The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Wednesday, January 25, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Wednesday, January 25, 2012

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Sunshade geoengineering more likely to improve global food security, research suggests (January 25, 2012) -- Carbon dioxide emissions have been increasing over the past decades, causing Earth to get hotter and hotter. There are concerns that a continuation of these trends could have catastrophic effects. This has led some to explore drastic ideas for combating global warming, including the idea of counteracting it by reflecting sunlight away from the Earth. However, it has been suggested that reflecting sunlight away from Earth might itself threaten the food supply. New research examines the potential effects that geoengineering the climate could have on global food production and concludes that sunshade geoengineering would be more likely to improve rather than threaten food security. ... > full story

Improving crops from the roots up (January 25, 2012) -- Scientists have taken us a step closer to breeding hardier crops that can better adapt to different environmental conditions and fight off attack from parasites. ... > full story

Love of a dog or cat helps women cope with HIV/AIDS (January 25, 2012) -- A spoonful of medicine goes down a lot easier if there is a dog or cat around. Having pets is helpful for women living with HIV/AIDS and managing their chronic illness, according to a new study. ... > full story

Power generation is blowing in the wind (January 25, 2012) -- By looking at the stability of the atmosphere, wind farm operators could gain greater insight into the amount of power generated at any given time. Power generated by a wind turbine largely depends on the wind speed. In a wind farm in which the turbines experience the same wind speeds but different shapes (such as turbulence) to the wind profile, a turbine will produce different amounts of power. This variable power can be predicted by looking at atmospheric stability, according to new research. ... > full story

Molecular structure and function of essential plant hormone could profoundly change our understanding of a key cell process (January 25, 2012) -- A recent study investigating the molecular structure and function of an essential plant hormone could profoundly change our understanding of a key cell process, and might ultimately lead to the development of new drugs for a variety of diseases. ... > full story

Scientists discover new clue to chemical origins of life (January 24, 2012) -- Organic chemists have made a significant advance towards establishing the origin of the carbohydrates (sugars) that form the building blocks of life. The researchers have re-created a process which could have occurred in the prebiotic world. ... > full story

Entry point for hepatitis C infection identified (January 24, 2012) -- A molecule embedded in the membrane of human liver cells that aids in cholesterol absorption also allows the entry of hepatitis C virus, the first step in hepatitis C infection, according to new research. ... > full story

Low temperatures enhance ozone degradation above the Arctic (January 24, 2012) -- Extraordinarily cold temperatures in the winter of 2010/2011 caused the most massive destruction of the ozone layer above the Arctic so far: The mechanisms leading to the first ozone hole above the North Pole have now been investigated. ... > full story

Parental controls on embryonic development? (January 24, 2012) -- When a sperm fertilizes an egg, each contributes a set of chromosomes to the resulting embryo, which at these very early stages is called a zygote. Early on, zygotic genes are inert, so embryonic development is largely controlled by parental factors. The activation of the zygotic genome therefore represents an important transition toward a more autonomous mode of embryonic development, and has been the subject of much speculation and scrutiny. Now a new study suggests that the reach of parental control in the embryo may be longer than we thought. ... > full story

Membrane fusion a mystery no more (January 24, 2012) -- The many factors that contribute to how cells communicate and function at the most basic level are still not fully understood, but researchers have uncovered a mechanism that helps explain how intracellular membranes fuse, and in the process, created a new physiological membrane fusion model. ... > full story

New material to remove radioactive gas from spent nuclear fuel (January 24, 2012) -- Research by chemists could impact worldwide efforts to produce clean, safe nuclear energy and reduce radioactive waste. They have used metal-organic frameworks to capture and remove volatile radioactive gas from spent nuclear fuel. ... > full story

Space weather arrives: Relatively minor impacts expected from solar storm (January 24, 2012) -- A significant blast of energy from the sun arrived at Earth on Jan. 24, 2012 at 10 a.m. EST, triggering a moderate geomagnetic storm here that's unlikely to cause major problems. But skywatchers take note: the storm could set off bright Northern and Southern lights Tuesday night, possibly visible from as far south as New York and Oregon. ... > full story

Wasp found in upstate New York shows up in Southern California (January 24, 2012) -- In August 2010, an entomologist at the University of California, Riverside discovered a tiny fairyfly wasp in upstate New York that had never been seen in the United States until then. Nearly exactly a year later, he discovered the wasp in Irvine, Calif., strongly suggesting that the wasp is well established in the country. Called Gonatocerus ater, the 1-millimeter-long wasp was accidentally introduced in North America. It lays its eggs inside the eggs of leafhoppers. ... > full story

