The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Wednesday, August 22, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Wednesday, August 22, 2012

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Historian examines animals' role in westward expansion (August 21, 2012) -- The story of westward expansion in the United States is often told from the perspective of the men and women who crossed the Great Plains in search of a better life in the west. But a historian is now bringing to light the role settlers’ animals played in the westward migration of the mid-1800s. ... > full story

Compounds shown to thwart stubborn pathogen's social propensity (August 21, 2012) -- Certain small molecule chemicals that can disrupt quorum sensing in A. baumanni have been identified, providing a glimmer of hope that the stubborn pathogen can be tamed. ... > full story

'Electronic nose' prototype developed: Device has applications in agriculture, industry, homeland security and the military (August 21, 2012) -- Research has led to the development of an "electronic nose" prototype that can detect small quantities of harmful airborne substances. ... > full story

Sanctuary chimps show high rates of drug-resistant staph (August 21, 2012) -- Chimpanzees from African sanctuaries carry drug-resistant, human-associated strains of the bacteria Staphlyococcus aureus, a pathogen the infected chimpanzees could spread to endangered wild ape populations if they were reintroduced to their natural habitat. The study was the first to apply the same modern sequencing technology of bacterial genomes used in hospitals to track the transmission of staph from humans to African wildlife. ... > full story

New form of long-used food ingredient for 'anti-hunger' yogurts, smoothies (August 21, 2012) -- Promising results were recently reported from a proof-of-concept clinical trial of an “anti-hunger” ingredient for yogurt, fruit shakes, smoothies and other foods that would make people feel full longer and ease the craving to eat. Scientists described the ingredient as a new version of a food additive that has been in use for more than 50 years. ... > full story

Multiple factors, including climate change, led to collapse and depopulation of ancient Maya (August 21, 2012) -- A new analysis of complex interactions between humans and the environment preceding the 9th century collapse and abandonment of the Central Maya Lowlands in the Yucatan Peninsula points to a series of events -- some natural, like climate change; some human-made, including large-scale landscape alterations and shifts in trade routes -- that have lessons for contemporary decision-makers and sustainability scientists. ... > full story

Public wave energy test facility begins operation in Oregon (August 21, 2012) -- One of the first public wave energy testing systems in the United States began operation this week off the Oregon coast near Newport, and will allow private industry or academic researchers to test new technology that may help advance this promising form of sustainable energy. ... > full story

Climate: Researchers examine clouds (from both sides now) and the structure of the atmosphere (August 21, 2012) -- At the northernmost point of the North American continent, researchers analyze environmental data to improve climate models and satellite pictures. ... > full story

Footprints of cretaceous dinosaur found at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (August 21, 2012) -- About 110 million light years away, the bright, barred spiral galaxy NGC 3259 was just forming stars in dark bands of dust and gas. Here on the part of the Earth where NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center would eventually be built, a plant-eating dinosaur sensed predators nearby and quickened its pace, leaving a deep imprint in the Cretaceous mud. ... > full story

Acai counteracts oxidative stress, lengthens lifespan in fruit flies (August 21, 2012) -- Scientists found that a commercially available acai berry product can lengthen the lives of fruit flies, when the flies' lives are made short through additional oxidative stress. Under certain conditions (a simple sugar diet) acai supplementation could triple flies' lifespans, from eight to 24 days. Acai could also counteract the neurotoxic effects of the herbicide paraquat on the flies. ... > full story

Forest razing by ancient Maya worsened droughts, says study (August 21, 2012) -- Prolonged drought is thought to have played a role in the collapse of the Classic Maya empire, but a recent study adds a new twist: The Maya may have made the droughts worse by clearing away forests for cities and crops, making a naturally drying climate drier. ... > full story

New species: No ordinary forget-me-nots (August 21, 2012) -- Two new species of forget-me-nots were discovered in the mountains of New Zealand. One of the species is known from the entrance of a few small caves at the base of limestone bluffs and the other from a single site in the forest. Both species are extremely rare and their conservation status is rated Nationally Critical. ... > full story

