The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Monday, December 19, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Monday, December 19, 2011

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Novel device removes heavy metals from water (December 18, 2011) -- Engineers have developed a system that cleanly and efficiently removes trace heavy metals from water. In experiments, the researchers showed the system reduced cadmium, copper, and nickel concentrations, returning contaminated water to near or below federally acceptable standards. The technique is scalable and has viable commercial applications, especially in the environmental remediation and metal recovery fields. ... > full story

Rapid rise in wildfires in large parts of Canada? Ecologists find threshold values for natural wildfires (December 18, 2011) -- Large forest regions in Canada are apparently about to experience rapid change. Based on models, scientists can now show that there are threshold values for wildfires just like there are for epidemics. Large areas of Canada are apparently approaching this threshold value and may in future exceed it due to climate change. As a result both the area burnt down annually and the average size of the fires would increase, researchers say. ... > full story

Functionalized graphene oxide plays part in next-generation oil-well drilling fluids (December 17, 2011) -- Graphene's star is rising as a material that could become essential to efficient, environmentally sound oil production. Researchers are taking advantage of graphene's outstanding strength, light weight and solubility to enhance fluids used to drill oil wells. ... > full story

Barracuda babies: Novel study sheds light on early life of prolific predator (December 16, 2011) -- Marine biologists shed light on the larval stage of the barracuda, as well as several other closely related species. ... > full story

Study of skates and sharks questions assumptions about 'essential' genes (December 16, 2011) -- Biologists have long assumed that all jawed vertebrates possess a full complement of nearly identical genes for critical aspects of their development. But new research shows that elasmobranchs, a subclass of cartilaginous fishes, lack a cluster of genes, HoxC, formerly thought to be essential for proper development. ... > full story

New strain of lab mice mimics human alcohol consumption patterns (December 16, 2011) -- A line of laboratory mice drinks more alcohol than other animal models and consumes it in a fashion similar to humans: choosing alcohol over other options and binge drinking. ... > full story

Tiny protein helps bacteria 'talk' and triggers defensive response in plants (December 16, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered a new signal that helps invading bacteria communicate but also helps targeted rice plants coordinate defensive attacks on the disease-causing invaders, a finding that could lead to new methods of combating infection not just in plants, but in humans. ... > full story

The physics behind great white shark attacks on seals (December 16, 2011) -- A new study examines the complex and dynamic interactions between white sharks and Cape fur seals in False Bay, South Africa; Offers new insights on physical and biological factors underlying predator-prey interactions in marine environment. ... > full story

Discovery of a 'dark state' could mean a brighter future for solar energy (December 16, 2011) -- The efficiency of conventional solar cells could be significantly increased, according to new research on the mechanisms of solar energy conversion. ... > full story

Immunity against the cold (December 16, 2011) -- Throughout the interior spaces of humans and other warm-blooded creatures is a special type of tissue known as brown fat, which may hold the secret to diets and weight-loss programs of the future. ... > full story

Researchers assess effects of a world awash in nitrogen (December 16, 2011) -- Humans are having an effect on Earth's ecosystems but it's not just the depletion of resources and the warming of the planet we are causing. Now you can add an over-abundance of nitrogen as another "footprint" humans are leaving behind. The only question is how large of an impact will be felt. ... > full story

Close family ties keep cheaters in check: Why almost all multicellular organisms begin life as a single cell (December 16, 2011) -- Any multicellular animal poses a special difficulty for the theory of evolution. Most of its cells will die without reproducing, and only a privileged few will pass their genes. Given the incentive for cheating, how is cooperation among the cells enforced? Evolutionary biologists suggest the answer is frequent population bottlenecks that restart populations from a single cell. ... > full story

Birds caught in the act of becoming a new species (December 16, 2011) -- A study of South American songbirds has shown that these birds differ dramatically in color and song yet show very little genetic differences, indicating they are on the road to becoming a new species. ... > full story

How cells limit inflammation in lung injury (December 16, 2011) -- Researchers have found in an animal model of acute lung injury a molecular mechanism that allows cells of the immune system to reduce tissue damage from inflammation. ... > full story

New genetic program converts static cells into mobile invasive cells (December 16, 2011) -- Researchers have identified the gene GATA 6 as responsible for epithelial cells -which group together and are static- losing adhesion and moving towards a new site. This process, which is common to developing organisms, is very similar to one that occurs in metastasis, when tumor cells escape from the original tumor and invade new tissue. ... > full story

Global forests are overlooked as water suppliers, study shows (December 16, 2011) -- The forests of the world supply a significant amount of moisture that creates rain. A new study reveals how this important contribution of forests to the hydrologic cycle is often overlooked in water resource policy, such as that of the EU. ... > full story

Biofuel research boosted by discovery of how cyanobacteria make energy (December 15, 2011) -- Research expected to help scientists to discover new ways of genetically engineering bacteria to manufacture biofuels overturns a generally accepted 44-year-old assumption about how certain kinds of bacteria make energy and synthesize cell materials. With this better understanding of how cyanobacteria make energy, it might be possible to genetically engineer a cyanobacterial strain to synthesize 1,3-butanediol -- an organic compound that is the precursor for making not only biofuels but also plastics. ... > full story