Ancient dinosaur nursery: Oldest nesting site yet found (January 24, 2012) -- An excavation at a site in South Africa has unearthed the 190-million-year-old dinosaur nesting site of the prosauropod dinosaur Massospondylus -- revealing significant clues about the evolution of complex reproductive behavior in early dinosaurs. ... > full story

Supercomputers take a cue from microwave ovens: Co-design may be the answer to modeling clouds and other big problems (January 24, 2012) -- As sophisticated as modern climate models are, one critical component continues to elude their precision -- clouds. Clouds modulate the climate. Experts agree that getting their effect on the climate system correct is critical to increasing confidence in projections of future climate change. To build the breakthrough supercomputers that these researchers need, computer scientists are taking a cue from the world of consumer electronics. ... > full story

Efforts to control the 'Mighty Mississippi' result in flooded farmland and permanent damage, research shows (January 24, 2012) -- When the water in the Mississippi River rose to 58 feet with a forecast of 60 feet or higher in May 2011, the emergency plan to naturally or intentionally breach the levees, established over 80 years prior, was put in motion. The flood of 1937 did top the frontline levee and water passed into and through the New Madrid Floodway, but being floodfree since then caused area landowners to oppose the plan being put into action. ... > full story

Neanderthals and their contemporaries engineered stone tools, anthropologists discover (January 24, 2012) -- New published research from anthropologists in the UK supports the long-held theory that early human ancestors across Africa, Western Asia and Europe engineered their stone tools. ... > full story

New study sheds light on evolutionary origin of oxygen-based cellular respiration (January 24, 2012) -- Researchers in Japan have clarified the crystal structure of quinol dependent nitric oxide reductase (qNOR), a bacterial enzyme that offers clues on the origins of our earliest oxygen-breathing ancestors. In addition to their importance to fundamental science, the findings provide key insights into the production of nitrogen oxide, an ozone-depleting and greenhouse gas hundreds of times more potent than carbon dioxide. ... > full story

How cells dispose of their waste: Researchers reveal the structure of the cellular protein degradation machinery (January 24, 2012) -- Defective proteins that are not disposed of by the body can cause diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. Scientists recently succeeded in revealing the structure of the cellular protein degradation machinery (26S proteasome) by combining different methods of structural biology. The results represent an important step forward in the investigation of the 26S proteasome. ... > full story

Ancient domesticated dog skull found in Siberian cave: 33,000 years old (January 24, 2012) -- A 33,000-year-old dog skull unearthed in a Siberian mountain cave presents some of the oldest known evidence of dog domestication and indicates that modern dogs may be descended from multiple ancestors, with advancing glaciers thwarting early domestication efforts. ... > full story

'Miracle tree' substance produces clean drinking water inexpensively and sustainably (January 24, 2012) -- A natural substance obtained from seeds of the "miracle tree" could purify and clarify water inexpensively and sustainably in the developing world, where more than 1 billion people lack access to clean drinking water, scientists report. ... > full story

Lessons in coral reef survival from deep time (January 24, 2012) -- Lessons from tens of millions of years ago are pointing to new ways to save and protect today's coral reefs and their myriad of beautiful and many-hued fishes at a time of huge change in the Earth's systems. Today's complex relationship between fishes and corals developed relatively recently in geological terms -- and is a major factor in shielding reef species from extinction, say experts. ... > full story

Extremely rare turtle is released into the wild (January 24, 2012) -- Biologists have successfully released a Southern River terrapin (Batagur affinis) – one of the most endangered turtles on Earth – into the Sre Ambel River in Cambodia. ... > full story

Major study of ocean acidification helps scientists evaluate effects of atmospheric carbon dioxide on marine life (January 24, 2012) -- Might a penguin's next meal be affected by the exhaust from your tailpipe? The answer may be yes, when you add your exhaust fumes to the total amount of carbon dioxide lofted into the atmosphere by humans since the industrial revolution. One-third of that carbon dioxide is absorbed by the world's oceans, making them more acidic and affecting marine life. ... > full story

Researchers develop gene therapy that could correct a common form of blindness (January 24, 2012) -- A new gene therapy has the potential to treat a common form of blindness that strikes both youngsters and adults. The technique works by replacing a malfunctioning gene in the eye with a normal working copy that supplies a protein necessary for light-sensitive cells in the eye to function. Several complex steps remain before the gene therapy technique can be used in humans, but once at that stage, it has great potential to change lives. ... > full story

