The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Wednesday, August 15, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Wednesday, August 15, 2012

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Fish brain development provides new insights into how vascular networks form (August 14, 2012) -- How the intricate network of blood vessels forms within the brain has long fascinated biologists. This network, or vessel vasculature, in the human brain consists of a complex branching network of blood vessels, in total some several hundred miles in length. Abnormalities can lead to various neurological disorders, including strokes, learning difficulties and neurodegeneration. ... > full story

Study demonstrates that one extinction leads to another (August 14, 2012) -- When a carnivore becomes extinct, other predatory species could soon follow, according to new research. Scientists have previously put forward this theory, but now biologists have carried out the first experiment to show it. The study shows how the demise of one carnivore species can indirectly cause another to become extinct. The research team believes any extinction can create a ripple effect across a food web, with far-reaching consequences for many other animals. ... > full story

Widespread local 'extinctions' in tropical forest ‘remnants’ (August 14, 2012) -- The small fragments of tropical forests left behind after deforestation are suffering extensive species extinction, according to new research. ... > full story

Dark chocolate, cocoa compounds, may reduce blood pressure (August 14, 2012) -- Compounds in cocoa may help to reduce blood pressure, according to a new systematic review. The researchers reviewed evidence from short-term trials in which participants were given dark chocolate or cocoa powder daily and found that their blood pressure dropped slightly compared to a control group. ... > full story

Health consequences of meltdown, damage to Fukushima nuclear power plants in Japan (August 14, 2012) -- Researchers report on the psychological status of workers at the Fukushima nuclear power plants in Japan several months after the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, and the amount of internal radiation exposure among residents of a city north of the power plant that experienced a meltdown. ... > full story

Researchers feed pigs, chickens high-protein fungus grown on ethanol leftovers (August 14, 2012) -- A research team is feeding fungi grown on the leftovers of ethanol production to pigs and chickens. The feed-production process also cleans water used to make ethanol, boosting the amount of water that can be recycled back into biofuels. ... > full story

Seeing sprites: Researchers catch glimpses of electromagnetic bursts high in Earth's atmosphere (August 14, 2012) -- High above the clouds during thunderstorms, some 50 miles above Earth a different kind of lightning dances. Bursts of red and blue light, known as "sprites," flash for a scant one thousandth of a second. They are often only visible to those in flight above a storm, and happen so quickly you might not even see it unless you chance to be looking directly at it. One hard-to-reach place that gets a good view of sprites is the International Space Station. ... > full story

How do they do it? Predictions are in for Arctic sea ice low point (August 14, 2012) -- Each year scientists predict the low point of Arctic Sea ice. The final predictions were released Aug. 13. But how do they do it? Researchers used some new techniques this year in hopes of improving the accuracy of their prediction. ... > full story

Researchers simulate volcanic eruptions: Large-scale experiment to shed light on powerful natural disaster (August 14, 2012) -- A rare large-scale attempt to simulate volcanic eruptions will provide much-needed insight into one of Earth's most powerful and mysterious natural disasters. ... > full story

Fish are warmer, faster, stronger: Unexpected benefits of living in a changing climate, biologists find (August 14, 2012) -- Biologists suggest that growing up at warmer temperatures helps some aquatic animals cope with climate change, raising questions about the limits of adaptation. They found that when embryos raised in warm water experienced temperature variation as adults, they could swim faster and their muscle was better suited for aerobic exercise. ... > full story

New book explores 'Noah's flood': Says Bible and science can get along (August 14, 2012) -- A geologist, is the author of a new book that explores the long history of religious thinking on matters of geological discovery, particularly flood stories such as the biblical account of Noah's ark. ... > full story

Mass spectrometry opens new frontiers in a single cell (August 14, 2012) -- Pioneering mass spectrometry methods are helping plant biologists get their first glimpses of never-before-seen plant tissue structures. The new method opens up new realms of study, ones that might have long-ranging implications for biofuels research and crop genetics. ... > full story

