The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Friday, July 1, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Friday, July 1, 2011

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Plastic found in nine percent of 'garbage patch' fishes: Tens of thousands of tons of debris annually ingested (July 1, 2011) -- The first scientific results from an ambitious voyage led by a group of graduate students from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego offer a stark view of human pollution and its infiltration of an area of the ocean that has been labeled as the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch." ... > full story

Scientists hope to get glimpse of adolescent universe from revolutionary instrument-on-a-chip (July 1, 2011) -- Thanks to technological advances,scientists hope to provide a picture of how the cosmos developed into the kind of place that could support life like that found on Earth. ... > full story

Transmission lines for nanofocusing of infrared light (July 1, 2011) -- Researchers in Spain report an innovative method to focus infrared light with tapered transmission lines to nanometer-size dimensions. This device could trigger the development of novel chemical and biological sensing tools, including ultra-small infrared spectrometers and lab-on-a-chip integrated biosensors. ... > full story

Takeoffs and landings cause more precipitation near airports, researchers find (July 1, 2011) -- Researchers have found that areas near commercial airports sometimes experience a small but measurable increase in rain and snow when aircraft take off and land under certain atmospheric conditions. The new study is part of ongoing research that focuses on so-called hole punch and canal clouds that form when planes fly through certain mid-level clouds, forcing nearby air to rapidly expand and cool. ... > full story

Scientists study earthquake triggers in Pacific Ocean (June 30, 2011) -- New samples of rock and sediment from the depths of the eastern Pacific Ocean may help explain the cause of large, destructive earthquakes similar to the Tohoku Earthquake that struck Japan in mid-March. Nearly 1,500 meters (almost one mile) of core collected from the ocean floor near the coast of Costa Rica reveal detailed records of approximately two million years of tectonic activity along a seismic plate boundary. ... > full story

Moving microscopic vision into another new dimension (June 30, 2011) -- Scientists who pioneered a revolutionary 3-D microscope technique are now describing an extension of that technology into a new dimension that promises sweeping applications in medicine, biological research, and development of new electronic devices. ... > full story

Tranquillity formula could increase health benefits of visiting urban and country parks (June 30, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a toolkit for measuring tranquillity that could enable neglected or overlooked urban parks to flourish and become a haven for stressed city workers. ... > full story

X-rays reveal patterns in the plumage of the first birds (June 30, 2011) -- Researchers report in Science Express that they have taken a big step in determining what the first birds looked like more than 100 million years ago, when their relatives, the dinosaurs, still ruled the Earth. At the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, they discovered chemical traces of a pigment, an important component of color, that once formed patterns in the feathers of the fossilized birds. ... > full story

Evolutionary kings of the hill use good, bad and ugly mutations to speed ahead of competition (June 30, 2011) -- Evolutionary adaptation is often compared to climbing a hill, and organisms making the right combination of multiple mutations -- both good and bad -- can become the king of the mountain, according to new research. Through computer simulations, researchers were able to watch evolution play out and see how populations use these combinations to evolve from one adaptive state to another. ... > full story

New fossils demonstrate that powerful eyes evolved in a twinkling (June 30, 2011) -- Palaeontologists have uncovered half-a-billion-year-old fossils demonstrating that primitive animals had excellent vision. Scientists found exquisite fossils, which look like squashed eyes from a recently swatted fly. ... > full story

Genetic alterations in pig tissue may allow for human transplantation (June 30, 2011) -- A sizzling genetic discovery may one day allow pig tissue to be transplanted successfully into humans. Scientists have taken a step forward toward filling the shortage of vital organs for human transplantation. Research has shown that altering or overexpressing human programmed death ligand-1 molecule in endothelial cells of pig arteries reduces conditions that cause rejection. This suggests humans could receive altered porcine organs with fewer complications. ... > full story

MicroRNAs in the songbird brain respond to new songs (June 30, 2011) -- Whenever it hears an unfamiliar song from a male of the same species, a zebra finch stops chirping, hopping and grooming. Once it becomes familiar with the song, it goes back to its busy routine. Researchers have now found that levels of microRNAs -- short lengths of ribonucleic acid -- go up or down in the songbird brain after it hears a new song. These microRNAs likely represent a new class of regulatory agents that fine-tune the brain's response to social information. ... > full story

Human ancestor older than previously thought; Finding offers new insights into evolution (June 30, 2011) -- Modern humans never co-existed with Homo erectus -- a finding counter to previous hypotheses of human evolution -- new excavations in Indonesia and dating analyses show. The research offers new insights into the nature of human evolution, suggesting a different role for Homo erectus than had been previously thought. ... > full story

Ladybirds -- wolves in sheep's clothing (June 30, 2011) -- Australian research has revealed that the tremendous diversity of ladybird beetle species is linked to their ability to produce larvae which, with impunity, poach members of "herds" of tiny, soft-bodied scale insects from under the noses of the aggressive ants that tend them. ... > full story

