of stem cells. ... > full story

Smallest turtle in North America becomes more scarce (May 10, 2011) -- Veterinarians, conservation biologists and wildlife managers have joined forces to answer a perplexing wildlife question: Why are bog turtles getting sick? ... > full story

Variety is the spice of life for animal movement: Foraging animals tend to wander randomly (May 10, 2011) -- Scientists in the UK have discovered animals searching for food do not stick to a complicated pattern of movement as previously thought but tend to wander about randomly. It was previously believed that when searching for food, animals move in very peculiar way called a Lévy flight where they move small distances most of the time, but occasionally move a very long distance. ... > full story

High-tech approach uses lights, action and camera to scrutinize fresh produce (May 10, 2011) -- High-tech tactics to carefully examine apples and other fresh produce items as they travel along packinghouse conveyor belts will help ensure the quality and safety of these good-for-you foods. Scientists have now developed an experimental, cutting-edge optical scanning system that would use two different kinds of lighting, a sophisticated camera and other pieces of equipment to scrutinize produce-section favorites while they are still at the packinghouse. ... > full story

Ocean acidification: Carbon dioxide makes life difficult for algae (May 10, 2011) -- The acidification of the world's oceans could have major consequences for the marine environment. New research shows that coccoliths, which are an important part of the marine environment, dissolve when seawater acidifies. ... > full story

Scientists unmask mysterious cells as key 'border patrol agents' in the intestine (May 10, 2011) -- Researchers have uncovered new clues about how the intestine maintains friendly relations with the 100 trillion symbiotic bacteria that normally live in the digestive tract. ... > full story

Bats lend an ear to sonar engineering (May 10, 2011) -- Researchers have mapped out the diversity of bat ears in a hope to inspire the design of new intuitive methods of manipulating waves with physical shapes, such as sonar and radar. ... > full story

Fundamental question on how life started solved: Supercomputer calculates carbon nucleus (May 10, 2011) -- For carbon, the basis of life, to be able to form in the stars, a certain state of the carbon nucleus plays an essential role. In cooperation with US colleagues, physicists in Germany have been able to calculate this legendary carbon nucleus, solving a problem that has kept science guessing for more than 50 years. ... > full story

Wild animals age, too: Researchers study senescence in blue-footed booby shows (May 10, 2011) -- Many might assume that wild animals generally die before they get old. Now, a Spanish-Mexican research team has demonstrated aging in a population of wild birds (Sula nebouxii) in terms of their ability to live and reproduce. ... > full story

Original versus copy: Researchers develop forgery-proof prototypes for product authentication (May 10, 2011) -- Styrian pumpkin-seed oil or cheap copy? When you choose a product, you want the quality you’ve paid for. But how can you test that what’s inside is what it says on the label? The future of quality protection belongs to electronic components and so-called RFID tags. In the future, consumers will be able to test the authenticity of a product using their mobile phones. ... > full story

Immature skull led young tyrannosaurs to rely on speed, agility to catch prey (May 10, 2011) -- While adult tyrannosaurs wielded power and size to kill large prey, youngsters used agility to hunt smaller game. ... > full story

New insect repellant may be thousands of times stronger than DEET (May 10, 2011) -- Imagine an insect repellant that not only is thousands of times more effective than DEET -- the active ingredient in most commercial mosquito repellants -- but also works against all types of insects, including flies, moths and ants. That possibility has been created by the discovery of a new class of insect repellant made in the laboratory. ... > full story

A simple, mildly invasive solution for conserving historic buildings (May 10, 2011) -- Stone masonry arches form part of numerous historic buildings -- religious edifices, bridges, walkways and aqueducts. Although solid structures are involved, the environmental and historical conditions of the bearing load, use and accidental factors can cause their collapse. An industrial engineer in Spain studied an innovative system for the rehabilitation of these masonry arches. ... > full story

Methane levels 17 times higher in water wells near hydrofracking sites, study finds (May 10, 2011) -- Researchers have found high levels of leaked methane in well water collected near shale-gas drilling and hydrofracking sites. The scientists collected and analyzed water samples from 68 private groundwater wells across five counties in northeastern Pennsylvania and New York. ... > full story

'Fool's Gold' is ocean life's fertilizer: Pyrite nanoparticles from hydrothermal vents are rich source of iron in deep sea (May 10, 2011) -- Similar to humans, the bacteria and tiny plants living in the ocean need iron for energy and growth. But their situation is quite different from ours -- for one, they can't turn to natural iron sources like leafy greens or red meat for a pick-me-up. So, from where does their iron come? ... > full story

Airborne pollutants: New view of how water and sulfur dioxide mix (May 10, 2011) -- High in the sky, water in clouds can act as a temptress to lure airborne pollutants such as sulfur dioxide into reactive aqueous particulates. Although this behavior is not incorporated into today's climate-modeling scenarios, emerging research provides evidence that it should be. ... > full story

