The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Thursday, August 23, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Thursday, August 23, 2012

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Half of the particulate pollution in North America comes from other continents (August 22, 2012) -- Roughly half the aerosols that affect air quality and climate change in North America may be coming from other continents, including Asia, Africa and Europe, according to a new study. ... > full story

Native landscaping in urban areas can help native birds (August 22, 2012) -- The study is one of the first to use quantitative measures and a systematic approach, with 24-hour video monitoring, to assess and compare foraging behavior of common backyard birds in yards in Phoenix, at the northern edge of the Sonoran Desert. ... > full story

Parasitic wasps remember better if reward is greater (August 22, 2012) -- Two parasitic wasp species show similar memory consolidation patterns in response to rewards of different quality, providing evidence that the reward value affects the type of memory that is consolidated. ... > full story

Traumatic mating may offer fitness benefits for female sea slugs (August 22, 2012) -- Female sea slugs mate more frequently than required to produce offspring, despite the highly traumatic and biologically costly nature of their copulation. ... > full story

Scientists reveal how river blindness worm thrives (August 22, 2012) -- Scientists have found that the worm which causes River Blindness survives by using a bacterium to provide energy, as well as help 'trick' the body's immune system into thinking it is fighting a different kind of infection. ... > full story

Transparent, thin and tough: Why don't insect wings break? (August 22, 2012) -- Researchers have shown that the wings of insects are not as fragile as they might look. The characteristic network of veins found in the wings of grasshoppers helps to capture cracks, similar to watertight compartments in a ship. ... > full story

Tracking infectious outbreaks by their genomes (August 22, 2012) -- A New York City patient carrying a multi-drug-resistant strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae, a microbe frequently associated with hospital-borne infections, introduced the dangerous bacteria into the 243-bed research hospital while participating in a clinical study in the summer of 2011. To get the outbreak under control, medical researchers used genome sequencing in the middle of this active hospital epidemic to learn how the microbe spread. ... > full story

Biorefinery makes use of every bit of a soybean (August 22, 2012) -- Scientists have unveiled new technology intended to move soybeans, second only to corn as the top food crop in the U.S., along the same use-to-all path of corn and crude oil as a raw material for a wider portfolio of products. ... > full story

Super-strong, high-tech material found to be toxic to aquatic animals (August 22, 2012) -- Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have potential uses in everything from medicine to electronics to construction. However, CNTs are not without risks. A new study found that they can be toxic to aquatic animals. The researchers urge that care be taken to prevent the release of CNTs into the environment as the materials enter mass production. ... > full story

Nematodes with pest-fighting potential identified (August 22, 2012) -- Formosan subterranean termites could be in for a real headache. Scientists have identified species of roundworms, or "nematodes," that invade the termite brains and offer a potential bio-based approach to controlling them. ... > full story

New climate history adds to understanding of recent Antarctic Peninsula warming (August 22, 2012) -- A recent study adds a new dimension to our understanding of Antarctic Peninsula climate change and the likely causes of the break-up of its ice shelves. ... > full story

Sky-high methane mystery closer to being solved (August 22, 2012) -- Increased capture of natural gas from oil fields probably accounts for up to 70 percent of the dramatic leveling off seen in atmospheric methane at the end of the 20th century, according to new research. ... > full story

Ready. Get set. Repress! How genes are faithfully copied (August 22, 2012) -- Scientists have manipulated the Set2 pathway to show how genes are faithfully copied. ... > full story

Early exposure to antibiotics may impact development, obesity (August 22, 2012) -- Researchers have made a novel discovery that could have widespread clinical implications, potentially affecting everything from nutrient metabolism to obesity in children. ... > full story

Microbiologists find new approach to fighting viral illnesses (August 22, 2012) -- By discovering how certain viruses use their host cells to replicate, microbiologists have identified a new approach to the development of universal treatments for viral illnesses such as meningitis, encephalitis, hepatitis and possibly the common cold. ... > full story

Ancient fossils reveal how the mollusc got its teeth (August 22, 2012) -- The radula sounds like something from a horror movie -- a conveyor belt lined with hundreds of rows of interlocking teeth. In fact, radulas are found in the mouths of most molluscs, from the giant squid to the garden snail. Now, a "prototype" radula found in 500-million-year-old fossils shows that the earliest radula was not a flesh-rasping terror, but a tool for humbly scooping food from the muddy sea floor. ... > full story

Long-standing chemistry mystery cracked (August 22, 2012) -- Chemists have answered a key question concerning the widely-used Fenton reaction – important in wastewater treatment to destroy hazardous organic chemicals and decontaminate bacterial pathogens and in industrial chemical production. ... > full story