Renaissance women fought men, and won (August 14, 2012) -- A three-year study into a set of manuscripts compiled and written by one of Britain’s earliest feminist figures has revealed new insights into how women challenged male authority in the 17th century. ... > full story

Plants exhibit a wide range of mechanical properties, engineers find (August 14, 2012) -- From an engineer's perspective, plants such as palm trees, bamboo, maples and even potatoes are examples of precise engineering on a microscopic scale. Like wooden beams reinforcing a house, cell walls make up the structural supports of all plants. Depending on how the cell walls are arranged, and what they are made of, a plant can be as flimsy as a reed, or as sturdy as an oak. ... > full story

US wind power market riding a wave that is likely to crest in 2012 (August 14, 2012) -- Facing looming policy uncertainty beyond 2012, the US remained one of the fastest-growing wind power markets in the world in 2011 -- second only to China -- according to a new report. Driven by the threat of expiring federal incentives, new wind power installations are widely expected to be substantially higher in 2012 than in 2011, and perhaps even in excess of 2009's record build. ... > full story

Mutation in male moth's antenna lets him find a female at the other end of a football field (August 14, 2012) -- A female moth sitting on a goal post could attract a male moth on the other end of a football field. And even if she switched her scent over time, the male could still find her because of a mutation to a single gene in his antenna. ... > full story

New process doubles production of alternative fuel while slashing costs (August 14, 2012) -- A new discovery should make the alternative fuel butanol more attractive to the biofuel industry. Scientists have found a way around the bottleneck that has frustrated producers in the past and could significantly reduce the cost of the energy involved in making it as well. ... > full story

Remaking history: A new take on how evolution has shaped modern Europeans (August 14, 2012) -- Investigators say that new analytical techniques are changing long-held, simplistic views about the evolutionary history of humans in Europe. Their findings indicate that many cultural, climatic, and demographic events have shaped genetic variation among modern-day European populations and that the variety of those mechanisms is more diverse than previously thought. ... > full story

Dead men do tell tales: Sociologist used 100 years of obituaries as cultural barometer (August 14, 2012) -- You know you're living in a culture of celebrity when the Twitter for the president of the United States ranks No. 6, trailing behind rock stars Justin Bieber and Katy Perry by millions of followers. But have celebrities always trumped achievers for public attention? A sociologist has used 100 years of New York Times obituaries as a cultural barometer. ... > full story

Impulsive micromanager microbes help plants adapt, survive (August 14, 2012) -- Soil microbes are impulsive. So much so that they help plants face the challenges of a rapidly changing climate. Biologists have studied how plants and microbes work together to help plants survive the effects of global changes. ... > full story

Nearly 1,000 earthquakes recorded in Arizona over three years (August 14, 2012) -- Researchers have used EarthScope data to build the first comprehensive earthquake catalog for Arizona. ... > full story

Seeds of hope amidst Philippine floods: Rice that can survive underwater (August 14, 2012) -- Amidst horrendous flooding around Manila and major rice-growing across Luzon in the Philippines, some good news has emerged for rice farmers -- Submarino rice -- rice that can survive around two weeks of being under water. ... > full story

Macabre finds in the bog at Alken Enge, Denmark: Skeletal remains of hundreds of warriors unearthed (August 14, 2012) -- A fractured skull and a thighbone hacked in half. Finds of damaged human bones along with axes, spears, clubs and shields confirm that the bog at Alken Enge was the site of violent conflict. ... > full story

A model designed to balance the bolting load of wind turbines developed (August 14, 2012) -- A researcher has built a simplified simulation model for wind turbines. All one has to do is enter the characteristics that the tower and its parts will have, and in a matter of seconds the model predicts the load that has to be given to each of the bolts, which leads to great advantages in the construction and maintenance process. ... > full story