Endorphin plays traffic cop to organs (December 15, 2011) -- Spleen to the left, appendix to the right: In order for the body to sort itself out properly, two substances have to trigger a complex chain reaction, according to new research findings. ... > full story

140 new species described by California Academy of Sciences in 2011 (December 15, 2011) -- In 2011, researchers at the California Academy of Sciences added 140 new relatives to our family tree. The new species include 72 arthropods, 31 sea slugs, 13 fishes, 11 plants, nine sponges, three corals, and one reptile. They were described by more than a dozen Academy scientists along with several dozen international collaborators. ... > full story

Scientists find microbes in lava tube living in conditions like those on Mars (December 15, 2011) -- A team of scientists from Oregon has collected microbes from ice within a lava tube in the Cascade Mountains and found that they thrive in cold, Mars-like conditions. They have characteristics that would make the microbes capable of living in the subsurface of Mars and other planetary bodies. ... > full story

Scientists discover second-oldest gene mutation (December 15, 2011) -- A new study has identified a gene mutation that researchers estimate dates back to 11,600 B.C., making it the second oldest human disease mutation known. The mutation was described in people of Arabic, Turkish and Jewish ancestry. It causes a rare, inherited vitamin B12 deficiency. The mutation originated in a single, prehistoric individual and was passed down to that individual's descendants. The discovery should permit reliable genetic diagnosis of suspected cases of Imerslund-Gräsbeck Syndrome. ... > full story

Report recommends stringent limits on use of chimpanzees in biomedical and behavioral research (December 15, 2011) -- Given that chimpanzees are so closely related to humans and share similar behavioral traits, the U.S. National Institutes of Health should allow their use as subjects in biomedical research only under stringent conditions, including the absence of any other suitable model and inability to ethically perform the research on people, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. ... > full story

Acid rain poses a previously unrecognized threat to Great Lakes sugar maples (December 15, 2011) -- The number of sugar maples in Upper Great Lakes forests is likely to decline in coming decades, according to ecologists, due to a previously unrecognized threat from a familiar enemy: Acid rain. ... > full story

Increasing atmospheric concentrations of new flame retardants found (December 15, 2011) -- Compounds used in new flame-retardant products are showing up in the environment at increasing concentrations, according to a recent study. ... > full story

Artichokes grow big in Texas (December 15, 2011) -- Marketable yield, yield components, quality, and phenolic compounds of artichoke heads were investigated in response to three irrigation regimes and four nitrogen rates under subsurface drip irrigation. Results showed that irrigation was more effective than N management for optimizing artichoke yield. Time of harvest had the largest effect on artichoke nutritional quality, followed by deficit irrigation. The study will help introduce artichoke cultural practices into commercial production in water-limited regions of the southern United States. ... > full story

The shadows in a city reveal its energy flow (December 15, 2011) -- Researchers have created "shadow models" and a type of software that calculates the amount of solar radiation that reaches streets and buildings in high resolution. According to new results, they could help to optimize the energy consumption of cities. ... > full story

Dinosaurs with killer claws yield new theory about evolution of flight (December 15, 2011) -- New research has revealed how dinosaurs like Velociraptor and Deinonychus used their famous killer claws, leading to a new hypothesis on the evolution of flight in birds. ... > full story

Scientists discover anti-inflammatory polyphenols in apple peels (December 15, 2011) -- Here's another reason why "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." New research shows oral ingestion of apple polyphenols suppresses T cell activation to prevent colitis in mice. This study is the first demonstrating a role for T cells in polyphenol-mediated protection against autoimmune disease possibly leading to treatments for people with disorders from bowel inflammation, such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and colitis-associated colorectal cancer. ... > full story

Changing the locks: HIV discovery could allow scientists to block virus's entry into cell nucleus (December 15, 2011) -- Scientists have found the 'key' that HIV uses to enter our cells' nuclei, allowing it to disable the immune system and cause AIDS. The finding provides a potential new target for anti-AIDS drugs that could be more effective against drug-resistant strains of the virus. ... > full story

Inspired by insect cuticle, scientists develop material that's tough and strong (December 15, 2011) -- Researchers have developed "Shrilk," a new material that replicates the exceptional strength, toughness, and versatility of one of nature's more extraordinary substances -- insect cuticle. ... > full story

Microbial contamination found in orange juice squeezed in bars and restaurants, Spanish study suggests (December 15, 2011) -- Scientists have analyzed fresh orange juice squeezed by machines in catering establishments. They have confirmed that 43% of samples exceeded the acceptable enterobacteriaceae levels laid down by legislation. The researchers recommend that oranges are handled correctly, that juicers are washed properly and that the orange juice is served immediately rather than being stored in metal jugs. ... > full story

'Green routing' can cut car emissions without significantly slowing travel time (December 15, 2011) -- The path of least emissions may not always be the fastest way to drive somewhere. But according to new research, it's possible for drivers to cut their tailpipe emissions without significantly slowing travel time. ... > full story

