The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Monday, July 11, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Monday, July 11, 2011

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Olympia hypothesis: Tsunamis buried the cult site on the Peloponnese (July 11, 2011) -- Olympia, site of the famous Temple of Zeus and original venue of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece, was presumably destroyed by repeated tsunamis that traveled considerable distances inland, and not by earthquake and river floods as has been assumed to date. Evidence in support of this new theory on the virtual disappearance of the ancient cult site on the Peloponnesian peninsula comes from a researcher in Germany. ... > full story

Salamanders spell out evolution in action (July 11, 2011) -- Lungless salamanders (Ensatina eschscholtzii) live in a horseshoe-shape region in California (a 'ring') which circles around the central valley. New research showed that reproductive isolation of E. eschscholtzii was driven by genetic divergence rather than adaption to different ecological habitats. ... > full story

Chromosomes' big picture: Similarities found in genomes across multiple species; Platypus still out of place (July 11, 2011) -- By mapping various genomes onto an X-Y axis, a team of researchers has found that Charles Darwin and a fruit fly -- among other organisms -- have a lot in common genetically. The researchers found that the chromosome sizes within each eukaryotic species are actually similar rather than drastically different as previously believed. They also found that the chromosomes of these different organisms share a similar distribution pattern. ... > full story

Fewer rain storms across southern Australia with global warming (July 11, 2011) -- Decreasing autumn and winter rainfall over southern Australia has been attributed to a 50-year decrease in the average intensity of storms in the region -- a trend which is forecast to continue for another 50 years. ... > full story

Extremely rapid water: Scientists decipher a protein-bound water chain (July 11, 2011) -- Researchers have succeeded in providing evidence that a protein is capable of creating a water molecule chain for a few milliseconds for the directed proton transfer. The combination of vibrational spectroscopy and biomolecular simulations enabled the elucidation of the proton pump mechanism of a cell-membrane protein in atomic detail. The researchers demonstrated that protein-bound water molecules play a decisive role in the function. ... > full story

Jewel beetles, obtained from local people, turn out to be four species unknown to science (July 10, 2011) -- Biologists have discovered four new species of jewel beetles (Buprestidae) from South-eastern Asia. This family of beetles is named for their particularly beautiful body and fascinating, shiny colors. ... > full story

Geothermal industry to get boost from new research (July 10, 2011) -- An ambitious project to understand and characterize geothermal potential at nearly 500 sites throughout the Great Basin in the western U.S. is yielding a bounty of information for the geothermal industry to use in developing resources in Nevada, according to a report to the US Department of Energy. ... > full story

Vertebrate jaw design locked early: Study on initial diversification of jaws sheds light on early vertebrate feeding ecology (July 10, 2011) -- With the evolution of jaws some 420 million years ago, jawed animals diversified rapidly into a range of niches that remained stable for the following 80 million years, despite extinctions, habitat loss and competition, say researchers. ... > full story

Ruminant headgear: Antlers, horns, ossicones and pronghorns may offer medical clues (July 10, 2011) -- Emerging from the heads of most cud-chewing mammals, headgear inspire an almost mystical and certainly majestic aura. But, scientists say, we know shockingly little about them. In a new paper, scientists out what is known -- and not known -- about antlers, horns, pronghorns and ossicones. ... > full story

Salt-loving microbe provides new enzymes for the production of next-generation biofuels (July 10, 2011) -- To realize the full potential of advanced biofuels that are derived from lignocellulosic biomass, new technologies that can efficiently and cost-effectively break down this biomass into simple sugars are required. A new class of solvents, ionic liquids, are more efficient in treating the biomass and enhancing the yield of sugars liberated from it. To identify new enzymes that are tolerant of ionic liquids, researchers are turning to salt-tolerant organisms isolated from the Great Salt Lake. ... > full story

Scientists sequence potato genome (July 10, 2011) -- An international consortium has successfully sequenced and analyzed the potato genome. The consortium's work turned up more than 39,000 genes and is expected to speed potato research and breeding projects around the globe. ... > full story