Genome of marine organism reveals hidden secrets; New methods to identify promising species in the wild (May 10, 2011) -- An international team of researchers has deciphered the genome of a tropical marine organism known to produce substances potentially useful against human diseases. ... > full story

More effective and less risky when you paint the hull of your boat (May 10, 2011) -- Every boat owner recognizes the dilemma: environmentally friendly paint or effective paint. Researchers have now found a way of reconciling these two almost unattainable aims. By using smart combinations of the most environmentally friendly biocides in the paint, it is possible to both reduce the total quantity of biocides and dramatically reduce the environmental impact. ... > full story

New models may reduce seabird bycatch (May 9, 2011) -- Tens of thousands of albatrosses and other far-ranging seabirds are killed each year after they become caught in longline fishing gear. Innovative new models may help reduce these casualties by more precisely projecting where and when birds and boats are likely to cross paths. ... > full story

For peacocks, the eyespots don't lie (May 9, 2011) -- Male peacock tail plumage and courtship antics likely influence their success at attracting and mating with females, according to recent research. ... > full story

Fast, sensitive blood test for human prion disease (May 9, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a method -- 10,000 times more sensitive than other methods -- to detect variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (vCJD) in blood plasma. vCJD is a type of prion disease in humans that leads to brain damage and death. The researchers also used the test to rapidly detect scrapie, a prion disease of sheep, in infected hamsters, some pre-symptomatic. ... > full story

Parsley, celery carry crucial component for fight against breast cancer, study suggests (May 9, 2011) -- A compound in parsley and other plant products, including fruits and nuts, can stop certain breast cancer tumor cells from multiplying and growing, new research suggests. ... > full story

Direct removal of carbon dioxide from air likely not viable, report suggests (May 9, 2011) -- Technologies for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere are unlikely to offer an economically feasible way to slow human-driven climate change for several decades, according to a new report. ... > full story

Zombie ants have fungus on the brain, new research reveals (May 9, 2011) -- Tropical carpenter ants (Camponotus leonardi) are turned into "zombie ants" when infected by the parasitic fungus (Ophiocordyceps unilateralis). Infected ants become erratic and zombie-like, and are manipulated by the fungus into dying at a spot that provides optimal conditions for fungal reproduction. New research looks at altered behavior patterns in zombie ants in Thailand and shows how the fungus manipulates ant behavior. ... > full story

New DNA role in modifying gene function: Findings suggest new approach could create highly targeted therapeutics (May 9, 2011) -- For years, scientists have thought of DNA as a passive blueprint capable only of producing specific proteins through RNA transcription. Now, researchers have shown DNA can also act to fine-tune the activity of certain proteins known as nuclear receptors. ... > full story

Antibody-based biosensor can guide environmental clean-ups, provide early warning system for spills (May 9, 2011) -- Researchers have developed an antibody-based biosensor that can detect marine pollutants like oil much faster and more cheaply than current technologies. ... > full story

Giant hummingbirds: Running a little hot, but not on empty (May 9, 2011) -- Scientists have long thought that the giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) was just about as big as a hummingbird could get. They're nearly twice the size of the next largest species, and it was assumed that the energy needed for hovering flight would take the giants close to the upper metabolic limits for an animal that size. Not so, according to a new study. ... > full story

In a genetic research first, researchers turn zebrafish genes off and on (May 9, 2011) -- Researchers have designed a new tool for identifying protein function from genetic code. The team succeeded in switching individual genes off and on in zebrafish, then observing embryonic and juvenile development. ... > full story

What keeps an asexual fish species from taking over? (May 9, 2011) -- When a red-bellied dace and a finescale dace (freshwater fish in the carp and minnow family) mate with each other, they produce a hybrid with a very special ability: it can reproduce asexually. This asexual hybrid should have a tremendous evolutionary advantage over its sexually reproducing forefathers. So why doesn't the hybrid dace take over? ... > full story

A renewable twist on fossil fuels (May 9, 2011) -- Pulling valuable fuels out of thin air? It sounds like magic, but a chemist is now working to transform carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, into gas for your car and clean-energy future fuels. ... > full story

Does the central Andean backarc have the potential for a great earthquake? (May 9, 2011) -- The region east of the central Andes Mountains has the potential for larger scale earthquakes than previously expected. Previous research had set the maximum expected earthquake size to be magnitude 7.5, based on the relatively quiet history of seismicity in that area. This new study contradicts that limit and instead suggests that the region could see quakes with magnitudes 8.7 to 8.9. ... > full story

Heavy agricultural machinery can damage the soil, Nordic researchers find (May 9, 2011) -- Heavy agricultural machinery results in more permanent damage to the soil than previously believed by researchers. This may lead to poorer crop yields and increased pollution from agricultural land, is the message of a group of Nordic researchers. The result is called soil compaction and it concerns the negative effect of driving heavy machinery on soil that is used for growing plants. Soil compaction is characterized by increased density of the soil, reduced air volume and a reduced ability to drain off surplus water. ... > full story