Potent human toxins prevalent in Canada's freshwaters (August 14, 2012) -- Nutrient pollution, one of the greatest threats to our freshwater resources, is responsible for the algal blooms that blanket our lakes and waterways in summer months. Large blooms of cyanobacteria ('blue green algae') can cause fish kills, increase the cost of drinking water treatment, devalue shoreline properties, and pose health risks to people, pets, and wildlife. Microcystin, a toxin produced by cyanobacteria, is present in Canadian lakes in every province, according to new research. ... > full story

European Forest Fire Information System: Current situation in Europe (August 14, 2012) -- The 2012 fire season has been characterized by a high number of fires in the early season. Over 100,000 hectares had already been consumed by fire at the end of March. July brought critical fire episodes in Spain and Portugal, which led to a number of human casualties. ... > full story

Old skull bone rediscovered in mammals (August 14, 2012) -- Although clearly discernible in the embryo, shortly afterwards it fuses with other bones beyond recognition. Consequently, researchers have often missed it. Now, however, paleontologists have rediscovered it: the “os interparietale”, a skull bone also referred to as the interparietal. Using imaging methods, they were able to detect its presence in all mammals – including humans, which is new as it was previously believed to have been lost in the course of evolution. ... > full story

Mysterious snake disease decoded (August 14, 2012) -- A novel virus has been identified as the possible cause of a common but mysterious disease that kills a significant number of pet snakes all over the world, thanks to new research. ... > full story

NASA STEREO observes one of the fastest CMEs on record (August 13, 2012) -- On July 23, 2012, a massive cloud of solar material erupted off the sun's right side, zooming out into space, passing one of NASA's Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft along the way. Using the STEREO data, scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. clocked this giant cloud, known as a coronal mass ejection, or CME, as traveling between 1,800 and 2,200 miles per second as it left the sun. ... > full story

Consuming flavanol-rich cocoa may enhance brain function (August 13, 2012) -- Eating cocoa flavanols daily may improve mild cognitive impairment, according to new research. ... > full story

New system could predict solar flares, give advance warning (August 13, 2012) -- Researchers may have discovered a new method to predict solar flares more than a day before they occur, providing advance warning to help protect satellites, power grids and astronauts from potentially dangerous radiation. ... > full story

Nanoparticle solar panel coating helps maintain panel efficiency (August 13, 2012) -- A physics researcher has developed a nanoparticle coating for solar panels. This coating helps maintain the panels efficiency and reduces maintenance and operation costs. ... > full story

Egg yolk consumption almost as bad as smoking when it comes to atherosclerosis, study suggests (August 13, 2012) -- Newly published research shows that eating egg yolks accelerates atherosclerosis in a manner similar to smoking cigarettes. Surveying more than 1,200 patients, Dr. Spence found regular consumption of egg yolks is about two-thirds as bad as smoking when it comes to increased build-up of carotid plaque, a risk factor for stroke and heart attack. ... > full story

Antisense approach promising for treatment of parasitic infections (August 13, 2012) -- A targeted approach to treating toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease, shows early promise in test-tube and animal studies, where it prevented the parasites from making selected proteins. When tested in newly infected mice, it reduced the number of viable parasites by more than 90 percent. ... > full story

A new energy source: Major advance made in generating electricity from wastewater (August 13, 2012) -- Engineers have made a breakthrough in the performance of microbial fuel cells that can produce electricity directly from wastewater, opening the door to a future in which waste treatment plants not only will power themselves while cleaning sewage, but will sell excess electricity. ... > full story

Florida state record 87 eggs in largest python from Everglades (August 13, 2012) -- Researchers curating a 17-foot-7-inch Burmese python, the largest found in Florida, discovered 87 eggs in the snake, also a state record. ... > full story

Research raises doubts about whether modern humans and Neanderthals interbred (August 13, 2012) -- New research raises questions about the theory that modern humans and Neanderthals at some point interbred, known as hybridization. The findings suggest that common ancestry, not hybridization, better explains the average 1-4 per cent DNA that those of European and Asian descent (Eurasians) share with Neanderthals. ... > full story

