The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Monday, November 28, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Monday, November 28, 2011

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Studying bat skulls, evolutionary biologists discover how species evolve (November 28, 2011) -- A new study involving bat skulls, bite force measurements and scat samples collected by an international team of evolutionary biologists is helping to solve a nagging question of evolution: Why some groups of animals develop scores of different species over time while others evolve only a few. ... > full story

Nanoparticle electrode for batteries could make grid-scale power storage feasible (November 27, 2011) -- Researchers have used nanoparticles of a copper compound to develop a high-power battery electrode that is so inexpensive to make, so efficient and so durable that it could be used to build batteries big enough for economical large-scale energy storage on the electrical grid -- something researchers have sought for years. ... > full story

Scientists unlock the mystery surrounding a tale of shaggy dogs (November 27, 2011) -- Researchers have produced the first clear evidence that textiles made by the indigenous population of the Pacific coast of North America contained dog hair. ... > full story

Small forest with big impact: Fragmented rainforests maintain their ecological functionality (November 27, 2011) -- Rainforests that are subject to use by the human population and are divided into forest fragments can maintain their ecological functionality. ... > full story

Ulcer-causing bacteria tamed by defect in cell-targeting ability (November 26, 2011) -- Without the ability to swim to their targets in the stomach, ulcer-causing bacteria do not cause the inflammation of the stomach lining that leads to ulcers and stomach cancer, according to a new study. ... > full story

DNA system developed to identify and authenticate plant species (November 26, 2011) -- Biologists have developed a method which can detect the use of illegal or counterfeit plants in medicine and could also be used to boost conservation by identifying and monitoring the exploitation of endangered plant species. ... > full story

Child abuse in birds: Study documents 'cycle of violence' in nature (November 26, 2011) -- For one species of seabird in the Galapagos, the child abuse "cycle of violence" found in humans plays out in the wild. The new study of Nazca boobies provides the first evidence from the animal world showing those who are abused when they are young often grow up to be abusers. ... > full story

Climate sensitivity to carbon dioxide more limited than extreme projections, research shows (November 25, 2011) -- The rate of global warming from doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide may be less than the most dire estimates of some previous studies -- and, in fact, may be less severe than projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report in 2007. Researchers say that global warming is real and that increases in atmospheric CO2 will have multiple serious impacts. However, the most Draconian projections of temperature increases from the doubling of CO2 are unlikely, according to new research. ... > full story

Worms reveal secrets of wound-healing response (November 25, 2011) -- The lowly and simple roundworm may be the ideal laboratory model to learn more about the complex processes involved in repairing wounds and could eventually allow scientists to improve the body's response to healing skin wounds, a serious problem in diabetics and the elderly. ... > full story

Scientists turn on fountain of youth in yeast (November 25, 2011) -- Researchers have successfully manipulated the life span of common, single-celled yeast organisms by figuring out how to remove and restore protein functions related to yeast aging. ... > full story

Ancient environment found to drive marine biodiversity (November 25, 2011) -- Much of our knowledge about past life has come from the fossil record -- but how accurately does that reflect the true history and drivers of biodiversity on Earth? ... > full story

Abnormal levels of caffeine in water indicate human contamination (November 25, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that traces of caffeine are a useful indicator of the contamination of our water by sewers. ... > full story

Celiac patients face potential hazard as information on cosmetic ingredients difficult to find (November 25, 2011) -- The lack of readily available information about cosmetic ingredients may cause patients with celiac disease who use lip, facial or body products to unknowingly expose themselves to gluten -- an ingredient they need to avoid, according to the results of a new study. ... > full story

Earth's core deprived of oxygen (November 24, 2011) -- Scientists know that the Earth's liquid outer core consists mainly of iron, but it is believed that small amounts of some other elements are also present. Oxygen is the most abundant element in the planet, so it is not unreasonable to expect oxygen might be one of the dominant "light elements" in the core. But new research proves otherwise. This has major implications for our understanding of the period when the Earth formed. ... > full story

Thanksgiving in space may one day come with all the trimmings (November 24, 2011) -- Future astronauts spending Thanksgiving in space may not have to forgo one of the most traditional parts of the day's feast: fresh sweet potatoes. Agricultural researchers have now developed methods for growing sweet potatoes that reduce the required growing space while not decreasing the amount of food that each plant produces. ... > full story

Targeting bacterial gas defenses allow for increased efficacy of numerous antibiotics (November 23, 2011) -- Although scientists have known for centuries that many bacteria produce hydrogen sulfide (H2S) it was thought to be simply a toxic by-product of cellular activity. Now, researchers have discovered H2S in fact plays a major role in protecting bacteria from the effects of numerous different antibiotics. ... > full story

