The EDGE: ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Friday, June 29, 2012

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Friday, June 29, 2012

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Evidence of life on Mars could come from Martian moon Phobos (June 29, 2012) -- A mission to a Martian moon could return with alien life, according to experts, but don't expect the invasion scenario presented by summer blockbusters like "Men in Black 3" or "Prometheus." A sample from the moon Phobos, scientists believe, would almost surely contain Martian material blasted off from large asteroid impacts. If life on Mars exists or existed within the last 10 million years, a mission to Phobos could yield our first evidence of life beyond Earth. ... > full story

First-ever changes in an exoplanet atmosphere detected (June 29, 2012) -- Astronomers have using data made an unparalleled observation, detecting significant changes in the atmosphere of a planet located beyond our solar system. ... > full story

Has the speediest pulsar been found? (June 29, 2012) -- The fastest moving pulsar may have been found about 30,000 light years from Earth. This object is known as IGR J1104-6103 and may be racing away from a supernova remnant at about 6 million miles per hour. If confirmed, this would challenge theorists to create models that explain such super speeds out of supernova explosions. ... > full story

What you eat can prevent arsenic overload (June 29, 2012) -- New research has demonstrated that people who ate more dietary vitamin B12 and animal protein had lower levels of arsenic (measured by deposition in toenails). Total dietary fat, animal fat, vegetable fat and saturated fat were also all associated with lower levels of arsenic, while omega 3 fatty acids, such as those found in fish oil, were associated with increased arsenic. ... > full story

Insights into primate diversity: Lessons from the rhesus macaque (June 29, 2012) -- The rhesus macaque has three times as much genetic variation as humans. However despite much of this extra variation within genes, protein function is not affected. Consequently damaging variations are at similar levels in macaques and humans -- indicating a strong selection pressure to maintain gene function regardless of mutation rate or population size. ... > full story

Both innate and adaptive immune responses are critical to the control of influenza (June 29, 2012) -- Both innate and adaptive immune responses play an important role in controlling influenza virus infection, according to a new study. ... > full story

Adoption of advanced techniques could propel crop improvement (June 28, 2012) -- Scientists could take greater strides toward crop improvement if there were wider adoption of advanced techniques used to understand the mechanisms that allow plants to adapt to their environments, researchers say. ... > full story

Improving efficiencies in fuel, chemical and pharmaceutical industries (June 28, 2012) -- Engineering researchers have made a major breakthrough in developing a catalyst used during chemical reactions in the production of gasoline, plastics, biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and other chemicals. The discovery could lead to major efficiencies and cost-savings in these multibillion-dollar industries. ... > full story

Cognitive-behavioral therapy effective in combatting anxiety disorders, study suggests (June 28, 2012) -- Whether it is a phobia like a fear of flying, public speaking or spiders, or a diagnosis such as obsessive compulsive disorder, new research finds patients suffering from anxiety disorders showed the most improvement when treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in conjunction with a "transdiagnostic" approach -- a model that allows therapists to apply one set of principles across anxiety disorders. ... > full story

Plasma startup creates high-energy light to make smaller microchips (June 28, 2012) -- A pair of aeronautical engineers working on fusion energy -- harnessing the energy-generating mechanism of the sun -- may have found a way to etch the next generation of microchips. ... > full story

Programmable DNA scissors found for bacterial immune system (June 28, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered a programmable RNA complex in the bacterial immune system that guides the cleaving of DNA at targeted sites. This discovery opens a new door to genome editing with implications for the green chemistry microbial-based production of advanced biofuels, therapeutic drugs and other valuable chemical products. ... > full story

Cassini finds likely subsurface ocean on Saturn's moon Titan (June 28, 2012) -- Data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft have revealed Saturn's moon Titan likely harbors a layer of liquid water under its ice shell. Researchers saw a large amount of squeezing and stretching as the moon orbited Saturn. They deduced that if Titan were composed entirely of stiff rock, the gravitational attraction of Saturn would cause bulges, or solid "tides," on the moon only 3 feet (1 meter) in height. Spacecraft data show Saturn creates solid tides approximately 30 feet (10 meters) in height, which suggests Titan is not made entirely of solid rocky material. ... > full story

New insights into the effects of stress on pregnancy (June 28, 2012) -- Expectant mothers who dealt with the strain of a hurricane or major tropical storm passing nearby during their pregnancy had children who were at elevated risk for abnormal health conditions at birth, according to a new study that offers new insights into the effects of stress on pregnancy. ... > full story

Maya archaeologists unearth new 2012 monument with 'end date' of Dec. 21, 2012 (June 28, 2012) -- Archaeologists working at the site of La Corona in Guatemala have discovered a 1,300-year-old-year Maya text that provides only the second known reference to the so-called "end date" of the Maya calendar, Dec. 21, 2012. The discovery is one of the most significant hieroglyphic finds in decades. ... > full story

