The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Monday, January 23, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Monday, January 23, 2012

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Novel iron source: Newly identified iron absorption mechanism suggests that legumes could provide key to treating iron deficiency worldwide (January 23, 2012) -- A groundbreaking study reveals the existence of at least two independent mechanisms for iron absorption from non-meat sources -- and a potential treatment for iron deficiency, the most common nutrient deficiency worldwide. The discovery of an alternative mechanism for iron absorption from vegetables and legumes may provide the key to helping solve iron deficiency by providing an alternative, affordable, and readily available source of iron. ... > full story

Resource management in ant colonies may have lessons for politicians and economists (January 23, 2012) -- Political and economic theorists could learn lessons from studying how an ant colony allocates food resources, according to a new article. ... > full story

Gene critical to sense of smell in fruit fly identified (January 23, 2012) -- Fruit flies don't have noses, but a huge part of their brains is dedicated to processing smells. Flies probably rely on the sense of smell more than any other sense for essential activities such as finding mates and avoiding danger. Researchers have discovered that a gene called distal-less is critical to the fly's ability to receive, process and respond to smells. ... > full story

Metal oxide simulations could help green technology (January 23, 2012) -- Researchers have proposed a radical new way of thinking about the chemical reactions between water and metal oxides, the most common minerals on Earth. The new paradigm could lead to a better understanding of corrosion and how toxic minerals leach from rocks and soil. It could also help in the development of "green" technology: new types of batteries, or catalysts for splitting water to produce hydrogen fuel. ... > full story

Unveiling malaria's 'cloak of invisibility' (January 22, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered a molecule that is key to malaria's 'invisibility cloak.' The research will help to better understand how the parasite causes disease and escapes from the defenses mounted by the immune system. ... > full story

Elusive Z-DNA found on nucleosomes (January 22, 2012) -- New research shows that left-handed Z-DNA, normally only found at sites where DNA is being copied, can also form on nucleosomes. ... > full story

Fundamental malaria discovery: How parasites target proteins to surface of red blood cells (January 22, 2012) -- Researchers have made a fundamental discovery in understanding how malaria parasites cause deadly disease. The researchers show how parasites target proteins to the surface of the red blood cell that enables sticking to and blocking blood vessels. Strategies that prevent this host-targeting process will block disease. ... > full story

Italian shipwreck threatens to create second disaster at sea (January 22, 2012) -- An expert on the protection of threatened marine ecosystems has commented on the potential for ecological disaster posed by the 2,300 tons of fuel oil still aboard the capsized cruise ship Costa Concordia. ... > full story

Carbon dioxide is 'driving fish crazy' (January 21, 2012) -- Rising human carbon dioxide emissions may be affecting the brains and central nervous system of sea fishes with serious consequences for their survival, an international scientific team has found. Carbon dioxide concentrations predicted to occur in the ocean by the end of this century will interfere with fishes' ability to hear, smell, turn and evade predators, says a professor. ... > full story

Manganese may have potential in neutralizing deadly Shiga toxin (January 21, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered that manganese, an element commonly found in nature, might provide a way to neutralize the potentially lethal effects Shiga toxin. New results could pave the way for future research aimed at creating an inexpensive treatment for infections caused by bacteria that produce the Shiga toxin. Currently there is no treatment for such infections that afflict more than 150 million people each year, resulting in more than one million deaths worldwide. ... > full story

In solar cells, tweaking the tiniest of parts yields big jump in efficiency (January 21, 2012) -- By tweaking the smallest of parts, engineers are hoping to dramatically increase the amount of sunlight that solar cells convert into electricity. ... > full story

Tiny amounts of alcohol dramatically extend a worm's life, but why? (January 21, 2012) -- Minuscule amounts of ethanol can at least double the life span of a tiny worm used as a model for aging studies, biochemists report. "This finding floored us; it's shocking" said the senior author of the study. ... > full story

High levels of MRSA bacteria in U.S. retail meat products, study suggests (January 21, 2012) -- Retail pork products in the U.S. have a higher prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (MRSA) than previously identified, according to new research. ... > full story

'Bubblegram' imaging: Novel approach to view inner workings of viruses (January 20, 2012) -- Since the discovery of the microscope, scientists have tried to visualize smaller and smaller structures to provide insights into the inner workings of human cells, bacteria and viruses. Now, researchers have developed a new way to see structures within viruses that were not clearly seen before. ... > full story

NASA sees repeating La Niña hitting its peak (January 20, 2012) -- La Niña, "the diva of drought," is peaking, increasing the odds that the Pacific Northwest will have more stormy weather this winter and spring, while the southwestern and southern United States will be dry. Sea surface height data from NASA's Jason-1 and -2 satellites show that the milder repeat of last year's strong La Niña has recently intensified, as seen in the latest Jason-2 image of the Pacific Ocean. ... > full story

Toward twister forecasting: Scientists make progress in assessing tornado seasons (January 20, 2012) -- A new study of short-term climate trends offers the first framework for predicting tornado activity up to a month out with current technology, and possibly further out as climate models improve, giving communities a chance to plan. The study may also eventually open a window on the question of whether tornadoes are growing more frequent due to long-term climate warming. ... > full story