Sex -- as we know it -- works thanks to ever-evolving host-parasite relationships, biologists find (July 9, 2011) -- Biologists have found that, although sexual reproduction between two individuals is costly from an evolutionary perspective, it is favored over self-fertilization in the presence of coevolving parasites. Sex allows parents to produce offspring that are more resistant to the parasites, while self-fertilization dooms populations to extinction at the hands of their biological enemies. ... > full story

Chesapeake Bay pesticides: Some diminish, some persist (July 9, 2011) -- Scientists are identifying factors that influence pesticide levels in the Chesapeake Bay airshed, including traces of "legacy" pesticides that still linger even though they are no longer being used. ... > full story

Increased protection urgently needed for tunas, experts urge (July 9, 2011) -- For the first time, all species of scombrids (tunas, bonitos, mackerels and Spanish mackerels) and billfishes (swordfish and marlins) have been assessed for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Of the 61 known species, seven are classified in a threatened category, being at serious risk of extinction. Four species are listed as Near Threatened and nearly two-thirds have been placed in the Least Concern category. ... > full story

Viruses bathe in rivers and at the beach, too, European study finds (July 9, 2011) -- European researchers have found viruses in nearly 40% of more than 1,400 bathing water samples gathered from coastal and inland areas in nine countries, including Spain. The concentrations found are low, but the scientists are calling for these microorganisms to be monitored in recreational waters, above all at times when their populations skyrocket, as is the case after heavy rains. ... > full story

Holes in fossil bones reveal dinosaur activity (July 8, 2011) -- New research has added to the debate about whether dinosaurs were cold-blooded and sluggish or warm-blooded and active. ... > full story

World War II bombing raids offer new insight into the effects of aviation on climate (July 8, 2011) -- Climate researchers have turned to the Allied bombing raids of the Second World War for a unique opportunity to study the effect thousands of aircraft had on the English climate at a time when civilian aviation remained rare. The study reveals how civilian and military records can help assess the impact of modern aviation on the climate today. ... > full story

Recycling: A new source of indispensible 'rare earth' materials mined mainly in China (July 8, 2011) -- That axiom of sustainability -- "recycle and reuse" -- could help ease concerns about a reliable supply of substances, indispensable for a modern technological society, that are produced almost exclusively in the Peoples' Republic of China. That's the conclusion of a study on these so-called "rare earth" elements. ... > full story

How memory is read out in the fly brain: MB-V2 nerve cells enable the read-out of associative memories (July 8, 2011) -- What happens if you cannot recall your memory correctly? You are able to associate and store the name and face of a person, yet you might be unable to remember them when you meet that person. In this example, the recall of the information is temporarily impaired. How such associative memories are "read out" in the brain remains one of the great mysteries of modern neurobiology. Now, scientists have taken the first step to unravel this mechanism. ... > full story

Indoor air pollution linked to cardiovascular risk (July 8, 2011) -- An estimated two billion people in the developing world heat and cook with a biomass fuel such as wood, but the practice exposes people -- especially women -- to large doses of small-particle air pollution, which can cause premature death and lung disease. ... > full story

New plant genus, species discovered in St. Johns River, Florida (July 8, 2011) -- Remarkable for their exquisite, glass-like cell walls in every imaginable 3-D shape and pattern -- and important for their role as bio-indicators of water quality -- diatoms are the predominant group of microscopic, single-celled algae at the base of the aquatic food chain. Biologists have now identified a new diatom genus and species. ... > full story

Body's natural marijuana-like chemicals make fatty foods hard to resist (July 8, 2011) -- Recent studies have revealed potato chips and french fries to be the worst contributors to weight gain -- and with good reason. Have you ever wondered why you can't eat just one chip or a single fry? It's not just the carbohydrates at fault. ... > full story

Ancestry of polar bears traced to Ireland (July 8, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered that the female ancestor of all living polar bears was a brown bear that lived in the vicinity of present-day Britain and Ireland just prior to the peak of the last ice age -- 20,000 to 50,000 years ago. The research is expected to help guide future conservation efforts for polar bears, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. ... > full story