How flu can cause severe infections (June 28, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered a new gene in the influenza virus that helps the virus control the body's response to infection. Although this control is exerted by the virus, surprisingly it reduces the impact of the infection. ... > full story

Discovery may lead to new tomato varieties with vintage flavor and quality (June 28, 2012) -- A new genetic discovery may help plant breeders recapture heirloom flavor, processing quality and a health-promoting compound in modern tomato varieties. ... > full story

Date of earliest animal life reset by 30 million years (June 28, 2012) -- Researchers have uncovered physical proof that animals existed 585 million years ago, 30 million years earlier than all previous established records show. The discovery was made U of A geologists Ernesto Pecoits and Natalie Aubet in Uruguay. They found fossilized tracks of a centimeter long, slug-like animal left behind 585 million years ago in a silty sediment. ... > full story

Study on fungi helps explain coal formation and may advance future biofuels production (June 28, 2012) -- The evolution of white rot fungi might have helped bring an end to the geologic period characterized by the formation of large coal deposits, and may help lay the groundwork for the future production of biofuels. ... > full story

Master regulator protein brings plethora of coactivators to gene expression sites (June 28, 2012) -- A master regulator protein brings plethora of coactivators to gene expression sites. Molecular geneticists call big boss proteins that switch on broad developmental or metabolic programs "master regulators," as in master regulators of muscle development or fat metabolism. ... > full story

Milky Way struck 100 million years ago, still rings like a bell (June 28, 2012) -- Astronomers have discovered evidence that our Milky Way had an encounter with a small galaxy or massive dark matter structure perhaps as recently as 100 million years ago, and as a result of that encounter it is still ringing like a bell. ... > full story

Native species fight back: First evidence of coevolution between invasive, native species (June 28, 2012) -- Invasive species such as kudzu, privet and garlic mustard can devastate ecosystems, and, until now, scientists had little reason to believe that native plants could mount a successful defense. A new study shows that some native clearweed plants have evolved resistance to invasive garlic mustard plants -- and that the invasive plants appear to be waging a counterattack. ... > full story

Why does a diet high in DHA improve memory? (June 28, 2012) -- We've all heard that eating fish is good for our brains and memory. But what is it about DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish, that makes our memory sharper? ... > full story

Earth's oldest known impact crater found in Greenland (June 28, 2012) -- Scientists in working in Western Greenland have found evidence of an asteroid or comet impact early in the Earth's history. At three billion years old, the crater is a billion years older than the previously oldest known crater. ... > full story

Pollutants could pose health risks for five sea turtle species (June 28, 2012) -- Researchers have measured for the first time concentrations of 13 compounds in five different endangered species of sea turtles that approach the amounts known to cause adverse health effects in other animals. ... > full story

Good news for aging eyes: Debilitating eyesight problems on the decline for older Americans (June 28, 2012) -- Today's senior citizens are reporting fewer visual impairment problems than their counterparts from a generation ago, according to a new study. Improved techniques for cataract surgery and a reduction in the prevalence of macular degeneration may be the driving forces behind this change, the researchers said. ... > full story

A new source of maize hybrid vigor (June 28, 2012) -- Scientists think they may have discovered a new source of heterosis, or hybrid vigor, in maize. They have been looking at small RNAs, a class of double-stranded RNA molecules that are 20 to 25 nucleotides in length. ... > full story

Turning skin cells into brain cells: Huntington's disease in a dish (June 28, 2012) -- Scientists have generated stem cells from skin cells from a person with a severe, early-onset form of Huntington's disease, and turned them into neurons that degenerate just like those affected by the fatal inherited disorder. ... > full story

Part of the genome of two hunter-gatherers from 7,000 years ago (June 28, 2012) -- A team of scientists has recovered part of the genome of two individuals who were alive in the Mesolithic Period, 7,000 years ago. The remains were found at La Braña-Arintero site, located at Valdelugueros (León), Spain. The study results indicate that current Iberian populations do not come from these recently discovered humans. ... > full story

With mind-reading speller, free-for-all conversations that are silent and still (June 28, 2012) -- Researchers have come up with a device that may enable people who are completely unable to speak or move at all to nevertheless manage unscripted back-and-forth conversation. The key to such silent and still communication is the first real-time, brain-scanning speller. ... > full story

Seeking solace: Celebrity deaths often have pronounced effects on their audiences (June 28, 2012) -- According to a cognitive psychologist, the common responses to celebrity deaths demonstrate important realities about how people build relationships with the media they consume. ... > full story

Longest-lived Mars orbiter is back in service (June 28, 2012) -- NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter has resumed its science observations and its role as a Mars rover's relay, thanks to a spare part that had been waiting 11 years to be put to use. ... > full story