Mysterious flotsam in Gulf of Mexico came from Deepwater Horizon rig (January 20, 2012) -- Using state-of-the-art chemical forensics and a bit of old-fashioned detective work, scientists confirmed that mysterious material found floating in the Gulf of Mexico came from the Deepwater Horizon rig. They further determined that tracking debris from damaged rigs can help forecast coastal impacts and guide response efforts in future spills. ... > full story

Hearty bacteria help make case for life in the extreme (January 20, 2012) -- The bottom of a glacier is not the most hospitable place on Earth, but at least two types of bacteria happily live there, according to researchers. ... > full story

Horse fly named in honor of Beyoncé (January 20, 2012) -- A previously unnamed species of horse fly whose appearance is dominated by its glamorous golden lower abdomen has been named in honor of American pop diva, Beyoncé -- a member of the former group Destiny's Child that recorded the 2001 hit single "Bootylicious." ... > full story

Cheap beads offer alternative solar-heating storage (January 20, 2012) -- A cheap material that can store heat energy collected from the sun during the day that can be released slowly over night has been developed by researchers in the India. The material, based on paraffin wax and stearic acid, could help keep homes warm in sunny parts of the world that get very cold at night without burning wood or fossil fuels. ... > full story

Harp seals on thin ice after 32 years of warming (January 20, 2012) -- Warming in the North Atlantic over the last 32 years has significantly reduced winter sea ice cover in harp seal breeding grounds, resulting in sharply higher death rates among seal pups in recent years, according to a new study. ... > full story

Two new standard reference materials for monitoring human exposure to environmental toxins (January 20, 2012) -- Scientists have developed two new standard reference materials for measurements of human exposure to environmental toxins. The new reference materials replace and improve older versions, adding measures for emerging environmental contaminants such as perchlorate, a chemical that the Environmental Protection Agency has targeted for regulation as a contaminant under the Safe Drinking Water Act. ... > full story

Environmental exposure to organochlorines may impact male reproduction (January 19, 2012) -- Environmental exposure to organochlorine chemicals, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and p,p'-DDE (the main metabolite of the insecticide DDT) can affect male reproduction, according to new research. ... > full story

Impact of land use activity in the Amazon basin evaluated (January 19, 2012) -- Portions of the Amazon basin are experiencing a transition in energy and water cycles. Evidence suggests that the Amazon may also be transitioning from a net carbon sink to a net source. This research shows that although the Amazon is resilient to individual disturbances, such as drought, multiple disturbances override this, increasing the vulnerability of forest ecosystems to degradation. This review provides a framework for understanding the associations between natural variability and drivers of change. ... > full story

Unusual 'tulip' creature discovered: Lived in the ocean more than 500 million years ago (January 19, 2012) -- A bizarre creature that lived in the ocean more than 500 million years ago has emerged from the famous Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale in the Canadian Rockies. Officially named Siphusauctum gregarium, fossils reveal a tulip-shaped creature that is about the length of a dinner knife (approximately 20 centimeters or eight inches) and has a unique filter feeding system. ... > full story

Native forest birds in Hawaii in unprecedented trouble (January 19, 2012) -- Native birds at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge are in unprecedented trouble, according to a new article. ... > full story

When it comes to accepting evolution, gut feelings trump facts (January 19, 2012) -- For students to accept the theory of evolution, an intuitive "gut feeling" may be just as important as understanding the facts, according to a new study. In an analysis of the beliefs of biology teachers, researchers found that a quick intuitive notion of how right an idea feels was a powerful driver of whether or not students accepted evolution -- often trumping factors such as knowledge level or religion. ... > full story

NASA finds 2011 ninth-warmest year on record (January 19, 2012) -- The global average surface temperature in 2011 was the ninth warmest since 1880, according to NASA scientists. The finding continues a trend in which nine of the 10 warmest years in the modern meteorological record have occurred since the year 2000. ... > full story

'Rules' may govern genome evolution in young plant species (January 19, 2012) -- A new study shows a hybrid plant species may experience rapid genome evolution in predictable patterns, meaning evolution repeats itself in populations of independent origin. ... > full story

Snakes improve search-and-rescue robots: New design uses less energy (January 19, 2012) -- Researchers have studied the movements of snakes to create more efficient search-and-rescue robots. ... > full story

Inventory lists 19,232 newly discovered species during latest count (January 19, 2012) -- More than half of the 19,232 species newly known to science in 2009, the most recent calendar year of compilation, were insects -- 9,738 or 50.6 percent -- according to the 2011 State of Observed Species. ... > full story

Polar growth at the bacterial scale reveals potential new targets for antibiotic therapy (January 19, 2012) -- Microbiologists have identified a new bacterial growth process -- one that occurs at a single end or pole of the cell instead of uniform, dispersed growth along the long axis of the cell -- that could have implications in the development of new antibacterial strategies. ... > full story

Saving dogs with spinal cord injuries (January 19, 2012) -- Dogs with spinal cord injuries may soon benefit from an experimental drug currently being tested by researchers — work that they hope will one day help people with similar injuries. ... > full story