Average U.S. temperature increases by 0.5 degrees F (June 30, 2011) -- According to the 1981-2010 normals to be released by the U.S. National Climatic Data Center, temperatures across the United States were on average, approximately 0.5 degree F warmer than the 1971-2000 time period. Normals serve as a 30 year baseline average of important climate variables that are used to understand average climate conditions at any location and serve as a consistent point of reference. The new normals update the 30-year averages of climatological variables, including average temperature and precipitation for more than 7,500 locations across the United States. ... > full story

2010 one of two warmest years on record; El Niño-Southern Oscillation and other climate patterns play major role (June 30, 2011) -- Worldwide, 2010 was one of the two warmest years on record, according to a new report by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The peer-reviewed report, compiled by 368 scientists from 45 countries, provides a detailed, yearly update on global climate indicators, notable climate events and other climate information from every continent. ... > full story

Unearthing the appearance of ancient animals: X-ray technique for determining fossil pigmentation patterns (June 30, 2011) -- An international team is unearthing the appearance of ancient animals by using the world's most powerful X-rays. New research shows how trace metals in fossils can be used to determine the pigmentation patterns of creatures dead for more than a hundred million years. ... > full story

Pigment patterns from the prehistoric past (June 30, 2011) -- An international collaboration has for the first time revealed chemical traces of pigments in bird, fish and squid fossils, some over 100 million years old. ... > full story

Aircraft influence the local weather, new study shows; Inadvertent cloud seeding can increase precipitation around major airports (June 30, 2011) -- As airplanes fly through the clouds, they often punch holes through the ones that contain supercooled water, or water that has remained in liquid form below its freezing point. Now, researchers say that this phenomenon can lead to increased snowfall around the world's major airports. ... > full story

Rockin' tortoises: A 150-year-old new species (June 29, 2011) -- Researchers investigated a desert tortoise from the United States Southwest and northwestern Mexico. What was thought to be a simple problem in species identification turned out to be a very complex matter. Their investigations required forensic genetics and several other methods. In the end, they found it necessary to describe a new species. More than that, the discovery has very important implications for conservation and the development of the deserts of southern California. ... > full story

New malaria protein structure upends theory of how cells grow and move (June 29, 2011) -- Researchers have now overturned conventional wisdom on how cell movement across all species is controlled, solving the structure of a protein that cuts power to the cell "motor". The protein could be a potential drug target for future malaria and anti-cancer treatments. ... > full story

Multiple sclerosis-like disease discovered in monkeys (June 29, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a naturally occurring disease in monkeys that is very much like multiple sclerosis in humans -- a discovery that could have a major impact on efforts to understand the cause of multiple sclerosis. ... > full story

SIV-resistant monkeys close the gates to viral infection (June 29, 2011) -- Sooty mangabeys, a type of African monkey, can survive infection by SIV, a relative of HIV, and not succumb to AIDS. Researchers have now identified a way some of sooty mangabeys' immune cells resist infection: they close the gates that SIV and HIV use to get into the cell. The findings may lead to strategies to help HIV-infected individuals cope better with infection. ... > full story

Growing plants on oil contaminated land (June 29, 2011) -- What happens when there is an oil spill on land? Who cleans it up and how do they do it? By optimizing the use of naturally occurring bacteria, a group of scientists was able to clean contaminated soil without using either chemicals or GMOs. ... > full story

New method for imaging molecules inside cells (June 29, 2011) -- Using a new sample holder, researchers have further developed a new method for imaging individual cells. This makes it possible to produce snapshots that not only show the outline of the cell's contours but also the various molecules inside or on the surface of the cell, and exactly where they are located, something which is impossible with a normal microscope. ... > full story

Prodigal plankton species makes first known migration from Pacific to Atlantic via Pole (June 29, 2011) -- Scientists say the melting Arctic has opened a Northwest Passage for Pacific species to enter the Atlantic, including a tiny plankton, unseen in the Atlantic for 800,000 years -- a return unwelcome due to its impact on the marine food web. ... > full story

A happy life is a long one for orangutans (June 29, 2011) -- New research has shown that happier orangutans live longer which may provide insight into the evolution of happiness in humans. Researchers asked keepers who work with orangutans to answer questions about happiness on the animals' behalf. Orangutans which were scored as happier by their keepers were more likely to live longer. ... > full story

Farm animal disease to increase with climate change, scientists say (June 29, 2011) -- Scientists have shown that recent climate change could have caused a serious infectious disease in farm animals to spread through Europe. ... > full story

Domed dinosaur was king of the head butt (June 29, 2011) -- Researchers surveyed the heads of a large number of modern animals as well as one of the world's best dinosaur fossils and they found that the bony anatomy of some pachycephalosaur domes are better at protecting the brain than in any modern head butter. ... > full story

How bumblebees tackle the traveling salesman problem (June 29, 2011) -- New research reveals how bumblebees effectively plan their route between the most rewarding flowers while traveling the shortest distances. ... > full story

Gene flow may help plants adapt to climate change (June 29, 2011) -- The traffic of genes among populations may help living things better adapt to climate change, especially when genes flow among groups most affected by warming, according to a new study. ... > full story