‘Cling-film’ solar cells could lead to advance in renewable energy (July 8, 2011) -- A scientific advance in renewable energy which promises a revolution in the ease and cost of using solar cells, has just been announced. A new study shows that even when using very simple and inexpensive manufacturing methods - where flexible layers of material are deposited over large areas like cling-film - efficient solar cell structures can be made. ... > full story

Nano detector for deadly anthrax (July 8, 2011) -- An automatic and portable detector that takes just fifteen minutes to analyze a sample suspected of contamination with anthrax is being developed by U.S. researchers. The technology amplifies any anthrax DNA present in the sample and can reveal the presence of just 40 microscopic cells of the deadly bacteria Bacillus anthracis. ... > full story

Fire to become increasingly important driver of atmospheric change in warming world (July 8, 2011) -- Researchers say it is likely that fire will become an increasingly important driver of atmospheric change as the world warms. ... > full story

Molecular gastronomy: Science behind the art of cooking (July 8, 2011) -- Molecular gastronomy (a scientific discipline that studies what happens when we cook) has a lot of untapped potential in Ireland, researchers say. ... > full story

Discovery of natural antibody brings a universal flu vaccine a step closer (July 8, 2011) -- Annually changing flu vaccines with their hit-and-miss effectiveness may soon give way to a single, near-universal flu vaccine, according to a new report. Researchers describe an antibody that, in animal tests, can prevent or cure infections with a broad variety of influenza viruses, including seasonal and potentially pandemic strains. ... > full story

Unraveling potato genome paves way for new varieties (July 8, 2011) -- The potato, the world's third most popular food, has been genetically unraveled. Researchers from the international Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium in 14 countries have mapped the potato's hundreds of millions of building blocks. ... > full story

Research bolsters importance of horseshoe crab spawning for migrating shorebirds (July 7, 2011) -- Speculation that the welfare of a small, at-risk shorebird is directly tied to horseshoe crab populations is in part supported by new scientific research, according to a new study. ... > full story

Global investments in green energy up nearly a third to 1 billion (July 7, 2011) -- Wind farms in China and small-scale solar panels on rooftops in Europe were largely responsible for last year's 32 percent rise in green energy investments worldwide according to the latest annual report on renewable energy investment trends. Last year, investors pumped a record 1 billion into renewables -- about one-third more than the 0 billion invested in 2009, and a 540 percent rise since 2004. ... > full story

Sex is not about promoting genetic variation, researchers argue (July 7, 2011) -- Biology textbooks maintain that the main function of sex is to promote genetic diversity. But in a new article, two researchers say that's not the case. They propose that although diversity may result from a combination of genes, the primary function of sex is not about promoting diversity. Rather, it's about keeping the genome context -- an organism's complete collection of genes arranged by chromosome composition and topology -- as unchanged as possible, thereby maintaining a species' identity. ... > full story

Drug 'shield' helps target antibiotic resistant bacteria (July 7, 2011) -- A new technique which targets antibiotic-resistant bacteria and shields patients from the toxic parts of an antibiotic drug has now been developed. ... > full story

Evolution and domestication of seed structure shown to use same genetic mutation (July 7, 2011) -- For the first time, scientists have identified a mutation in plants that was selected twice -- during both natural evolution and domestication. The mutation has been identified as the source of variation in the evolution of fruit morphology in Brassica plants and it was also the source of key changes during the domestication of rice. ... > full story

Gray whales likely survived the Ice Ages by changing their diets (July 7, 2011) -- If ancient gray whale populations migrated and fed the same as today's whales, what happened during the Ice Ages, when their major feeding grounds disappeared? Paleontologists argue that gray whales utilized a range of food sources in the past, including herring and krill, in addition to the benthic organisms they consume today. As a result, pre-whaling populations were two to four times greater than today's population of around 22,000. ... > full story

Microalgae could be Texas' next big cash crop (July 7, 2011) -- Just as corn and peanuts stunned the world decades ago with their then-newly discovered multi-beneficial uses and applications, Texas scientists think microalgae holds even more promise. ... > full story

The rise and rise of the flying reptiles: Pterosaurs not driven into extinction by birds, study reveals (July 7, 2011) -- Pterosaurs, flying reptiles from the time of the dinosaurs, were not driven to extinction by the birds, but in fact they continued to diversify and innovate for millions of years afterward, according to new research. ... > full story

