The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Tuesday, December 6, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Tuesday, December 6, 2011

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Global winds could explain record rains, tornadoes (December 6, 2011) -- Scientists have proposed a common root for an enormous deluge in western Tennessee in May 2010, and a historic outbreak of tornadoes centered on Alabama in April 2011. Both events seem to be linked to a relatively rare coupling between the polar and the subtropical jet streams. ... > full story

Young women may reduce heart disease risk eating fish with omega 3 fatty acids, study finds (December 6, 2011) -- Women who seldom or never eat fish may be increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease by 50 percent or more, according to the first population-based study among younger women. Those who ate fish most often, especially fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids, had 90 percent lower risk than those who ate little or no fish. The link with cardiovascular disease was evident, even among women in their 30s. ... > full story

Global carbon emissions reach record 10 billion tons, threatening 2 degree target (December 6, 2011) -- Global carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels have increased by 49 percent in the last two decades, according to the latest figures by an international team of scientists. ... > full story

'Label-free' imaging tool tracks nanotubes in cells, blood for biomedical research (December 6, 2011) -- Researchers have demonstrated a new imaging tool for tracking structures called carbon nanotubes in living cells and the bloodstream, which could aid efforts to perfect their use in biomedical research and clinical medicine. ... > full story

Study of strong ground motion may show need to modify building codes (December 6, 2011) -- New testing conducted in a steep, mountainous region of Utah, using mining induced events, is providing a new set of data necessary for better predictions on building codes, especially when earthquakes are a factor. ... > full story

Giant super-Earths made of diamond are possible, study suggests (December 5, 2011) -- A planet made of diamonds may sound lovely, but you wouldn't want to live there. A new study suggests that some stars in the Milky Way could harbor "carbon super-Earths" – giant terrestrial planets that contain up to 50 percent diamond. But if they exist, those planets are likely devoid of life as we know it. ... > full story

Of mice and men, a common cortical connection (December 5, 2011) -- A new study using magnetic resonance imaging data of 406 adult human twins affirms the long-standing idea that the genetic basis of human cortical regionalization -- the organization of the outer brain into specific functional areas -- is similar to and consistent with patterns found in other mammals, indicating a common conservation mechanism in evolution. ... > full story

Dust storms affect subsequent emergency hospital admissions, study finds (December 5, 2011) -- A new study reveals that dust storms have an adverse effect on emergency hospital admission for chronic lung disease, often known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. ... > full story

'Double tsunami' doubled Japan destruction (December 5, 2011) -- Researchers discovered that the destructive tsunami generated by the March 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake was a long-hypothesized "merging tsunami" that doubled in intensity over rugged ocean ridges, amplifying its destructive power before reaching shore. Satellites captured not just one wave front that day, but at least two, which merged to form a single double-high wave far out at sea -- one capable of traveling long distances without losing its power. ... > full story

Defensive measures: Toward a vaccine for Ebola (December 5, 2011) -- Researchers have made progress toward a vaccine against the deadly Ebola virus. They have demonstrated that a plant-derived vaccine for Ebola provided strong immunological protection in a mouse model. If early efforts bear fruit, an Ebola vaccine could be stockpiled for use in the United States, should the country fall victim to a natural outbreak or a bioterrorism event in which a weaponized strain of the virus were unleashed on soldiers or the public. ... > full story

Marine predators in trouble (December 5, 2011) -- Iconic marine predators such as sharks, tunas, swordfish, and marlins are becoming increasingly rare under current fishing trends, say researchers. ... > full story

When the heat's on, some fish can cope: Certain tropical species have greater capacity to deal with rising sea temperatures than thought (December 5, 2011) -- Australian scientists have discovered that some tropical fish have a greater capacity to cope with rising sea temperatures than previously thought – by adjusting over several generations. The discovery sheds a ray of hope amid the rising concern over the future of coral reefs and their fish under the levels of global warming expected to occur by the end of this century. ... > full story

