The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Wednesday, June 8, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Wednesday, June 8, 2011

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Black, white and stinky: Explaining bold coloration in skunks (June 8, 2011) -- Biologists can now explain why some species such as skunks use bold coloration to warn predators either that they risk being sprayed with stinky gas or getting into a vicious fight, while other species don't. ... > full story

Protein folding made easy (June 8, 2011) -- Computational methods of modeling protein folding have existed for a couple of decades. But they required hundreds of thousands of CPU hours to compute the folding dynamics of 40 amino acids proteins. Now, researchers have developed algorithms able to predict correctly in 10 minutes on a single laptop, a coarse-grained representation of the folding pathways of a protein with 60 amino acids. ... > full story

Desktop genome analyzer and browser lets biologists easily analyze and process high-throughput data (June 8, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a desktop genome analyzer and browser that allows biologists to rapidly and easily analyze and process their high-throughput data. ... > full story

Air quality worsened by paved surfaces: Widespread urban development alters weather patterns (June 7, 2011) -- New research focusing on the Houston area suggests that widespread urban development alters wind patterns in a way that can make it easier for pollutants to build up during warm summer weather instead of being blown out to sea. The international study could have implications for the air quality of fast-growing coastal cities in the United States and other midlatitude regions overseas. The reason: the proliferation of strip malls, subdivisions, and other paved areas may interfere with breezes needed to clear away smog and other pollution. ... > full story

NASA sees the sun having a solar blast (June 7, 2011) -- The Sun unleashed an M-2 (medium-sized) solar flare, an S1-class (minor) radiation storm and a spectacular coronal mass ejection (CME) on June 7, 2011 from sunspot complex 1226-1227. The large cloud of particles mushroomed up and fell back down looking as if it covered an area of almost half the solar surface. ... > full story

Native ants use chemical weapons to turn back invading Argentine ants (June 7, 2011) -- University sophomores studying ants in a summer course discovered that the local ants were using poison to kill invading Argentine ants. The discovery provides new insight into the war between the local "winter ants" and the South American invaders who have shown up everywhere from California to South Africa. ... > full story

Glaciations may have larger influence on biodiversity than current climate, dung beetle study finds (June 7, 2011) -- An investigation by Spanish researchers reveals that the large impacts occurred during the last ice age maintain their effects on the current distribution of dung beetles of the scarab family (Scarabaeidae). The presence of these beetles in Europe seems to be more influenced by the climate of that glaciation than by the present one. ... > full story

Apple ingredient keeps muscles strong: Component of apple peels found to help prevent muscle weakening in mice (June 7, 2011) -- In search of a way to prevent the muscle wasting that comes with illness and aging, researchers have landed a natural compound that might just do the trick. The findings identify a component of apple peels as a promising new drug candidate for the widespread and debilitating condition that affects nearly everyone at one time or another. ... > full story

Fetal exposure to BPA changes development of uterus in primates, study suggests (June 7, 2011) -- Exposure in the womb to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical widely used in the food and medical industries, causes changes in female primates' uterus development, new research suggests. ... > full story

Novel geothermal technology packs a one-two punch against climate change (June 7, 2011) -- Researchers have developed an innovative approach to tapping heat beneath Earth's surface. The method is expected to not only produce renewable electricity far more efficiently than conventional geothermal systems, but also help reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide -- dealing a one-two punch against climate change. ... > full story

Jellyfish blooms shunt food energy from fish to bacteria (June 7, 2011) -- A new study shows that jellyfish are more than a nuisance to bathers and boaters, drastically altering marine food webs by shunting food energy from fish toward bacteria. An apparent increase in the size and frequency of jellyfish blooms in coastal and estuarine waters around the world during the last few decades means that jellies' impact on marine food webs is likely to increase into the future. ... > full story

Bisphenol A (BPA) accumulates more rapidly within the body than previously thought (June 7, 2011) -- A new study shows that the exposure to the controversial chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) through diet has been underestimated by previous lab tests. In the study, researchers compared BPA concentrations in mice that were given a steady diet supplemented with BPA throughout the day, compared to the more common lab method of single exposure, and found an increased absorption and accumulation of BPA in the blood of mice. ... > full story