Flood risk ranking reveals vulnerable cities (August 21, 2012) -- A new study of nine coastal cities around the world suggests that Shanghai is most vulnerable to serious flooding. European cities top the leader board for their resilience. ... > full story

Key component of cell division identified (August 21, 2012) -- A new study highlights the protein Nek9 as a decisive factor in cell division, a fundamental process for both the development of an organism and tissue maintenance. Nek9 is shown to be required for a cell to be able to divide the chromosomes into two identical groups in order to ensure efficient and accurate cell division. ... > full story

Dawn of humanity illuminated – 50 years after the Leakeys (August 21, 2012) -- The first systematic, multidisciplinary results to come out of research conducted on the edge of the Serengeti at the rich palaeoanthropological site in the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania since that produced by Louis and Mary Leakey's team, have recently been published. ... > full story

Viruses with integrated gene switch (August 21, 2012) -- Scientists have developed "RNA switches" which allow them to specifically turn on and off genes in viruses. This will help to enhance regulation of gene therapy and viral therapy of cancer. ... > full story

Marine species at risk unless drastic protection policies put in place (August 21, 2012) -- Many marine species will be harmed or won't survive if the levels of carbon dioxide continue to increase. Current protection policies and management practices are unlikely to be enough to save them. Unconventional, non-passive methods to conserve marine ecosystems need to be considered if various marine species are to survive. ... > full story

World's sea life is 'facing major shock', marine scientists warn (August 21, 2012) -- Life in the world's oceans faces far greater change and risk of large-scale extinctions than at any previous time in human history, a team of the world's leading marine scientists has warned. The researchers have compared events which drove massive extinctions of sea life in the past with what is observed to be taking place in the seas and oceans globally today. ... > full story

Sun's plasma loops recreated in the lab to help understand solar physics (August 21, 2012) -- In orbit around Earth is a wide range of satellites that we rely on for everything from television feeds to GPS navigation. Although these spacecraft soar high above storms on Earth, they are still vulnerable to weather from the sun. Large solar flares can cause widespread damage, which is why researchers are working to learn more about the possible precursors to solar flares called plasma loops by recreating them in the lab. ... > full story

Speeding the search for better carbon capture (August 21, 2012) -- Researchers have develop the first computational model to accurately predict the interactions between flue gases and a special variety of the carbon dioxide-capturing molecular systems known as metal-organic frameworks. This new model should greatly accelerate the search for new low-cost and efficient ways to burn coal without exacerbating global climate change. ... > full story

Common antifungal drug decreases tumor growth and shows promise as cancer therapy (August 21, 2012) -- An inexpensive antifungal drug, thiabendazole, slows tumor growth and shows promise as a chemotherapy for cancer. Scientists made this discovery by exploiting the evolutionary relatedness of yeast, frogs, mice and humans. ... > full story

In your future: More healthful foods to nourish the non-human you (August 21, 2012) -- The focus of nutrition for good health is quietly shifting to include consumption of food ingredients specifically designed to nourish the non-human cells that comprise 80 percent of the cells in the typical person, an authority on the topic says. ... > full story

'CSI' technology holds potential in everyday medicine (August 21, 2012) -- A scientific instrument featured on CSI and CSI: Miami for instant fingerprint analysis is forging another life in real-world medicine, helping during brain surgery and ensuring that cancer patients get effective doses of chemotherapy. ... > full story

Symbiotic Nodulation in a Reduced Gravity Environment: Plant research reaps two-fold benefits (August 20, 2012) -- What can we learn from sending codependent bacteria and plants into space? Quite a bit, it would appear. An experiment with the tongue-twisting name Symbiotic Nodulation in a Reduced Gravity Environment, or SyNRGE for short, could yield benefits on Earth as well as space. ... > full story

Radiation Belt Storm Probes: Fundamental physics to benefit life on Earth, in space (August 20, 2012) -- Encircling Earth's equator are two concentric, wide rings of high-intensity particles known as the Van Allen radiation belts. This dynamic region changes in response to the sun, with the potential to affect GPS satellites, satellite television and more. NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) mission aims to study this ever-changing environment in greater detail than ever before. ... > full story