Photosynthesis re-wired: Chemists use nanowires to power photosynthesis-like process (June 28, 2012) -- Chemists have developed a process that closely resembles photosynthesis and proved capable of synthesizing compounds found in the pain-killers ibuprofen and naproxen. ... > full story

Flu immunity is affected by how many viruses actually cause the infection (June 28, 2012) -- Both the number of viruses in initial flu infection, and the virus type, affects the patient's outcome. Mice infected by high concentrations developed immunity, and generated immune cells in the lungs to fight other strains. Mice with low concentrations developed weaker immunity, did not generate cells in the lungs, and delayed immunity toward other strains. This could help develop novel strategies to fight flu infections. ... > full story

Tasers don't cause cardiac complications, study suggests (June 28, 2012) -- Medical researchers reviewed 1,201 cases of real-life Taser uses by law enforcement agencies but found none in which the devices could be linked to cardiac complications, even when the Taser probes landed on the upper chest area and may have delivered a shock across the heart. ... > full story

Searching for the origin of muscles (June 28, 2012) -- Scientists have addressed the origin of musculature. A new analysis reveals for the first time that some central components of muscles of higher animals are much older than previously assumed. These results indicate that muscle-like cell contraction originated already very early during animal evolution, while the specialization of basal muscle cell types, such as striated muscles, occurred only later and several times independently. ... > full story

Sometimes, cheating is allowed, study suggests (June 28, 2012) -- No lying, cheating or forging parents' signatures -- school children basically want to be honest. Depending on the school situation, however, they make exceptions and adopt unconventional honesty rules. Then they are sometimes dishonest to get a better grade. ... > full story

Paint-on lithium battery can be applied to virtually any surface (June 28, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a paint-on lithium-ion battery that can be applied to virtually any surface. The materials were airbrushed onto ceramic bathroom tiles, flexible polymers, glass, stainless steel and even a mug to see how well they would bond with each substrate. ... > full story

Acoustic tweezers capture and manipulate tiny creatures with ultrasound (June 28, 2012) -- Bioengineers and biochemists are using a miniaturized ultrasound device to capture and manipulate biological materials, such as the tiny roundworm, C. elegans. ... > full story

Understanding what's up with the Higgs Boson at the Large Hadron Collider (June 28, 2012) -- CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, will hold a seminar early in the morning on July 4 to announce the latest results from ATLAS and CMS, two major experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) that are searching for the Higgs boson. Both experimental teams are working down to the wire to finish analyzing their data, and to determine exactly what can be said about what they've found. ... > full story

New approach to reverse multiple sclerosis in mice models (June 28, 2012) -- Researchers have successfully used smaller, folded DNA molecules to stimulate regeneration and repair of nerve coatings in mice that mimic multiple sclerosis. ... > full story

Debby now exiting Florida's east coast, disorganized on satellite imagery (June 28, 2012) -- Debby has tracked across Florida from the Gulf coast to the Atlantic coast, and the interaction with land has taken its toll on the storm's organization. In GOES-13 satellite imagery today, June 27, the bulk of clouds and showers associated with Debby are now over the Atlantic Ocean and Debby's circulation center is seen exiting the state and moving into the Atlantic Ocean. ... > full story

Success of fertility treatment may approach natural birth rate (June 28, 2012) -- A groundbreaking study of nearly 250,000 US women reveals live birth rates approaching natural fertility can be achieved using assisted reproductive technology, where eggs are removed from a woman's ovaries, combined with sperm and then returned to the woman's body. ... > full story

Space tornadoes power the atmosphere of the Sun (June 28, 2012) -- Mathematicians have discovered tornadoes in space which could hold the key to power the atmosphere of the Sun to millions of kelvin. ... > full story

Dietary fiber alters gut bacteria, supports gastrointestinal health (June 28, 2012) -- Dietary fiber promotes a shift in the gut toward different types of beneficial bacteria, a new study shows. ... > full story

After child dies, mom's risk of early death skyrockets (June 28, 2012) -- In the first two years following the death of a child, there is a 133 percent increase in the risk of the mother dying, a new study shows. ... > full story

Standing for long periods during pregnancy may curb fetal growth: But working up to 36 weeks has no adverse effect, study suggests (June 28, 2012) -- Standing for long periods during pregnancy may curb the growth of the developing fetus, suggests new research. ... > full story

How sticky toepads evolved in geckos and what that means for adhesive technologies (June 28, 2012) -- Geckos are known for sticky toes that allow them to climb up walls and even hang upside down on ceilings. A new study shows that geckos have gained and lost these unique adhesive structures multiple times over the course of their long evolutionary history in response to habitat changes. ... > full story

Treating diabetes early, intensively is best strategy, new study suggests (June 28, 2012) -- Intensive early treatment of type 2 diabetes slows down progression of the disease by preserving the body's insulin-producing capacity, a UT Southwestern study has shown. ... > full story