Highly efficient method for creating flexible, transparent electrodes developed (November 22, 2011) -- Researchers demonstrate a new method for making transparent electrodes from nanomaterials. By fusing AgNWs with metal oxide nanoparticles and organic polymers, highly transparent conductors were produced that could provide an alternative to the ITO. The research team has also built solar cells using the new electrodes and found that the performance of the cell is comparable to that of solar cells made with indium tin oxide. ... > full story

Robojelly gets an upgrade: Underwater robot learns to swim more like the real thing (November 22, 2011) -- Engineers have developed a robot that mimics the graceful motions of jellyfish so precisely that it has been named Robojelly. Developed for the U.S. Office of Naval Research in 2009, this vehicle was designed to conduct ocean underwater surveillance, enabling it potentially to detect chemical spills, monitor the presence of ships and submarines, and observe the migration of schools of fish. ... > full story

Babies who eat fish before nine months are less likely to suffer pre-school wheeze, study suggests (November 22, 2011) -- Children who started eating fish before nine months of age are less likely to suffer from pre-school wheeze, but face a higher risk if they were treated with broad spectrum antibiotics in the first week of life or their mother took paracetamol during pregnancy. Recurrent wheeze is a very common clinical problem in preschool children and there is a need for better medical treatment and improved understanding of the underlying mechanisms. ... > full story

Smart swarms of bacteria inspire robotics: Adaptable decision-making found in bacteria communities (November 22, 2011) -- Scientists have now discovered how bacteria collectively gather information to learn about their environment and find an optimal path to growth. This research will allow scientists to design a new generation of "smart robots" that can form intelligent swarms and aid in the development of medical micro-robots used to treat diseases in the human body. ... > full story

Molecule serves as a key in some protein interactions (November 22, 2011) -- Researchers have identified an unexpected mechanism facilitating some protein interactions that are the workhorses of cells and, in the process, identified a potential new cancer drug development target. ... > full story

Predators drive the evolution of poison dart frogs' skin patterns (November 22, 2011) -- Natural selection has played a role in the development of the many skins patterns of the tiny Ranitomeya imitator poison dart frog. ... > full story

Evidence supports ban on growth promotion use of antibiotics in farming (November 22, 2011) -- Researchers have zeroed in on the controversial, non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in food animals and fish farming as a cause of antibiotic resistance in people. There is overwhelming evidence that this overuse of antibiotics affects the environment and humans and they advocate for stricter regulation of the practice. ... > full story

Key gene function against cell death discovered (November 22, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered that two genes (TSC/Tuberin and PRAS40) are extremely important regulators in the development of stem cells: if these genes are switched off, the stem cells do not develop but instead die a programmed cell death. ... > full story

Wood biofuel could be a competitive industry by 2020 (November 22, 2011) -- Fuel made from wood could become a competitive commercial alternative to fuel made from corn by 2020 if the wood biofuel industry is supported, according to a new study. ... > full story

Human, artificial intelligence join forces to pinpoint fossil locations (November 22, 2011) -- Traditionally, fossil-hunters often could only make educated guesses as to where fossils lie. The rest lay with chance. But thanks to a new software model, fossil-hunters' reliance on luck when finding fossils may be diminishing. Using artificial neural networks, researchers developed a computer model that can pinpoint productive fossil sites. ... > full story

Taking bushmeat off the menu could increase child anemia, study finds (November 22, 2011) -- When the dinner menu includes endangered species, human nutritional needs must contend with efforts to manage wildlife resources, according to a new study. Researchers estimate that a loss of access to bushmeat as a source of food would lead to a 29 percent jump in the number of children suffering from anemia. ... > full story

Humans can unwittingly bring alien plant species to Svalbard (November 22, 2011) -- New research shows that humans can unwittingly bring alien plant species to Svalbard. Increased travel activity and expected temperature increases over the next decades, may make the establishment of new plant species in the archipelago’s vulnerable ecosystem possible. ... > full story

Mutants with heterozygote disadvantage can prevent spread of transgenic animals (November 21, 2011) -- Genetically modified animals are designed to contain the spread of pathogens. One prerequisite for the release of such organisms into the environment is that the new gene variant does not spread uncontrollably, suppressing natural populations. Scientists have now established that certain mutations are maintained over an extended period if two separate populations exchange individuals with one another on a small scale. ... > full story

New way to form extracellular vesicles (November 21, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a protein called TAT-5 that affects the production of extracellular vesicles, small sacs of membrane released from the surface of cells, capable of sending signals to other cells. ... > full story

Tweaking a gene makes muscles twice as strong: New avenue for treating muscle degeneration in people who can't exercise (November 21, 2011) -- An international team of scientists has created super-strong, high-endurance mice and worms by suppressing a natural muscle-growth inhibitor, suggesting treatments for age-related or genetics-related muscle degeneration are within reach. ... > full story