How computation can predict group conflict: Fighting among captive pigtailed macaques provides clues (August 13, 2012) -- When conflict breaks out in social groups, individuals make strategic decisions about how to behave based on their understanding of alliances and feuds in the group. But it's been challenging to quantify the underlying trends that dictate how individuals make predictions, given they may only have seen a small number of fights or have limited memory. In a new study of primates (pigtailed macaques), scientists have developed a computational approach to determine whether individuals behave predictably. ... > full story

Chemical widely used in antibacterial hand soaps may impair muscle function (August 13, 2012) -- Triclosan, an antibacterial chemical widely used in hand soaps and other personal-care products, hinders muscle contractions at a cellular level, slows swimming in fish and reduces muscular strength in mice, according to new research. Researchers call for regulatory agencies to reconsider its use. ... > full story

Fresh water breathes fresh life into hurricanes (August 13, 2012) -- An analysis of a decade's worth of tropical cyclones shows that when hurricanes blow over ocean regions swamped by fresh water, the conditions can unexpectedly intensify the storm. Although the probability that hurricanes will hit such conditions is small, ranging from 10 to 23 percent, the effect is potentially large: Hurricanes can become 50 percent more intense, researchers report. ... > full story

Protected areas allow wildlife to spread in response to climate change, citizen scientists reveal (August 13, 2012) -- A new study has shown how birds, butterflies, other insects and spiders have colonized nature reserves and areas protected for wildlife, as they move north in response to climate change and other environmental changes. ... > full story

Marine research in the Brazilian rain forest: Slash and burn practice for centuries as source of stable carbon compounds in the oceans (August 13, 2012) -- Until recent decades the Atlantic Rainforest covered a large area of today’s Brazil from Amazonas to present-day Argentina. In the 1970s, after years of deforestation, this rain forest was almost completely destroyed, mainly replaced by cattle pastures. This study reveals an unexpected aspect of deforestation. ... > full story

Protective bacteria in the infant gut have resourceful way of helping babies break down breast milk (August 13, 2012) -- Scientists have found that important and resourceful bacteria in the baby microbiome can ferret out nourishment from a previously unknown source, possibly helping at-risk infants break down components of breast milk. ... > full story

Wind farms: A danger to ultra-light aircraft? (August 13, 2012) -- Airfields for ultra-light aircraft are typically constructed on level ground -- and so are wind farms. However, do wind power plants generate turbulence that could endanger lightweight planes? A simulation can compute how these power plants influence aircraft at various wind speeds and wind directions. ... > full story

The ins and outs of building the sperm tail (August 13, 2012) -- Sperm swim, lung cells sweep mucus away, and the cells in the female Fallopian tube move eggs from the ovary to the uterus. Underlying these phenomena are flagella – slender, hair-like structures extending from the surface of the cells, that bend, beat or wave rhythmically. Biologists have now dissected how sperm cells of the fruit fly build their flagella. These findings pave the way to further understand the molecules and processes that may trigger a variety of human diseases and disorders, including infertility, respiratory problems and hydrocephaly, known to be associated with defects in flagellar movements. ... > full story

Scientists use light to 'tag and track' genetic processes (August 13, 2012) -- In a new study, researchers outline how they used fluorescent molecules to "tag" DNA and monitor a process called DNA looping, a natural biological mechanism involved in rearranging genetic material in some types of cells. The "tag and track" method not only sheds light on how DNA loops form, but also might be adapted to screen drugs for effectiveness against certain viruses that shuffle genetic material, such as HIV. ... > full story

Ancient seal may add substance to the legend of Samson (August 13, 2012) -- An ancient seal depicting a man and a lion in hand-to-paw combat places the Biblical story of Samson in the archaeological setting of Beth Shemesh during the 12th century BCE, researchers say. ... > full story

For young birds, getting stressed out can be a good thing (August 13, 2012) -- Many studies have found that high levels of hormones that are associated with stress are a sign of poor fitness and reduced chance of survival -- but recent research on young songbirds found that some elevated hormones can be a good thing, often the difference between life and death. ... > full story