Songbird brain synapses and glial cells capable of synthesizing estrogen (January 19, 2012) -- A biology professor has detailed previously undiscovered ways songbirds can produce estrogen in their brains. ... > full story

Tortoise species thought to be extinct still lives, genetic analysis reveals (January 19, 2012) -- Dozens of giant tortoises of a species believed extinct for 150 years may still be living at a remote location in the Galápagos Islands, a genetic analysis reveals. ... > full story

Important gene-regulation proteins pinpointed by new method (January 19, 2012) -- A novel technique precisely pinpoints the location of proteins that read and regulate chromosomes. The order of these proteins determines whether a brain cell, a liver cell, or a cancer cell is formed. Until now, it has been exceedingly difficult to determine exactly where such proteins bind to the chromosome, and therefore how they work. The new technique has the potential to take high-resolution snapshots of proteins as they regulate or miss-regulate an entire genome. ... > full story

Good parents are predictable, at least when it comes to corn (January 19, 2012) -- According to a relatively new insight in plant research, there is no single gene strongly controlling growth. Nevertheless, in order to breed new varieties of corn with a higher yield faster than ever before, researchers are relying on a trick: early selection of the most promising parent plants based on their chemical and genetic makeup, as well as on new statistical analysis procedures. ... > full story

Birds of a feather don't always stick together (January 19, 2012) -- Pigeons display spectacular variations in their feathers, feet, beaks and other physical traits, but a new study shows that visible traits don’t always coincide with genetics: A bird from one breed may have huge foot feathers, while a closely related breed does not; yet two unrelated pigeon breeds both may have large foot feathers. ... > full story

First physical evidence of tobacco in Mayan container (January 18, 2012) -- Anthropologists and other scientists have used ultra-modern chemical analysis technology to analyze ancient Mayan pottery for proof of tobacco use in the ancient culture. They discovered the first physical evidence of tobacco in a Mayan container. Their discovery represents new evidence on the ancient use of tobacco in the Mayan culture and a new method to understand the ancient roots of tobacco use in the Americas. ... > full story

Ice age findings forecast problems: Data from end of last Ice Age confirm effects of climate change on oceans (January 18, 2012) -- The first comprehensive study of changes in the oxygenation of oceans at the end of the last Ice Age has implications for the future of our oceans under global warming. The study looked at marine sediment and found that that the dissolved oxygen concentrations in large parts of the oceans changed dramatically during the relatively slow natural climate changes at the end of the last Ice Age. ... > full story

New device creates lipid spheres that mimic cell membranes (January 18, 2012) -- A new way of manipulating fluids on microscopic levels brings us one step closer to "bottom-up" artificial cell constructs. ... > full story

Ancient popcorn discovered in Peru (January 18, 2012) -- People living along the coast of Peru were eating popcorn 1,000 years earlier than previously reported and before ceramic pottery was used there, according to a new article. ... > full story

Prehistoric predators with supersized teeth had beefier arm bones (January 18, 2012) -- The toothiest prehistoric predators also had beefier arm bones, according to results of a new study. Saber-toothed tigers may come to mind, but these extinct cats weren't the only animals with fearsome fangs. Take the false saber-toothed cats -- also known as nimravids -- and their catlike cousins, a family of carnivores called the barbourofelids. ... > full story

Climate balancing: Sea-level rise vs. surface temperature change rates (January 18, 2012) -- Engineering our way out of global climate warming may not be as easy as simply reducing the incoming solar energy, according to a climate scientists. Designing the approach to control both sea level rise and rates of surface air temperature changes requires a balancing act to accommodate the diverging needs of different locations. ... > full story

World's most extreme deep-sea vents revealed: Deeper than any seen before, and teeming with new creatures (January 18, 2012) -- Scientists have revealed details of the world's most extreme deep-sea volcanic vents, five kilometers down in a rift in the Caribbean seafloor. The undersea hot springs, which lie 0.8 kilometers deeper than any seen before, may be hotter than 450 °C and are shooting a jet of mineral-laden water more than a kilometer into the ocean above. ... > full story

First link between potentially toxic PFCs in office air and in office workers' blood (January 18, 2012) -- In a first-of-its-kind study, scientists are reporting that the indoor air in offices is an important source of worker exposure to potentially toxic substances released by carpeting, furniture, paint and other items. Their report documents a link between levels of these so-called polyfluorinated compounds in office air and in the blood of workers. ... > full story

Ulcer-causing bacteria baffled by mucus: Researchers discover impact of viscoelasticity on collective behavior of swimming microorganisms (January 18, 2012) -- A new study demonstrates how introducing certain polymers—like those found in human mucus and saliva—into an aquatic environment makes it significantly more difficult for ulcer-causing bacteria and other microorganisms to coordinate. ... > full story

Biologists replicate key evolutionary step (January 18, 2012) -- More than 500 million years ago, single-celled organisms on the Earth's surface began forming multicellular clusters that ultimately became plants and animals. Just how that happened is a question that has eluded evolutionary biologists. ... > full story