Antibiotics may not be only cause of community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection (December 5, 2011) -- Antibiotics may not be the only risk factor associated with community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection, indicating that other undefined causes of the potentially life-threatening infection may exist and could also predict whether or not a patient will require hospitalization, according to the results of a new study. ... > full story

Mechanisms cells use to remove bits of RNA from DNA strands (December 5, 2011) -- When RNA component units called ribonucleotides become embedded in genomic DNA, they can cause problems for cells, but not much is known about the fate of these ribonucleotides. A new study identifies two mechanisms cells use to recognize and remove ribonucleotides embedded in genomic DNA, called RNases H and the mismatch repair system. ... > full story

Unique geologic insights from 'non-unique' gravity and magnetic interpretation (December 5, 2011) -- In many fields of applied science, such as geology, there are often tensions and disagreements between scientists who specialize in analyses of problems using mathematical models to describe sets of collected data, and those that rely on on-the-ground observations and empirical analyses. ... > full story

Feasibility of using mycoherbicides to control illicit drug crops is uncertain (December 5, 2011) -- The effectiveness of using specific fungi as mycoherbicides to combat illicit drug crops remains questionable due to the lack of quality, in-depth research, says a new report. ... > full story

New insights into responses of Yellowstone wolves to environmental changes (December 5, 2011) -- A study of the wolves of Yellowstone National Park has improved predictions of how these animals will respond to environmental changes. The study, which is part of the Yellowstone Wolf Project, involved tracking changes in various characteristics of the wolves of Yellowstone National Park ever since these animals were reintroduced to the park in 1995. ... > full story

Snakebite victims absent in health system as most consult traditional healers, research finds (December 5, 2011) -- Fatal snakebites are a bigger-than-acknowledged global health problem that has been vastly under-reported, according to new research. A key reason for the low count is that many snakebite victims are treated or die without seeking or reaching health facilities. ... > full story

Rise of atmospheric oxygen more complicated than previously thought (December 5, 2011) -- The appearance of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere probably did not occur as a single event, but as a long series of starts and stops, according to an international team of researchers who investigated rock cores from the FAR DEEP project. ... > full story

NASA sees birth of first Southern Indian Ocean season tropical storm (December 5, 2011) -- The Southern Indian Ocean cyclone season is off and running and NASA's Aqua satellite saw the birth of Tropical Cyclone 01S. ... > full story

Natural dye obtained from lichens may combat Alzheimer's disease (December 4, 2011) -- A red dye from lichens that has been used for centuries to color fabrics and food and a related substance appear to reduce the abundance of small toxic protein aggregates in Alzheimer's disease. Further research with animal models is needed to determine whether this new approach will be useful for therapy development. ... > full story

Simultaneous ice melt in Antarctic and Arctic (December 4, 2011) -- A new article shows that the two hemispheres attained their maximum ice sheet size at nearly the same time and started melting 19,000 years ago. This simultaneous melting was presumably caused by changes in the global sea level and deepwater circulation in the Atlantic Ocean. ... > full story

Like humans, the paper wasp has a special talent for learning faces (December 3, 2011) -- Though paper wasps have brains less than a millionth the size of humans', they have evolved specialized face-learning abilities analogous to the system used by humans, according to researchers. ... > full story

Vegetables, fruits, grains reduce stroke risk in women (December 2, 2011) -- Swedish women who ate an antioxidant-rich diet had fewer strokes especially if they had no history of cardiovascular disease, according to a new study. The findings persisted even after statistics were adjusted for other risk factors such as smoking and physical activity. Women with the highest level of antioxidants in their diet consumed about half their antioxidants from fruits and vegetables. ... > full story

Sharp decline in pollution from U.S. coal power plants, NASA satellite confirms (December 2, 2011) -- A team of scientists have used the Ozone Monitoring Instrument on NASA's Aura satellite to confirm major reductions in the levels of a key air pollutant generated by coal power plants in the eastern United States. The pollutant, sulfur dioxide, contributes to the formation of acid rain and can cause serious health problems. ... > full story