Ethics of biofuels: Framework outlined (May 9, 2011) -- A new article outlines a framework for evaluating biofuels in order to address ethical issues surrounding the rapidly evolving race to develop biofuels. ... > full story

Tree rings tell a 1,100-year history of El Niño (May 8, 2011) -- Tree-ring records from North America give a continuous history of variations in El Niño intensity over the past 1,100 years and can be used to help climate models predict more reliably how El Niño will change in the face of global warming, according to a new study. ... > full story

New online mechanism for electric vehicle charging (May 8, 2011) -- Researchers have designed a new pricing mechanism that could change the way in which electric vehicles are charged. It is based on an online auction protocol that makes it possible to charge electric vehicles without overloading the local electricity network. ... > full story

Insects' exuberant helmet is actually an extra set of wings, researchers show (May 8, 2011) -- In 250 million years of insect evolution, the appearance of new wings is unprecedented. Transformations and losses of wings, yes, but additions, never. A research team in France has shattered this belief by providing proof that the exuberant helmet of Membracidae, a group of insects related to cicadas, is in fact a third pair of profoundly modified wings. ... > full story

US farmers dodge the impacts of global warming -- at least for now (May 8, 2011) -- The United States seems to have been lucky so far in largely escaping the impact of global warming on crop production. But for most major agricultural producing countries, the rising temperatures have already reduced their yields of corn and wheat compared to what they would have produced if there had been no warming, according to a new study. ... > full story

Single-cell marine organisms offer clues to how cells interact with the environment (May 8, 2011) -- From a bucket of seawater, scientists have unlocked information that may lead to deeper understanding of organisms as different as coral reefs and human disease. By analyzing genomes of a tiny, single-celled marine animal, they have demonstrated a possible way to address diverse questions such as how diseased cells differ from neighboring healthy cells and what it is about some Antarctic algae that allows them to live in warming waters while other algae die out. ... > full story

Protein keeps sleep-deprived flies ready to learn (May 8, 2011) -- A protein that helps the brain develop early in life can fight the mental fuzziness induced by sleep deprivation, according to researchers. ... > full story

World's blueberries protected in unique, living collection (May 8, 2011) -- Familiar blueberries and their lesser-known wild relatives are safeguarded by US Department of Agriculture scientists and curators at America's official blueberry gene bank. The plants, collected from throughout the United States and more than two dozen foreign countries, are growing at the USDA Agricultural Research Service National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Corvallis, Ore. ... > full story

When livestock can transmit foot-and-mouth disease: Findings suggest fewer cattle could be culled in the future (May 8, 2011) -- A new study of foot-and-mouth disease shows that cattle afflicted with the virus are only infectious for a brief window of time -- about half as long as previously thought. This finding suggests that the controversial control measures used to halt the disease's spread, such as killing large numbers of livestock, could be reduced. The discovery is also changing the way that scientists think about infectious diseases in general. ... > full story

Engineers patch a heart: Tissue-engineering platform enables heart tissue to repair itself (May 7, 2011) -- Engineering researchers have established a new method to patch a damaged heart using a tissue-engineering platform that enables heart tissue to repair itself. The breakthrough is an important step forward in combating cardiovascular disease, one of the most serious health problems of our day. ... > full story

It takes a community of soil microbes to protect plants from disease (May 7, 2011) -- Plants rely on a tight-knit army of soil microbes to defend themselves against pathogens, much the way mammals harbor a raft of microbes to avoid infections. The discovery could help scientists develop ways to better protect the world's food crops from devastating diseases. The scientists deciphered, for the first time, the group of microbes that enables a patch of soil to suppress a plant-killing pathogen ... > full story

Direct proof of how T cells stay in 'standby' mode: Study offers means of activating T cells to fight disease without antigenic triggers (May 7, 2011) -- Researchers offer definitive proof that T cells need to actively maintain "quiescence," a sort of standby mode the cells enter while waiting activation by other parts of the immune system. The researchers also found that they can activate quiescent cells by targeting a single protein, opening the possibility that quiescent T cells within tumors can be used to kill cancer cells. ... > full story

Green roof proves a cost-effective way to keep water out of sewers (May 7, 2011) -- Green roofs like the one atop a Con Edison building in Long Island City, Queens can be a cost-effective way to keep water from running into sewer systems and causing overflows, researchers have found. ... > full story

How shifts in temperature prime immune response (May 7, 2011) -- Researchers have found a temperature-sensing protein within immune cells that, when tripped, allows calcium to pour in and activate an immune response. This process can occur as temperature rises, such as during a fever, or when it falls -- such as when immune cells are "called" from the body's warm interior to a site of injury on cooler skin. ... > full story

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