Ramping up wind energy research (December 15, 2011) -- As the percentage of wind energy contributing to the power grid continues to increase, the variable nature of wind can make it difficult to keep the generation and the load balanced. But recent work may help this balance through a project that alerts control room operators of wind conditions and energy forecasts so they can make well-informed scheduling decisions. This is especially important during extreme events, such as ramps, when there is a sharp increase or decrease in the wind speed over a short period of time, which leads to a large rise or fall in the amount of power generated. ... > full story

Why buttercups reflect yellow on chins: Research sheds light on children’s game and provides insight into pollination (December 15, 2011) -- Scientists have found that the distinctive glossiness of the buttercup flower, which children like to shine under the chin to test whether their friends like butter, is related to its unique anatomical structure. ... > full story

Scientists develop new technology to detect deep sea gas leaks (December 15, 2011) -- A new ultra-sensitive technology which can monitor leaks from underwater gas pipelines has been developed by scientists in the UK. ... > full story

Starving orangutans might help to better understand obesity and eating disorders in humans (December 14, 2011) -- New research examining how endangered Indonesian orangutans – considered a close relative to humans -- survive during times of extreme food scarcity might help scientists better understand eating disorders and obesity in humans. ... > full story

Bloodstream malaria infections in mice successfully cleared (December 14, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered how malaria manipulates the immune system to allow the parasite to persist in the bloodstream. By rescuing this immune system pathway, the research team was able to cure mice of bloodstream malaria infections. ... > full story

'Pep talk' can revive immune cells exhausted by chronic viral infection (December 14, 2011) -- Chronic infections by viruses such as HIV or hepatitis C eventually take hold because they wear the immune system out, a phenomenon immunologists describe as exhaustion. Yet exhausted immune cells can be revived after the introduction of fresh cells that act like coaches giving a pep talk, researchers have found. ... > full story

Glow of recognition: New detectors could provide easy visual identification of toxins or pathogens (December 14, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new way of revealing the presence of specific chemicals -- whether toxins, disease markers, pathogens or explosives. The system visually signals the presence of a target chemical by emitting a fluorescent glow. ... > full story

Microneedle sensors may allow real-time monitoring of body chemistry (December 14, 2011) -- Researchers have developed new technology that uses microneedles to allow doctors to detect real-time chemical changes in the body -- and to continuously do so for an extended period of time. ... > full story

Study fundamentally alters our understanding of lung growth (December 14, 2011) -- A ground-breaking international study into the ways lungs grow and develop has challenged existing medical understanding that our lungs are completely formed by the age of three. ... > full story

Seabirds: Climate differences have less impact on transmission of blood parasites than expected (December 14, 2011) -- Seabirds often live in large colonies in very confined spaces. Parasites, such as fleas and ticks, take advantage of this ideal habitat with its rich supply of nutrition. As a result, they can transmit blood parasites like avian malaria to the birds. Scientists have investigated whether this affects all seabirds equally, and whether climate conditions, the habitat or particular living conditions influence infection with avian malaria. They discovered that most seabirds are free of malaria parasites; however, some groups, especially frigatebirds, are particularly common hosts to malaria parasites. ... > full story

Follow your nose: Compared to Neanderthals, modern humans have a better sense of smell (December 14, 2011) -- High-tech medical imaging techniques were recently used to access internal structures of fossil human skulls. Researchers used sophisticated 3-D methods to quantify the shape of the basal brain as reflected in the morphology of the skeletal cranial base. Their findings reveal that the human temporal lobes, involved in language, memory and social functions as well as the olfactory bulbs are relatively larger in Homo sapiens than in Neanderthals. ... > full story

Developing crops that can cope with sudden changes in the weather (December 14, 2011) -- Crops that can cope with sudden fluctuations in the weather could be developed, thanks to fresh discoveries about the survival mechanisms of plants. ... > full story

Whole new meaning for thinking on your feet: Brains of small spiders overflow into legs (December 14, 2011) -- Researchers report that the brains of tiny spiders may fill their body cavities and overflow into their legs. As part of research to understand how miniaturization affects brain size and behavior, the scientists measured the central nervous systems of nine species of spiders, from rainforest giants to spiders smaller than the head of a pin. As the spiders get smaller, their brains get proportionally bigger, filling up more and more of their body cavities. ... > full story

Divers retrieve prehistoric wood from Lake Huron (December 14, 2011) -- Under the cold clear waters of Lake Huron, researchers have found a five-and-a-half foot-long, pole-shaped piece of wood that is 8,900 years old. The wood, which is tapered and beveled on one side in a way that looks deliberate, may provide important clues to a mysterious period in North American prehistory. ... > full story

Small reactors could figure into US energy future (December 14, 2011) -- A new study concludes that small modular reactors may hold the key to the future of U.S. nuclear power generation. ... > full story

Visualization of DNA synthesis in vivo (December 14, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a new substance for labeling and visualization of DNA synthesis in whole animals. Applications for this technique include identifying the sites of virus infections and cancer growth, due to the abundance of DNA replication in these tissues. This approach should therefore lead to new strategies in drug development. ... > full story