Information overload in the era of 'big data' (August 20, 2012) -- The ability of botanists and other scientists to generate data quickly and cheaply is surpassing their ability to access and analyze it. Scientists facing too much information rely on computers to search large data sets for patterns that are beyond the capability of humans to recognize. New tools called ontologies provide the rules computers need to transform information into knowledge, by attaching meaning to data, thereby making those data more retrievable and understandable. ... > full story

Scientists examine effects of manufactured nanoparticles on soybean crops (August 20, 2012) -- Sunscreens, lotions, and cosmetics contain tiny metal nanoparticles that wash down the drain at the end of the day, or are discharged after manufacturing. Those nanoparticles eventually end up in agricultural soil, which is a cause for concern, according to a group of environmental scientists that recently carried out the first major study of soybeans grown in soil contaminated by two manufactured nanomaterials. ... > full story

Lao skull earliest example of modern human fossil in Southeast Asia (August 20, 2012) -- An ancient skull recovered from a cave in the Annamite mountains in northern Laos is the oldest modern human fossil found in Southeast Asia, researchers report. The discovery pushes back the clock on modern human migration through the region by as much as 20,000 years, and indicates that ancient wanderers out of Africa left the coast and inhabited diverse habitats much earlier than previously appreciated. ... > full story

Cleaner fuel for cruise ships and other big vessels from ingredients in detergents, medicines (August 20, 2012) -- Scientists have developed a new fuel mixture to ease the major air pollution and cost problems facing cruise ships, oil tankers and container ships. These vessels tend to burn the cheapest and most highly polluting form of diesel fuel. ... > full story

Electrifying success in raising antioxidant levels in sweet potatoes (August 20, 2012) -- Already ranked by some as number one in nutrition among vegetables, the traditional sweet potato can be nutritionally supercharged with a simple, inexpensive electric current treatment that increases its content of healthful polyphenols or antioxidants by 60 percent, scientists have said. This is believed to be the first electrical enhancement of sweet potatoes, a dietary staple since prehistoric times. ... > full story

Stop grilling dinner: Specific toxic byproduct of heat-processed food leads to increased body weight and diabetes, mouse study finds (August 20, 2012) -- Researchers have identified a common compound in the modern diet that could play a major role in the development of abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. The research team recommends that clinical guidelines be revised to eliminate foods cooked using dry heat and replace them with methods that use lower heat or lots of moisture (water) as in stewing, poaching or steaming. Examples from the AGE-less diet include stewed beef, chicken and fish instead of grilled meats. ... > full story

Teaching a microbe to make fuel (August 20, 2012) -- A genetically modified organism could turn carbon dioxide or waste products into a gasoline-compatible transportation fuel. ... > full story

Cloud brightening to control global warming? Geoengineers propose an experiment (August 20, 2012) -- A scientist has proposed an experiment to test cloud brightening, a geoengineering concept that alters clouds in an effort to counter global warming. His proposed experiment is part of a larger paper detailing the latest thinking on cloud brightening. ... > full story

Why do the Caribbean Islands arc? Movement of Earth modeled to 3,000 km depth (August 20, 2012) -- The Caribbean islands have been pushed east over the last 50 million years, driven by the movement of the Earth's viscous mantle against the more rooted South American continent, reveals new research. ... > full story

Drink made from berry wine may provide tasty drug for diabetes (August 20, 2012) -- In evaluating the bioactive compounds of Illinois blueberry and blackberry wines, scientists have found compounds that inhibit enzymes responsible for carbohydrate absorption and assimilation. And that could mean a tasty way to help people with diabetes decrease their blood sugar. ... > full story

