The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Wednesday, August 29, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Wednesday, August 29, 2012

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Small family size increases wealth of descendants but reduces evolutionary success (August 28, 2012) -- Evolutionary biologists have long puzzled over this because natural selection is expected to have selected for organisms that try to maximize their reproduction. But in industrialized societies around the world, increasing wealth coincides with people deliberately limiting their family size -- the so-called 'demographic transition'. In a new study, researchers reject a popular theory put forward to explain the phenomenon. This 'adaptive' hypothesis proposes that low fertility may boost evolutionary success in the long term by increasing offspring wealth, which in turn eventually increases the number of long-term descendants because richer offspring end up having more children. ... > full story

Less is more for reef-building corals: Surprisingly more flexible corals are more sensitive to environment disturbances (August 28, 2012) -- Researchers have made a discovery that challenges a major theory in the field of coral reef ecology. The general assumption has been that the more flexible corals are, regarding which species of single-celled algae they host in coral tissues, the greater ability corals will have to survive environmental stress. However, scientists documented that the more flexible corals are, the more sensitive to environment disturbances they are. ... > full story

Chimpanzees create 'social traditions': Unique handclasp grooming behavior reveals local difference (August 28, 2012) -- Researchers have revealed that chimpanzees are not only capable of learning from one another, but also use this social information to form and maintain local traditions. A recent study shows that the way in which chimpanzees groom each other depends on the community to which they belong. Specifically, it is the unique handclasp grooming behaviour that reveals this local difference. ... > full story

NASA sees Hurricane Isaac affecting the Northern Gulf Coast (August 28, 2012) -- NASA and NOAA satellites continue to provide detailed information on Hurricane Isaac as the storm bears down on the US Gulf coast. NASA's TRMM and Terra satellites captured imagery, and NOAA's GOES-13 satellite provided animations of Isaac's march toward the coast Aug. 28. ... > full story

Why are there so many species of beetles and so few crocodiles? (August 28, 2012) -- Why are there so many species of beetles and so few crocodiles? The answer may be ecological limits to species number, scientists report. ... > full story

Male snails babysit for other dads: Family secrets of marine whelk Solenosteira macrospira (August 28, 2012) -- Pity the male of the marine whelk, Solenosteira macrospira. He does all the work of raising the young, from egg-laying to hatching -- even though few of the baby snails are his own. Throw in extensive promiscuity and sibling cannibalism, and the species has one of the most extreme life histories in the animal kingdom. ... > full story

Evaluate children's stress after natural disasters (August 28, 2012) -- Some children, depending on other stressors, may have a harder time recovering from natural disasters. ... > full story

Bright Arctic clouds formed by exhaust from final space shuttle launch (August 28, 2012) -- Scientists are tracking the rapid transport of the exhaust plume from the final launch of the space shuttle in July 2011. The team has found that the plume moved quickly to the Arctic, forming unusually bright polar mesospheric clouds there a day after launch. ... > full story

Unforeseen regulation of the anti-bacterial immune response discovered (August 28, 2012) -- New research holds promise for the improved prevention and treatment of bacterial infections and the life-threatening complications of chronic inflammation that can result from them. ... > full story

NASA's IceBridge seeking new view of changing sea ice (August 28, 2012) -- This year scientists working on NASA's Operation IceBridge, a multi-year airborne science mission to study changing ice conditions at both poles, debuted a new data product with the potential to improve Arctic sea ice forecasts. ... > full story

'New England Banksia' a distinct species, botany student shows (August 28, 2012) -- The New England Banksia is largely restricted to the eastern edge of the New England Tableland, and is common in places along Waterfall Way. Researchers have raised this flowering plant, until now classified as a variety of the Hairpin, to the taxonomic level of a distinct species. ... > full story

Strong candidate for possible single-dose malaria cure discovered (August 28, 2012) -- A recently discovered compound from the aminopyridine class not only has the potential to become part of a single-dose cure for all strains of malaria, but might also be able to block transmission of the parasite from person to person, according to a new research. ... > full story

Tropical Storm Isaac can damage your health (August 28, 2012) -- Drastic climate changes brought on by severe storms can spur allergy and asthma symptoms for sufferers across the country. ... > full story

A new look at proteins in living cells (August 28, 2012) -- Scientists have devised a new technique for examining the binding kinetics of membrane proteins. ... > full story

Genome of diploid cotton sequenced (August 28, 2012) -- Scientists have completed the genome sequence and analysis of a diploid cotton -- Gossypium raimondii. ... > full story

Low cost, high efficiency solar technology developed (August 28, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a new solar technology that could make solar energy more affordable, and thus speed-up its market adoption. ... > full story

Antibiotic residues in sausage meat may promote pathogen survival (August 28, 2012) -- Antibiotic residues in uncured pepperoni or salami meat are potent enough to weaken helpful bacteria that processors add to acidify the sausage to make it safe for consumption, according to a new study. ... > full story

Hidden graves of the Holocaust (August 28, 2012) -- A forensic archaeologist has explored the pioneering changes made to the archaeological methodology and techniques used to uncover surviving archaeological remains and landscapes of the Holocaust. ... > full story