They call it 'guppy love': Biologists solve an evolution mystery (December 2, 2011) -- Guppies in the wild have evolved over at least half-a-million years -- long enough for the males' coloration to change dramatically. Yet an orange patch on the male has remained remarkably stable. Why has it remained the same hue of orange over such a long period of time? Because that is the color female guppies prefer. ... > full story

Fecal microbiota transplants effective treatment for C. difficile, inflammatory bowel disease, research finds (December 2, 2011) -- Growing evidence for the effectiveness of fecal microbiota transplants as a treatment for patients with recurrent bouts of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea is presented in three studies -- including a long-term follow-up of colonoscopic fecal microbiota transplant for recurrent C. difficile Infection that included 77 patients from five different states. ... > full story

More promising natural gas storage? (December 2, 2011) -- A research team has developed a computational method that can save scientists and engineers valuable time in the discovery process. The new algorithm automatically generates and tests hypothetical metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), zeroing in on the most promising structures. These MOFs then can be synthesized and tested in the lab. The researchers quickly identified more than 300 different MOFs that are predicted to be better than any known material for methane storage. ... > full story

Drop in carbon dioxide levels led to polar ice sheet, study finds (December 2, 2011) -- A drop in carbon dioxide appears to be the driving force that led to the Antarctic ice sheet's formation, according to a recent study of molecules from ancient algae found in deep-sea core samples. ... > full story

World's first view of Type 1 diabetes as it unfolds (December 2, 2011) -- A war is being waged in the pancreases of millions of people throughout the world. The siege leads to the development of Type 1 diabetes and has been a battlefield largely hidden from view -- until now. Researchers have created the first cellular movies showing the destruction underlying Type 1 diabetes in real-time in mouse models. ... > full story

Bitter sensitive children eat more vegetables with help of dip (December 2, 2011) -- Close to 70 percent of children have a sensitivity to bitter tasting foods, and that can cause them to avoid many of the leafy, green vegetables they should be eating for healthy development. But new research has found that adding a small amount of dip can help children with this sensitivity eat more of their vegetables. ... > full story

Probiotics reduce infections for patients in intensive care, study finds (December 2, 2011) -- Traumatic brain injury is associated with a profound suppression of the patient's ability to fight infection. At the same time the patient also often suffers hyper-inflammation, due to the brain releasing glucocorticoids. New research shows that including probiotics with nutrients, supplied via the patient's feeding tube, increased interferon levels, reduced the number of infections, and even reduced the amount of time patients spent in intensive care. ... > full story

Age-old remedies using white tea, witch hazel and rose may be beneficial, study suggests (December 2, 2011) -- Age-old remedies could hold the key to treating a wide range of serious medical problems, as well as keeping skin firmer and less wrinkled, according to scientists. Experts have discovered that white tea, witch hazel and the simple rose hold potential health and beauty properties which could be simply too good to ignore. ... > full story

A vaccination against social prejudice (December 2, 2011) -- Evolutionary psychologists suspect that prejudice is rooted in survival: Our distant ancestors had to avoid outsiders who might have carried disease. Research still shows that when people feel vulnerable to illness, they exhibit more bias toward stigmatized groups. But a new study suggests there might be a modern way to break that link. ... > full story

Probiotics effective in combating antibiotic-associated diarrhea, studies find; 'Good bugs' look promising as anti-inflammatory agents (December 2, 2011) -- In four different studies, researchers explored the effectiveness of probiotics for antibiotic-associated diarrhea; as an anti-inflammatory agent for patients with ulcerative colitis, psoriasis and chronic fatigue syndrome; and for people with abdominal discomfort and bloating who have not been diagnosed with a functional bowel disorder, such as irritable bowel syndrome. ... > full story

Not all cellular reprogramming is created equal (December 2, 2011) -- Tweaking the levels of factors used during the reprogramming of adult cells into induced pluriopotent stem (iPS) cells can greatly affect the quality of the resulting iPS cells, according to researchers. This finding explains at least in part the wide variation in quality and fidelity of iPS cells created through different reprogramming methods. ... > full story