Metadynamics technique offers insight into mineral growth and dissolution (January 24, 2012) -- By using a novel technique to better understand mineral growth and dissolution, researchers are improving predictions of mineral reactions and laying the groundwork for applications ranging from keeping oil pipes clear to sequestering radium. ... > full story

Mast from classic racing yacht holds one of the keys to sustainable biofuels (January 24, 2012) -- The mast from a classic racing yacht and samples from a breeding trial have played a key role in the search for sustainable biofuels. ... > full story

Waiting for Death Valley's big bang: Volcanic explosion crater may have future potential (January 23, 2012) -- In California's Death Valley, death is looking just a bit closer. Geologists have determined that the half-mile-wide Ubehebe Crater, formed by a prehistoric volcanic explosion, was created far more recently than previously thought -- and that conditions for a sequel may exist today. ... > full story

Saving the snow leopard with stem cells (January 23, 2012) -- The survival of the endangered snow leopard is looking promising thanks to scientists who have, for the first time, produced embryonic stem-like cells from the tissue of an adult leopard. ... > full story

Patterns of antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in Galapagos reptiles (January 23, 2012) -- Land and marine iguanas and giant tortoises living close to human settlements or tourist sites in the Galapagos islands were more likely to harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria than those living in more remote or protected sites on the islands, researchers report. Many of the reptiles harbor E. coli bacteria that are resistant to ampicillin, doxycycline, tetracycline, and trimethoprin/sulfamethoxazole. ... > full story

Mighty mesh: Extracellular matrix identified as source of spreading in biofilms (January 23, 2012) -- New research explains how bacterial biofilms expand to form slimy mats on teeth, pipes, surgical instruments, and crops. ... > full story

Strongest solar radiation storm since 2005 (January 23, 2012) -- NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center -- the nation's official source of warnings and alerts about space weather and its impacts on Earth -- has issued a watch for a geomagnetic storm associated with a bright flare on the sun Sunday evening (Jan. 22, 2012). The storm could arrive Tuesday morning, with possible impacts to navigation, the power grid and satellites. ... > full story

Compounds in mate tea induce death in colon cancer cells, in vitro study shows (January 23, 2012) -- In a recent study, scientists showed that human colon cancer cells die when they are exposed to the approximate number of bioactive compounds present in one cup of mate tea, which has long been consumed in South America for its medicinal properties. ... > full story

Multiple partners not the only way for corals to stay cool (January 23, 2012) -- For the first time scientists have shown that corals hosting a single type of zooxanthellae can have different levels of thermal tolerance -– a feature that was only known previously for corals with a mix of zooxanthellae. This finding is important because many species of coral are dominated by a single type of zooxanthellae. ... > full story

Worm seeks worm: Chemical cues drive aggregation in nematodes (January 23, 2012) -- Scientists have long seen evidence of social behavior among many species of animals. Dolphins frolic together and lions live in packs. And, right under our feet, it appears that nematodes are having their own little gatherings in the soil. Until recently, it was unknown how the worms communicate to one another when it's time to come together. Now, researchers have identified, for the first time, the chemical signals that promote aggregation. ... > full story

Rare Miller's grizzled langur rediscovered in Borneo (January 23, 2012) -- Scientists have found one of the rarest and least known primates in Borneo, Miller’s Grizzled Langur, a species which was believed to be extinct or on the verge of extinction. The findings confirms the continued existence of this endangered monkey and reveals that it lives in an area where it was previously not known to exist. ... > full story

Speed limit for birds: Researchers find critical speed above which birds -- and drones -- are sure to crash (January 23, 2012) -- The northern goshawk is one of nature's diehard thrill-seekers. The formidable raptor preys on birds and small mammals, speeding through tree canopies and underbrush to catch its quarry. While speed is a goshawk's greatest asset, researchers say the bird must observe a theoretical speed limit if it wants to avoid a crash. The researchers found that, given a certain density of obstacles, there exists a speed below which a bird -- and any other flying object -- has a fair chance of flying collision-free. Any faster, and a bird or aircraft is sure to smack into something, no matter how much information it has about its environment. ... > full story

Researchers' refinement increases solar concentrator efficiency (January 23, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered that changing the shape of a solar concentrator significantly increases its efficiency, bringing its use closer to reality. ... > full story

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