Raccoons spreads dangerous diseases as they invade Europe, Spanish researchers find (August 28, 2012) -- Furry, agile, intelligent and voracious: the raccoon is far from being a cuddly toy, which is what many people believe when they get one as a pet. It is more like an invader that escapes and is able to adapt and survive in new habitats. According to a study, its expansion across Spain and Europe is bringing infectious and parasitic diseases like rabies. ... > full story

Enlisting the AIDS virus to fight cancer (August 28, 2012) -- Can HIV be transformed into a biotechnological tool for improving human health? According to a team of scientists, the answer is yes. Taking advantage of the HIV replication machinery, the researchers have been able to select a specific mutant protein. Added to a culture of tumor cells in combination with an anticancer drug, this protein improves the effectiveness of the treatment at 1/300 the normal dosage levels. ... > full story

Selective imprinting: how the wallaby controls growth of its young (August 27, 2012) -- Marsupial mothers regulate the composition of their milk so that it is optimal for the development stage of their young. New research shows that, similar to the human placenta, which regulates embryonic growth and development, insulin appears to be imprinted in the marsupial mammary gland. ... > full story

How a virus might make you diabetic later in life (August 27, 2012) -- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the viruses that most infected people carry without ill effects. Once infected you are infected for life and, although it normally is dormant, it can become active again at any point in time. New research shows that CMV infection is a significant risk factor for the type 2 diabetes in the elderly. ... > full story

New maps may reduce tourism impacts on Hawaiian dolphins (August 27, 2012) -- Over-eager eco-tourists intent on seeing spinner dolphins up close may inadvertently be disturbing the charismatic animals' daytime rest periods and driving them out of safe habitats in bays along Hawaii's coast. Scientists have developed a promising new tool that may help to limit repeated human disturbances and help reduce their negative impacts on the dolphins. ... > full story

Oldest occurrence of arthropods preserved in amber: Fly, mite specimens are 100 million years older than previous amber inclusions (August 27, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered the oldest record of arthropods -- invertebrate animals that include insects, arachnids, and crustaceans -- preserved in amber. The specimens, one fly and two mites found in millimeter-scale droplets of amber from northeastern Italy, are about 100 million years older than any other amber arthropod ever collected. ... > full story

Neandertal's right-handedness verified, hints at language capacity (August 27, 2012) -- There are precious few Neandertal skeletons available to science. One of the more complete was discovered in 1957 in France, roughly 900 yards away from the famous Lascaux Cave. That skeleton was dubbed "Regourdou." Then, about two decades ago, researchers examined Regourdou's arm bones and theorized that he had been right-handed. ... > full story

Oceanic mystery solved: Connection between 'monster larva' and unique species of shrimp (August 27, 2012) -- The origin of Cerataspis monstrosa has been a mystery as deep as the ocean waters it hails from. For nearly two centuries, researchers have tried to track down the larva that has shown up in the guts of other fish over time but found no adult counterpart. Until now. ... > full story

Links between nutrients, genes and cancer spread documented (August 27, 2012) -- More than 40 plant-based compounds can turn on genes that slow the spread of cancer, according to a first-of-its-kind study. A professor of pharmaceutical sciences says he is encouraged by his findings because the spread of cancer is most often what makes the disease fatal. Moreover, he says, diet, nutrients and plant-based chemicals appear to be opening many avenues of attack. ... > full story

Panda preferences influence trees used for scent marking (August 27, 2012) -- As solitary animals, giant pandas have developed a number of ways to communicate those times when they are ready to come into close contact. One means of this communication occurs through scent marking. A recent study indicates that pandas make clear and specific choices about what trees are used for scent marking. ... > full story

Plants unpack winter coats when days get shorter (August 27, 2012) -- Mechanisms that protect plants from freezing are placed in storage during the summer and wisely unpacked when days get shorter. An expert in molecular genetics has demonstrated how the CBF cold response pathway is inactive during warmer months when days are long, and how it's triggered by waning sunlight to prepare plants for freezing temperatures. ... > full story

Adolescent pot use leaves lasting mental deficits; Developing brain susceptible to lasting damage from exposure to marijuana (August 27, 2012) -- The persistent, dependent use of marijuana before age 18 has been shown to cause lasting harm to a person's intelligence, attention and memory, according to an international research team. ... > full story

Long-held theory on human gestation refuted: Mother’s metabolism, not birth canal size, limits gestation (August 27, 2012) -- An anthropologist suggests that the length of human pregnancy is limited primarily by a mother's metabolism, not the size of the birth canal. The research challenges the long-held notion of an evolutionary trade-off between childbirth and a pelvis adapted for walking upright. ... > full story

One third less life on planet Earth? Scientists offer better estimate of living biomass (August 27, 2012) -- Previous estimates about the total mass of all life on our planet have to be reduced by about one third, according to the results of a study by a German-U.S. science team. ... > full story