Methane gas from cows: The proof is in the feces (June 7, 2011) -- Scientists could have a revolutionary new way of measuring how much of the potent greenhouse gas methane is produced by cows and other ruminants, thanks to a surprising discovery in their feces. ... > full story

Scanning the skies for debris hazards (June 7, 2011) -- Today, orbiting satellites are threatened by over 700 000 pieces of debris. Avoiding them requires knowing where they are, and that means surveillance with radar and telescopes. The European Space Agency is designing a system to catalog debris and warn satellite operators when to take evasive action. ... > full story

Yo-yo dieting vs. obesity? Dieters may be healthier, live longer, mouse study suggests (June 7, 2011) -- Yo-yo dieters may be healthier and live longer than those who stay obese, a new study suggests. Mice that switched between a high-fat and low-fat diet every four weeks during their approximate two-year lifespan lived about 25 percent longer and had better blood glucose levels than obese animals that ate a high-fat diet. The yo-yo dieters also lived about as long as a control group of mice steadily fed a low-fat diet. ... > full story

Satellites see eruption of Chile's Puyehue-Cordón volcano from space (June 7, 2011) -- NASA's Terra Satellite, the GOES-13 and GOES-11 satellites all captured images of the ash plume from southern Chile's Puyehue-Cordón Volcano. The volcano is located in Puyehue National Park in the Andes of Ranco Province of Chile. ... > full story

First-of-its-kind fluorescence map offers a new view of the world's land plants (June 7, 2011) -- Scientists from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center have produced groundbreaking global maps of land plant fluorescence, a difficult-to-detect reddish glow that leaves emit as a byproduct of photosynthesis. While researchers have previously mapped how ocean-dwelling phytoplankton fluoresce, the new maps are the first to focus on land vegetation and to cover the entire globe. ... > full story

Compaction bands in sandstone are permeable: Findings could aid hydraulic fracturing, other fluid extraction techniques (June 7, 2011) -- When geologists survey an area of land for the potential that gas or petroleum deposits could exist there, they must take into account the composition of rocks that lie below the surface. Previous research had suggested that compaction bands might act as barriers to the flow of oil or gas. Now, researchers have analyzed X-ray images of sandstone and revealed that compaction bands are actually more permeable than earlier models indicated. ... > full story

Scientists use super microscope to pinpoint body’s immunity 'switch' (June 7, 2011) -- Using super-resolution fluorescence microscopy, medical scientists have been able for the first time to see the inner workings of T-cells, the front-line troops that alert our immune system to go on the defensive against germs and other invaders in our bloodstream. The discovery overturns prevailing understanding, identifying the exact molecular "switch" that spurs T-cells into action -- a breakthrough that could lead to treatments for a range of conditions from autoimmune diseases to cancer. ... > full story

Scientists unlock potential of frog skin to treat cancer (June 7, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered proteins in frog skins which could be used to treat cancer, diabetes, stroke and transplant patients by regulating the growth of blood vessels. ... > full story

Desserts with a low glycemic index may benefit weight-loss efforts for obese children (June 7, 2011) -- Overweight girls lose more weight and can better stay on a healthy diet if they eat sugar-free, low-fat desserts several times weekly, as opposed to any dessert once a week, a new study finds. ... > full story

Biochemical weakness of malaria parasite discovered; Vaccine to be developed (June 7, 2011) -- Every year, 10,000 pregnant women and up to 200,000 newborn babies are killed by the malaria parasite. Doctors all around the globe have for years been looking in vain for a medical protection, and now researchers in Denmark have found the biochemically weakness of the lethal malaria parasite, and will now start developing a vaccine to combat pregnancy related malaria. ... > full story