Bacterium engineered with DNA in which thymine is replaced by synthetic building block (June 29, 2011) -- The genetic information of all living cells is stored in the DNA composed of the four canonical bases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T). An international team of researchers has now succeeded in generating a bacterium possessing a DNA in which thymine is replaced by the synthetic building block 5-Chlorouracil (c), a substance toxic for other organisms. ... > full story

Climate change makes some chemicals more toxic to aquatic life, study finds (June 29, 2011) -- Some areas of the southern United States are suffering from the longest dry spell since 1887, and a new study shows that could prove problematic for aquatic organisms. ... > full story

Tiny ring laser accurately detects and counts nanoparticles (June 29, 2011) -- A ring-shaped laser no bigger than a pinprick can accurately detect and count individual viruses, the particles that jumpstart cloud formation or those that contaminate the air we breathe. A particle disturbs the light circulating in the ring, splitting the lasing frequency. This split is a measure of the particle's size. ... > full story

Surgeon shows simple cotton swab slashes post-surgical wound infections (June 29, 2011) -- A simple item found in almost every medicine cabinet -- a cotton swab -- may be a key tool in the fight against post-surgical wound infections. ... > full story

Conservation dollars and sense: A case for shark conservation through ecotourism (June 29, 2011) -- New article examines the impact of sharks on coastal economies and the importance of including conservation efforts in long term management plans. ... > full story

BPA-exposed male deer mice are demasculinized and undesirable to females, new study finds (June 29, 2011) -- The latest research shows that BPA causes male deer mice to become demasculinized and behave more like females in their spatial navigational abilities, leading scientists to conclude that exposure to BPA during human development could be damaging to behavioral and cognitive traits that are unique to each sex and important in reproduction. ... > full story

Female mate choice enhances offspring fitness in an annual herb (June 29, 2011) -- Mate choice and sexual selection in plants is more complex in some ways than in animals because plants are sessile organisms and often must rely on external vectors, e.g. animals, for pollen transport. Plants can only do so much to affect the timing of pollen arrival, or the size and diversity of deposited pollen. But can a plant control which pollen grains, of the hundreds that land on their stigmas, make it to the ovules? ... > full story

Peat wildfire smoke linked to heart failure risk (June 29, 2011) -- The 2008 peat bog wildfires in North Carolina led to an increase in emergency room visits for respiratory and cardiovascular effects, records show. ... > full story

GOES satellites see ash still spewing from Chilean volcano (June 29, 2011) -- The Puyehue-Cordon volcano in Chile continues to spew ash that is still disrupting travel as far as Australia and New Zealand this week. ... > full story

Researchers contribute to global plant database, expanding ecosystems research (June 29, 2011) -- A new database of plants' traits will help scientists around the world learn more about how climate change is affecting ecosystems. The availability of plant trait data in the unified global database promises to support a paradigm shift in Earth system sciences. ... > full story

Understanding impacts of aerosols and trace gases on climate and air quality (June 29, 2011) -- Atmospheric aerosol particles (otherwise known as particulate matter) have been masking the true rate of greenhouse gas induced global warming during the industrial period. New investigations show that the aerosol cooling effect will be strongly reduced by 2030, as air pollution abatements are implemented worldwide and the presently available advanced control technologies are utilized. These actions would increase the global mean temperature by roughly 1 degree Celsius. ... > full story

Mystery ingredient in coffee boosts protection against Alzheimer's disease, study finds (June 28, 2011) -- An unidentified coffee component combined with caffeine increases a growth factor that counters Alzheimer's pathology in mice, according to new research. ... > full story

High levels of toxic compounds found on coasts of West Africa (June 28, 2011) -- Scientists have found very high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) along the coasts of West Africa. Production of these extremely toxic compounds has been banned in Europe and the United States for years. These harmful substances could come from the illegal dumping of waste or from an enormous ship breaking yard in Mauritania. ... > full story

Natural sequence farming could affect global climate change (June 28, 2011) -- Improving land management and farming practices in Australia could have an effect on global climate change, according to a new study. ... > full story

Does grilling kill E. coli O157:H7? (June 28, 2011) -- Top sirloin steaks have been getting a grilling in food safety studies. Microbiologists are conducting experiments to help make sure that neither the food-borne pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7 nor any of its pathogenic relatives will ruin the pleasure of eating this popular entree. ... > full story

Starch-controlling gene fuels more protein in soybean plants (June 28, 2011) -- A newly discovered gene introduced into soybean plants has increased the amount of protein in the plant's seed by 30 to 60 percent. People with protein-starved diets around the world could benefit. ... > full story

Inkjet printing could change the face of solar energy industry (June 28, 2011) -- Inkjet printers, a low-cost technology that in recent decades has revolutionized home and small office printing, may soon offer similar benefits for the future of solar energy. Engineers have discovered a way for the first time to create successful solar devices with inkjet printing, in work that reduces raw material waste by 90 percent and will significantly lower the cost of producing solar energy cells with some very promising compounds. ... > full story