Anthrax targets (August 20, 2012) -- A trawl of the genome of the deadly bacterium Bacillus anthracis has revealed a clutch of targets for new drugs to combat an epidemic of anthrax or a biological weapons attack. The targets are all proteins that are found in the bacteria but not in humans and are involved in diverse bacterial processes such as metabolism, cell wall synthesis and bacterial persistence. The discovery of a range of targets might bode well for creating a drug cocktail that could preclude the emergence of drug resistance. ... > full story

Drug development: Clever crystals (August 20, 2012) -- Water plays a key role in the co-crystallization of active pharmaceutical ingredients, researchers have found. ... > full story

Scientists shed light on glowing materials (August 20, 2012) -- Researchers have succeeded in mapping how light behaves in complex photonic materials inspired by nature, like iridescent butterfly wings. Scientists have broken the limit of light resolution at the nanoscale and delivered a fundamental insight into how light and matter interact, which could lead to the development of enhanced bio-sensors for healthcare and more efficient solar cells and displays. ... > full story

Women could play key role in correcting crisis in clean drinking water and sanitation crisis (August 20, 2012) -- People in ancient Rome 2,000 years ago had better access to clean water and sanitation that keeps disease-causing human excrement out of contact with people than many residents of the 21st century, according to experts. ... > full story

Fueling the future with renewable gasoline and diesel (August 20, 2012) -- A new process for converting municipal waste, algae, corn stalks and similar material to gasoline, diesel and jet fuel is showing the same promise in larger plants as it did in laboratory-scale devices, the developers have reported. ... > full story

Genetically engineered algae for biofuel pose potential risks (August 20, 2012) -- Algae are high on the genetic engineering agenda as a potential source for biofuel, and they should be subjected to independent studies of any environmental risks that could be linked to cultivating algae for this purpose, two prominent researchers say. ... > full story

Extreme weather linked to global warming, Nobel prize-winning scientist says (August 20, 2012) -- New scientific analysis strengthens the view that record-breaking summer heat, crop-withering drought and other extreme weather events in recent years do, indeed, result from human activity and global warming, Nobel Laureate Mario J. Molina has said. ... > full story

New oil spill dispersant made from ingredients in peanut butter, chocolate, ice cream (August 20, 2012) -- With concerns about the possible health and environmental effects of oil dispersants in the Deepwater Horizon disaster still fresh in mind, scientists have developed a new dispersant made from edible ingredients that both breaks up oil slicks and keeps oil from sticking to the feathers of birds. ... > full story

Molecular code cracked: Code determines recognition of RNA molecules (August 20, 2012) -- Scientists have cracked a molecular code that may open the way to destroying or correcting defective gene products, such as those that cause genetic disorders in humans. ... > full story

New biorefinery finds treasure in Starbucks' spent coffee grounds and stale bakery goods (August 20, 2012) -- With 1.3 billion tons of food trashed, dumped in landfills and otherwise wasted around the world every year, scientists have described development and successful laboratory testing of a new "biorefinery" intended to change food waste into a key ingredient for making plastics, laundry detergents and scores of other everyday products. ... > full story

Tail chasing in dogs resembles obsessive compulsive disorders in humans (August 20, 2012) -- New research revealed several similarities between compulsive behavior in dogs and humans: early onset, recurrent compulsive behaviors, increased risk for developing different types of compulsions, compulsive freezing, the beneficial effect of nutritional supplements, the effects of early life experiences and sex hormones and genetic risk. ... > full story

Recovering Baltic cod is lacking food (August 20, 2012) -- The eastern Baltic cod stock has recently started to recover, after two decades of severe depletion, however with unexpected side-effects. While the numbers of cod are increasing, the biomass of sprat and herring, a major prey for adult cod, is at a historic low in the main distribution area of cod. Consequently, the cod are having a hard time finding enough to eat. ... > full story

The wasp that never cries wolf (August 19, 2012) -- European paper wasps (Polistes dominula) advertise the size of their poison glands to potential predators. The brighter the color, the larger the poison gland. Aposematism is used by many different animals to warn potential predators that they are poisonous. Usually this takes the form of distinctive coloration or patterns which predators quickly learn to avoid. ... > full story