Nutrient behind fresh water algae blooms pinpointed (August 22, 2012) -- Ecologists have reviewed data from studies of controlling human-caused algae blooms in lakes and says controlling the input of the nutrient phosphorus is the key to fighting the problem. ... > full story

First evidence from humans on how alcohol may boost risk of cancer (August 22, 2012) -- Almost 30 years after discovery of a link between alcohol consumption and certain forms of cancer, scientists are reporting the first evidence from research on people explaining how the popular beverage may be carcinogenic. The results have special implications for hundreds of millions of people of Asian descent. ... > full story

Researchers study the structure of drug resistance in tuberculosis (August 22, 2012) -- A research group is studying disease resistance in tuberculosis. The group has described the structure of a regulator that controls the expression of a pump that removes toxins from the bacteria. ... > full story

More sophisticated wiring, not just bigger brain, helped humans evolve beyond chimps, geneticists find (August 22, 2012) -- Human and chimp brains look anatomically similar because both evolved from the same ancestor millions of years ago. But where does the chimp brain end and the human brain begin? A new study pinpoints uniquely human patterns of gene activity in the brain that could shed light on how we evolved differently than our closest relative. These genes' identification could improve understanding of human brain diseases like autism and schizophrenia, as well as learning disorders and addictions. ... > full story

In Fiji, marine protection gets local boost (August 22, 2012) -- A new study has found that locally managed marine protected areas within Fiji are playing an increasingly important role in the nation’s strategy to protect inshore habitats. ... > full story

Losing stream in our battle to predict and prevent invasive species (August 22, 2012) -- The predictive power of invasive species hypotheses has declined over time, presenting a challenge to policy makers and resource managers who rely on accurate risk assessment – so reports a team of international scientists. The study was published in the open-access journal NeoBiota. ... > full story

Glass offers improved means of storing nuclear waste, researchers say (August 22, 2012) -- Researchers have shown, for the first time, that a method of storing nuclear waste normally used only for high level waste, could provide a safer, more efficient, and potentially cheaper, solution for the storage and ultimate disposal of intermediate level waste. ... > full story

Good news for banana lovers: Help may be on the way to slow that rapid over-ripening (August 22, 2012) -- A solution finally may be at hand for the number one consumer gripe about bananas: their tendency to ripen, soften and rot into an unappetizing mush, seemingly in the blink of an eye. Scientists have described efforts to develop a spray-on coating that would delay the ripening of bananas. ... > full story

Natural regeneration building urban forests, altering species composition (August 22, 2012) -- Scientists have shown that on average, one in three trees in sampled cities were planted while two-thirds resulted from natural regeneration. ... > full story

Predicting outbreaks of dengue fever according to climate (August 22, 2012) -- Dengue fever, transmitted by the Aedes mosquito, affects hundreds of millions of people in around one hundred tropical countries and causes 25,000 deaths per year. In the absence of a vaccine, determining the factors that influence epidemics to predict them better is a real public health challenge. ... > full story

Agulhas Current is said to attenuate the effect of melting ice (August 22, 2012) -- Some good news in the world of climate research: the Agulhas Current off the coast of South Africa is said to stimulate North-South ocean circulation in the Atlantic. This 'conveyor belt', which redistributes and controls heat around the globe, is threatening to slow down due to melting ice. As has been shown in a recent study, however, based on satellite altimeter measurements, this famous current is accelerating. ... > full story

Male mice exposed to chronic social stress have anxious female offspring (August 22, 2012) -- A study in mice suggests that a woman's risk of anxiety and dysfunctional social behavior may depend on the experiences of her parents, particularly fathers, when they were young. ... > full story

Green tea compound shows promise for tackling cancer (August 22, 2012) -- Green tea compound shows promise for tackling cancer ... > full story

Twin satellites will help improve space weather forecasts (August 21, 2012) -- On Aug. 24, NASA will launch two identical satellites from Cape Canaveral, Fla., to begin its Radiation Belt Storm Probes mission to study the extremes of space weather and help scientists improve space weather forecasts. The University of Iowa has designed the Electromagnetic Instrument Suite with Integrated Science project to study how various amounts of space radiation form and change during space storms. ... > full story

Fueling nuclear power with seawater: Tests adsorbent to extract uranium from the ocean (August 21, 2012) -- A new absorbent material may be able to soak up enough trace uranium in seawater to help fuel future nuclear power plants. Tests showed the material can soak up more than two times the uranium than a similar material developed in Japan. ... > full story

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

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