Recent increase in sustainably managed tropical forests, but forces driving preservation could lose to those favoring destruction (June 7, 2011) -- A comprehensive assessment of tropical forest management reports a 50 percent increase in the area of tropical forest under sustainable management in just five years, but cautions that key drivers of that increase -- growing demand for certified timber and funding for climate change initiatives -- could have only a marginal impact in the long-term. ... > full story

Higher density means world forests are capturing more carbon (June 6, 2011) -- Forests in many regions are becoming larger carbon sinks thanks to higher density, researchers say in a new report. In Europe and North America, increased density significantly raised carbon storage despite little or no expansion of forest area, according to the study. Even in the South American nations studied, more density helped maintain regional carbon levels in the face of deforestation. ... > full story

BPA lowers male fertility, mouse study finds (June 6, 2011) -- Daily exposure to a chemical that is prevalent in the human environment, bisphenol A, causes lowered fertility in male mice, according to the results of a new study. ... > full story

Hyperdiverse flora in Cape region, Africa, mainly caused by huge range of soil types (June 6, 2011) -- Hardly any other place worldwide boosts such a hyperdiverse flora as is to be found on the southwestern tip of Africa. The flora is moreover quite unique with almost 70 % of the native species being endemic. Biologists have now established that the remarkable plant diversity is mainly due to the large range of different soils in this region. ... > full story

Climate scientists forecast permanently hotter summers (June 6, 2011) -- The tropics and much of the Northern Hemisphere are likely to experience an irreversible rise in summer temperatures within the next 20 to 60 years if atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations continue to increase, according to a new climate study. ... > full story

Gene therapy reverses type 1 diabetes in mice, study finds (June 6, 2011) -- An experimental cure for type 1 diabetes has a nearly 80 percent success rate in curing diabetic mice. The results offer possible hope of curing a disease that affects 3 million Americans. ... > full story

Tiny talk on a barnacle's back: Scientists use new imaging technique to reveal complex microbial interactions (June 6, 2011) -- Researchers report using a new form of imaging mass spectrometry to dramatically visualize multiplex microbial interactions. ... > full story

Deer tick bacteria DNA in joint fluid not reliable marker of active lyme arthritis, study finds (June 6, 2011) -- New research shows that polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for Borrelia burgdorferi DNA--the spirochetal bacteria transmitted by deer ticks--in joint fluid may confirm the diagnosis of Lyme arthritis, but is not a reliable indicator for active joint infection in patients whose arthritis persists after antibiotic therapy. ... > full story

Anti-obesity vaccine reduces food consumption in animals (June 6, 2011) -- A new therapeutic vaccine to treat obesity by suppressing the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin decreases food intake and increases calorie burning in mice, a new study finds. ... > full story

Darkness stifles reproduction of surface-dwelling fish (June 6, 2011) -- There's a reason to be afraid of the dark. Fish accustomed to living near the light of the water's surface become proverbial "fish out of water" when they move to dark environments like those found in caves, according to a study. ... > full story

Will global climate change enhance boreal forest growth? (June 6, 2011) -- With an increasingly warmer climate, there is a trend for springs to arrive earlier and summers to be hotter. Since spring and summer are the prime growing seasons for plants -- when flowers bloom and trees increase in girth and height -- do these climate changes mean greater seasonal growth for plants? This is a critical question for forest management, especially in the boreal region -- an area particularly sensitive to the effects of climate change. ... > full story

Carbon release to atmosphere 10 times faster than in the past, geologists find (June 6, 2011) -- The rate of release of carbon into the atmosphere today is nearly 10 times as fast as during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), 55.9 million years ago, the best analog we have for current global warming, according to an international team of geologists. Rate matters and this current rapid change may not allow sufficient time for the biological environment to adjust. ... > full story

Major step in improving forecasts of weather extremes such as floods and droughts (June 6, 2011) -- Moisture and heat fluctuations from the land surface to the atmosphere form a critical nexus between surface hydrology and atmospheric processes, especially those relevant to rainfall. While current theory has suggested that soil moisture has had a positive impact on precipitation, there have been very few large-scale observations of this. Now, a team of researchers has demonstrated that evaporation from the land surface is able to modify summertime rainfall east of the Mississippi and in the monsoonal region in the southern U.S. and Mexico. ... > full story