Can gulls smell out a good partner? Study suggests kittiwakes use body odor to assess genetically compatible mates (July 7, 2011) -- Male and female kittiwakes smell different from each other, according to new research. Their work also suggests that the birds' body odors might signal the genetic makeup of individual birds, and could be used in mate choice to assess the genetic compatibility of potential partners. ... > full story

The role of bacteria in asthma and the potential for antibiotic treatment (July 7, 2011) -- People with severe asthma are more likely to have antibodies against the disease-causing bacteria Chlamydia pneumoniae than the general population and in some cases antibiotic treatment can greatly improve symptoms according to new research. Moreover, patients who were treated on the basis of asthma severity with antibiotics had significant improvements in asthma symptoms and some even experienced a complete abolition of these symptoms. ... > full story

Climate change forces early spring in Alberta, Canada (July 7, 2011) -- A new study shows that climate change over the past 70 years has pushed some of the Alberta, Canada native wildflowers and trees into earlier blooming times, making them more vulnerable to damaging frosts, and ultimately, threatening reproduction. ... > full story

Mushroom lights up the night in Brazil: Researcher finds bioluminescent fungus not seen since 1840 (July 7, 2011) -- In 1840, renowned English botanist George Gardner reported a strange sight from the streets of Vila de Natividade in Brazil: A group of boys playing with a glowing object that turned out to be a luminescent mushroom. They called it "flor-de-coco," and showed Gardner where it grew on decaying fronds at the base of a dwarf palm. Gardner sent the mushroom to the Kew Herbarium in England where it was described and named Agaricus gardneri in honor of its discoverer. The species was not seen again until 2009. Researchers have now collected new specimens of a forgotten bioluminescent mushroom and reclassified it as, Neonothopanus gardneri. ... > full story

Gene secrets of the reef revealed: Genome of staghorn coral Acropora millepora sequenced (July 7, 2011) -- Australian scientists have sequenced the genome of the staghorn coral Acropora millepora, a major component of the Great Barrier Reef and coral reefs worldwide. This is the first animal genome project to be carried out entirely in Australia, and is an important milestone in Australian biotechnology and in the study of coral reefs. ... > full story

Being small has its advantages -- if you are a leaf (July 7, 2011) -- The size of leaves can vary by a factor of 1,000 across plant species; until now, the reason why has remained a mystery. A new study by an international team of scientists goes a long way toward solving it. ... > full story

Natural iron fertilization influences deep-sea ecosystems off the Crozet Islands (July 7, 2011) -- Geo-engineering schemes aimed at tackling global warming through artificial iron fertilization of the oceans would significantly affect deep-sea ecosystems, according to new research. ... > full story

With climate changes, polar bear and brown bear lineages intertwine (July 7, 2011) -- Polar bears' unique characteristics allow them to survive in one of the most extreme environments on Earth, but that survival is now threatened as rising temperatures and melting ice reshape the Arctic landscape. Now it appears that the stress of climate change, occurring both long ago and today, may be responsible for surprising twists in the bears' history and future as well. ... > full story

Seven new mice species discovered (July 7, 2011) -- After living incognito for millions of years in a remote area of a forested mountain range in the Philippines, seven new-found species of mice owe their recent discovery to DNA evidence and the biologist who deciphered it. ... > full story

Oceanographic campaign for the study of the large submarine valleys of Catalonia (July 7, 2011) -- The unmanned deepwater research vehicle Liropus 2000 will be used for the first time in a study of sea floor relief and the dynamic processes that take place along the continental margin of the Catalan coast, in particular in the submarine canyons of Cap de Creus, Palamós and Blanes. ... > full story

Rhesus monkeys appear to have a form of self-awareness not previously attributed to them, research suggests (July 6, 2011) -- In the first study of its kind in an animal species that has not passed a critical test of self-recognition, a cognitive psychologist has demonstrated that rhesus monkeys appear to have a sense of self-agency -- the ability to understand that they are the cause of certain actions -- and possess a form of self-awareness previously not attributed to them. ... > full story