Algae biomass increased by more than 50 percent (November 21, 2011) -- New research has led to discovery of a genetic method that can increase biomass in algae by 50 to 80 percent. The breakthrough comes from turning on certain genes in algae that increase the amount of photosynthesis in the plant, which leads to more biomass. ... > full story

Large nest of juvenile dinosaurs, first of their genus ever found (November 21, 2011) -- A nest containing the fossilized remains of 15 juvenile Protoceratops andrewsi dinosaurs from Mongolia has been described by a paleontologist, revealing new information about postnatal development and parental care. It is the first nest of this genus ever found and the first indication that Protoceratops juveniles remained in the nest for an extended period. ... > full story

New way to boost potency of natural pain relief chemical in body (November 21, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a new means of enhancing the effects of anandamide -- a natural, marijuana-like chemical in the body that provides pain relief. ... > full story

Satellite data can help protect bluefin tuna (November 21, 2011) -- A new model allows the potential presence of bluefin tuna to be tracked through daily updated maps, helping to protect endangered stocks and fight illegal fishing. ... > full story

Ozone from rock fracture could serve as earthquake early warning (November 21, 2011) -- New research suggests that ozone gas emitted from fracturing rocks could serve as an indicator of impending earthquakes. ... > full story

Weak spot discovered on deadly ebolavirus (November 21, 2011) -- Scientists have isolated and analyzed an antibody that neutralizes Sudan virus, a major species of ebolavirus and one of the most dangerous human pathogens. ... > full story

More accurate tropical cyclone prediction model developed (November 21, 2011) -- While the prediction of hurricane tracks have steadily improved over the last few decades, improvements in the predictions of storm intensity and structure have proven much more difficult. ... > full story

How the fly flies: Scientists discover gene switch responsible for flight muscle formation (November 21, 2011) -- Flies are real flight artists, although they only have small wings compared to their body size. Scientists have recently identified the genetic switch that regulates the formation of flight muscles. ... > full story

Do not harm invasive species that pollinate, study warns (November 21, 2011) -- Researchers found that invasive species can become essential to the very ecosystems threatened by their presence, taking on important biological roles -- such as flower pollination -- once held by the species the interlopers helped eliminate. As a result, campaigns to curb invasive animal populations should include efforts to understand the role of the invasive species in question and, if necessary, reintroduce missing native animals. ... > full story

New class of small molecules discovered through innovative chemistry (November 21, 2011) -- Inspired by natural products, scientists have now created a new class of small molecules with the potential to serve as a rich foundation for drug discovery. ... > full story

Drug clears chronic urinary infections in mice (November 21, 2011) -- An experimental treatment for urinary tract infections has easily passed its first test in animals, alleviating weeks-long infections in mice in as little as six hours. ... > full story

Separating signal and noise in climate warming (November 21, 2011) -- In order to separate human-caused global warming from the "noise" of purely natural climate fluctuations, temperature records must be at least 17 years long, according to climate scientists. To address criticism of the reliability of thermometer records of surface warming, scientists analyzed satellite measurements of the temperature of the lower troposphere and saw a clear signal of human-induced warming of the planet. ... > full story

Evaluating price hikes: Research shows that recent oil shocks are not causing inflation (November 21, 2011) -- While the price of oil has risen in recent years, it has not affected the price of goods as much as in the past, according to new research. More than that, the prices of many goods -- such as clothing or vacations -- are actually deflating instead of inflating because of improved technology and reduced energy costs. ... > full story

What bacteria don't know can hurt them (November 20, 2011) -- Bacteria enter a self-protective mode when they sense nutrients are low. Starving bacteria resist killing by nearly every antibiotic, even ones they have never been exposed to before. By keeping bacteria that have congregated into a biofilm from warning each other of nutrient shortages, scientists increased the infection-fighting effectiveness of currently available antibiotics. ... > full story

Nano-technoloogy makes medicine greener (November 20, 2011) -- Scientists in Denmark are working on a new method that will make it possible to develop drugs faster and greener. Their research promises cheaper medicine for consumers. ... > full story

Mechanics behind new cell cycle that fuels growth described (November 20, 2011) -- Researchers have shed light on the inner workings of the endocycle, a common cell cycle that fuels growth in plants, animals and some human tissues and is responsible for generating up to half of the Earth's biomass. ... > full story

Protection from severe malaria explained (November 19, 2011) -- Why do people with a hereditary mutation of the red blood pigment hemoglobin (as is the case with sickle-cell anemia prevalent in Africa) not contract severe malaria? Scientists have now solved this mystery. ... > full story

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