Big city holds empty promise for bats (June 6, 2011) -- In the treeless, flat Prairie, you'd think a city would provide a good home for bats who like to snuggle up and roost in trees and buildings. But researchers made the surprising discovery that the urban landscape is far from ideal for these animals. ... > full story

It all depends on the coffee: The eco-balance of coffee capsules (June 6, 2011) -- Exactly how environmentally friendly are the various capsule systems and other ways of making coffee? Swiss researchers have taken a close look at the ecological balances of the various systems currently in use. The result: it all depends on the contents. The choice of coffee has a much stronger effect on the environmental friendliness than the capsule system, type of machine or method of preparation. ... > full story

Early light refines brain's circuitry for vision: Studies show importance of visual stimulation in wiring up species' brains to see (June 6, 2011) -- Creatures are not born hardwired to see. Instead, they depend on electrical activity in the retina to refine the complex circuits that process visual information. Two new studies in different species using different techniques show how nascent animal brains use light to wire up or construct their central vision system. ... > full story

What the margins of Spain's Ebro river basin looked like 6 million years ago (June 6, 2011) -- A Spanish research team, using 3-D reflection seismology, has for the first time mapped the geomorphological features of the Ebro river basin 5 to 6 million years ago. The images obtained show that the surface analyzed is today 2.5 or 3 kilometres below the sea bed. ... > full story

Good youth programs help teens learn to think not just logically, but strategically (June 6, 2011) -- Teens develop strategic thinking skills in youth activities that they rarely learn in the classroom, says a new study of 11 high-quality urban and rural arts and leadership programs. Strategic thinking involves more than logic; it involves learning to anticipate the disorderly ways that events unfold in the real world. ... > full story

New study provides global analysis of seagrass extinction risk (June 5, 2011) -- Scientists have completed the first-ever study of the risk of extinction for individual seagrass species around the world. The new study shows that 10 of the 72 known seagrass species (14 percent) are at an elevated risk of extinction, while 3 species qualify as endangered. ... > full story

Flaxseed no cure for hot flashes during breast cancer or menopause, study finds (June 5, 2011) -- Flaxseed provides no benefit in easing hot flashes among breast cancer patients and postmenopausal women, according to a new study. ... > full story

Noise research to combat 'wind turbine syndrome' (June 5, 2011) -- Australian acoustics researchers are investigating the causes of wind turbine noise with the aim of making them quieter and solving "wind turbine syndrome." ... > full story

Developing advanced biofuels: Researchers counteract biofuel toxicity in microbes (June 5, 2011) -- Researchers have created a library of microbial efflux pumps that reduce toxicity and boost production of biofuels in engineered strains of microbes. This library and the bioprospecting strategy behind it should serve as valuable new tools for the development of advanced biofuels and other areas of biotechnology as well. ... > full story

Greenhouse gas reduction strategy may be safe for soil animals (June 5, 2011) -- A new study has found that an emerging tool for combating climate change may cause less harm to some soil animals than initial studies suggested. ... > full story

DNA can discern between two quantum states, research shows (June 4, 2011) -- Do the principles of quantum mechanics apply to biological systems? Until now, both biologists and physicists have considered quantum systems and biological molecules to be like apples and oranges. But new research shows that a biological molecule -- DNA -- can discern between quantum states known as spin. ... > full story

Eating dirt can be good for the belly, researchers find (June 4, 2011) -- Most of us never considered eating the mud pies we made as kids, but for many people all over the world, dining on dirt is nothing out of the ordinary. Now an extensive meta-analysis helps explain why. ... > full story

Again, but faster! The spectacular courtship dance of a tiny bird (June 4, 2011) -- A small male bird called a golden-collared manakin performs a difficult, elaborate, physically demanding courtship dance. In new research, scientists report that female golden-collared manakins select mates based on subtle differences in motor performance during these courtship dances. ... > full story