World's first captive breeding of Ozark hellbenders (December 1, 2011) -- After a decade-long effort, conservation experts report that Ozark hellbenders have been bred in captivity -- a first! Endangered in the wild, this amphibian has fossil records dating back 15 million years. Today its numbers are rapidly declining. ... > full story

Archaeologists find new evidence of animals being introduced to prehistoric Caribbean (December 1, 2011) -- An archaeological research team has found one of the most diverse collections of prehistoric non-native animal remains in the Caribbean, on the tiny island of Carriacou. The find contributes to our understanding of culture in the region before the arrival of Columbus, and suggests Carriacou may have been more important than previously thought. ... > full story

Stronger corn? Take it off steroids, make it all female (December 1, 2011) -- Researchers have taken corn off steroids and found that the results might lead to improvements in that and other crops. ... > full story

Body rebuilding: Researchers regenerate muscle tissue in mice (December 1, 2011) -- Scientists have regenerated functional muscle tissue in mice, opening the door for a new clinical therapy for major muscle trauma. The team used a novel protocol to coax human muscle cells into a stem cell-like state and grew the reprogrammed cells on biopolymer microthreads. Surprisingly, the microthreads seemed to accelerate the regeneration process by recruiting progenitor mouse muscle cells, suggesting that they alone could become a therapeutic tool. ... > full story

Aggression prevents the better part of valor ... in fig wasps (December 1, 2011) -- Researchers have confirmed a unique behavior within the male population of tiny fig wasps that pollinate fig trees -- they team up to help pregnant females, regardless of whether they have mated themselves. ... > full story

Trail of 'stone breadcrumbs' reveals the identity of one of the first human groups to leave Africa (December 1, 2011) -- A series of new archaeological discoveries in the Sultanate of Oman, nestled in the southeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, reveals the timing and identity of one of the first modern human groups to migrate out of Africa, according to new research. ... > full story

New projection shows global food demand doubling by 2050 (December 1, 2011) -- Global food demand could double by 2050, according to a new projection. Producing that amount of food could significantly increase levels of carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the environment and cause the extinction of numerous species. But this can be avoided, the article shows, if the high-yielding technologies of rich nations are adapted to work in poor nations, and if all nations use nitrogen fertilizers more efficiently. ... > full story

Why evolutionarily ancient brain areas are important (December 1, 2011) -- Structures in the midbrain that developed early in evolution can be responsible for functions in newborns which in adults are taken over by the cerebral cortex. New evidence for this theory has been found in the visual system of monkeys. The scientists studied a reflex that stabilizes the image of a moving scene on the retina to prevent blur, the so-termed optokinetic nystagmus. ... > full story

Eating fish reduces risk of Alzheimer's disease, study finds (December 1, 2011) -- People who eat baked or broiled fish on a weekly basis may be improving their brain health and reducing their risk of developing mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. ... > full story

Chemical warfare of stealthy silverfish: Parasites hide by covering themselves in ants' scent (December 1, 2011) -- A co-evolutionary arms race exists between social insects and their parasites. Army ants share their nests with several parasites such as beetles, snails and spiders. They also share their food with the kleptoparasitic silverfish. New research shows that the silverfish manage to hide amongst the ants by covering themselves in the ant's chemical scent. ... > full story

Using radiation to sterilize insect pests may protect California fruits and vegetables (December 1, 2011) -- A new study shows that radiation can be used to effectively sterilize the light brown apple moth, an invasive pest to the California wine industry, as well as fruit and vegetable growers. ... > full story

Abrupt permafrost thaw increases climate threat, experts say (December 1, 2011) -- As the Arctic warms, greenhouse gases will be released from thawing permafrost faster and at significantly higher levels than previous estimates, according to a survey of international experts. Permafrost thaw will release approximately the same amount of carbon as deforestation. However, the effect of thawing permafrost on climate will be 2.5 times greater because emissions include methane, a more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. ... > full story