Short- and mid-term cardiovascular effects of Japan's 2011 earthquake and tsunami: Incidence rises with the seismic peak (August 27, 2012) -- The Japanese earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011, which hit the north-east coast of Japan with a magnitude of 9.0 on the Richter scale, was one of the largest ocean-trench earthquakes ever recorded in Japan. The tsunami caused huge damage, including 15,861 dead and 3018 missing persons, and, as of June 6, 2012, 388,783 destroyed homes. ... > full story

Darwin discovered to be right: Eastern Pacific barrier is virtually impassable by coral species (August 27, 2012) -- Coral from the eastern Pacific rarely crosses a deep-ocean barrier to reach the west coast of the Americas, according to new research. The finding has important implications for climate-change research, species-preservation efforts, and the economic stability of the eastern Pacific region, including the Galapagos, Costa Rica, Panama, and Ecuador. ... > full story

Why some fats are worse than others (August 27, 2012) -- All dietary fats are not created equal. Some types of fats have been linked to ailments like heart disease and diabetes, while others, like those often found in plants and fish, have well documented health benefits. So why do our bodies respond so destructively to some fats but not others? ... > full story

Cooled coal emissions would clean air and lower health and climate-change costs (August 27, 2012) -- Refrigerating coal-plant emissions would reduce levels of dangerous chemicals that pour into the air -- including carbon dioxide by more than 90 percent -- at a cost of 25 percent efficiency, according to a simple math-driven formula. ... > full story

Arctic sea ice reaches lowest extent ever recorded (August 27, 2012) -- The blanket of sea ice floating on the Arctic Ocean melted to its lowest extent ever recorded since satellites began measuring it in 1979, according to new research. ... > full story

Fossil skeleton of strange, ancient digging mammal clears up 30-year-old evolutionary debate (August 27, 2012) -- Shortly after dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops went extinct, the Earth became filled with mammals only distantly related to those alive today. Until recently, one of these creatures, Ernanodon antelios, was only known from a single, highly distorted specimen that raised many questions about its habits and evolutionary relationships. Scientists have now described a second specimen of Ernanodon that sheds new light on this curious beast. ... > full story

Probiotics supercharge plants' immunity to disease (August 27, 2012) -- Pathogens can slip through leaf pores and begin infecting a plant. However, new research shows that this invasion is halted when a beneficial bacterium is present in the soil where the plant is rooted. ... > full story

Advanced tornado/hurricane shelter panels from recycled materials (August 27, 2012) -- Recycled materials may become armor against flying debris: Panels for a new high-tech shelter have passed the National Storm Shelter Association’s tornado threat test. ... > full story

Fitting Kv potassium channels in the PIP2 puzzle (August 27, 2012) -- A recent study brings new insights to an area of ion channel regulation: whether voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels can be regulated by physiological changes to PIP2. ... > full story

New model of muscular dystrophy provides insight into disease development (August 27, 2012) -- Researchers report the development of a mouse model of Fukuyama's muscular dystrophy that copies the pathology seen in the human form of the disease. ... > full story

Studying how diseases spread in primates may help predict what diseases will emerge in humans (August 27, 2012) -- A new study has investigated how diseases are shared among species of primates with a view to predicting what diseases may emerge in humans in the future. The findings aim to help in the fight against these diseases by enabling scientists to develop treatments before outbreaks occur. ... > full story

Vitamin B3 may offer new tool in fight against staph infections, 'superbugs' (August 27, 2012) -- A new study suggests that nicotinamide, more commonly known as vitamin B3, may be able to combat some of the antibiotic-resistance staph infections and "superbugs" that are increasingly common around the world, have killed thousands and can pose a significant threat to public health. ... > full story

Scientists discover nerves control iridescence in squid's remarkable 'electric skin' (August 27, 2012) -- Nerves in squid skin control the animal's spectrum of shimmering hues -- from red to blue -- as well as their speed of change, biologists have found. The work marks the first time neural control of iridescence in an invertebrate species has been demonstrated. ... > full story

To cap or not to cap: Scientists find new RNA phenomenon that challenges dogma (August 27, 2012) -- Some RNA molecules spend time in a restful state akin to hibernation rather than automatically carrying out their established job of delivering protein-building instructions in cells. This restful period appears to be a programmed step for RNA produced by certain types of genes. Protein production in cells is not as clear-cut as biology textbooks suggest, scientists say. ... > full story

Breast milk promotes a different gut flora growth than infant formulas (August 27, 2012) -- The benefits of breast milk have long been appreciated, but now scientists have described a unique property that makes mother's milk better than infant formula in protecting infants from infections and illnesses. The finding explains how breast milk, but not infant formula, fosters colonies of microbiotic flora in a newborn's intestinal tract that aid nutrient absorption and immune system development. ... > full story

Precise and persistent cell sabotage: Control of siRNA could aid regenerative medicine, cancer therapy (August 27, 2012) -- Small interfering RNA (siRNA), can be packaged then unleashed as a precise and persistent technology to guide cell behavior, researchers report. The technology holds promise for tissue engineering and cancer therapy. ... > full story

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