The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Thursday, August 9, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Thursday, August 9, 2012

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Oh, my stars and hexagons! DNA code shapes gold nanoparticles (August 8, 2012) -- DNA holds the genetic code for all sorts of biological molecules and traits. But researchers have found that DNA's code can similarly shape metallic structures. The team found that DNA segments can direct the shape of gold nanoparticles -- tiny gold crystals that have many applications in medicine, electronics and catalysis. Each of the four DNA bases codes for a different gold particle shape: rough round particles, stars, flat round discs, and hexagons. ... > full story

Test vaccine successfully protects monkeys from Nipah virus (August 8, 2012) -- Researchers have successfully tested in monkeys a vaccine against Nipah virus, a human pathogen that emerged in 1998 during a large outbreak of infection and disease among pigs and pig farmers in Southeast Asia. This latest advance builds upon earlier work by the scientists, who found that the same vaccine can protect cats from Nipah virus and ferrets and horses from the closely related Hendra virus. ... > full story

Chronic exposure to staph bacteria may be risk factor for lupus (August 8, 2012) -- Chronic exposure to even small amounts of staph bacteria could be a risk factor for the chronic inflammatory disease lupus, new research shows. ... > full story

Shark teeth help scientists uncover predator's history (August 8, 2012) -- Biologists are studying living great whites and other sharks – as well as fossilized shark teeth – to gain insight into shark behavior and ancestry using the latest in computed tomography scans to analyze shark tooth anatomy, development and evolution. ... > full story

Researchers collect and reuse enzymes while maintaining bioactivity (August 8, 2012) -- Researchers are collecting and harvesting enzymes while maintaining the enzyme's bioactivity. The new model system may impact cancer research. ... > full story

Early human ancestors had more variable diet (August 8, 2012) -- New research sheds more light on the diet and home ranges of early hominins belonging to three different genera, notably Australopithecus, Paranthropus and Homo -- that were discovered at sites such as Sterkfontein, Swartkrans and Kromdraai in the Cradle of Humankind, about 50 kilometers from Johannesburg. Australopithecus existed before the other two genera evolved about 2 million years ago. ... > full story

New atmospheric compound tied to climate change, human health (August 8, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered a surprising new chemical compound in Earth's atmosphere that reacts with sulfur dioxide to form sulfuric acid, which is known to have significant impacts on climate and health. The new compound, a type of carbonyl oxide, is formed from the reaction of ozone with alkenes, which are a family of hydrocarbons with both natural and human-made sources. ... > full story

Hibernation altered by climate change takes a toll on Rocky Mountain animal species (August 8, 2012) -- Climate change is causing a late wake-up call from hibernation for a species of Rocky Mountain ground squirrel and the effect is deadly. Biologists have examined data on a population of Columbian ground squirrels and found a trend of late spring snow falls has delayed the animals' emergence from hibernation by 10 days over the last 20 years. ... > full story

New Kenyan fossils shed light on early human evolution (August 8, 2012) -- Exciting new fossils discovered east of Lake Turkana confirm that there were two additional species of our genus -- Homo -- living alongside our direct human ancestral species, Homo erectus, almost two million years ago. ... > full story

Physics and math shed new light on biology by mapping the landscape of evolution (August 8, 2012) -- Researchers capture evolutionary dynamics in a new theoretical framework that could help explain some of the mysteries of how and why species change over time. ... > full story

Diversity keeps grasslands resilient to drought, climate change (August 8, 2012) -- Grasslands should come out as the winner with increased periods and intensity of drought predicted in the future. ... > full story

Protein that boosts longevity may protect against diabetes: Sirtuins help fight off disorders linked to obesity (August 8, 2012) -- According to a new study, a protein that slows aging in mice and other animals also protects against the ravages of a high-fat diet, including diabetes. ... > full story

Boys appear to be more vulnerable than girls to the insecticide chlorpyrifos: Lower IQs seen in boys exposed in the womb to comparable amounts of the chemical (August 8, 2012) -- A new study is the first to find a difference between how boys and girls respond to prenatal exposure to the insecticide chlorpyrifos. Researchers have found that, at age seven, boys had greater difficulty with working memory, a key component of IQ, than girls with similar exposures. ... > full story

Leveraging bacteria in drinking water to benefit consumers (August 8, 2012) -- Contrary to popular belief, purified drinking water from home faucets contains millions to hundreds of millions of widely differing bacteria per gallon, and scientists have discovered a plausible way to manipulate those populations of mostly beneficial microbes to potentially benefit consumers. ... > full story

July 2012 marked hottest month on record for contiguous U.S.; Drought expands to cover nearly 63 percent of the Lower 48 (August 8, 2012) -- According to NOAA scientists, the average temperature for the contiguous U.S. during July was 77.6°F, 3.3°F above the 20th century average, marking the hottest July and the hottest month on record for the nation. The previous warmest July for the nation was July 1936 when the average U.S. temperature was 77.4°F. The warm July temperatures contributed to a record-warm first seven months of the year and the warmest 12-month period the nation has experienced since recordkeeping began in 1895. ... > full story

Unusual weather events identified during 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria, Australia (August 8, 2012) -- Research has revealed that the extremely hot, dry and windy conditions on Black Saturday in the Australian state of Victoria combined with structures in the atmosphere called 'horizontal convective rolls' -- similar to streamers of wind flowing through the air -- which likely affected fire behavior. ... > full story

Molecular economics: New computer models calculate systems-wide costs of gene expression (August 8, 2012) -- Bioengineers have developed a method of modeling, simultaneously, an organism's metabolism and its underlying gene expression. In the emerging field of systems biology, scientists model cellular behavior in order to understand how processes such as metabolism and gene expression relate to one another and bring about certain characteristics in the larger organism. ... > full story

New global warming culprit: Methane emissions jump dramatically during dam drawdowns (August 8, 2012) -- Researchers have documented an underappreciated suite of players in global warming: dams, the water reservoirs behind them, and surges of greenhouse gases as water levels go up and down. In separate studies, researchers saw methane levels jump 20- and 36-fold during drawdowns. ... > full story

New non-toxic disinfectant could tackle hospital infections (August 7, 2012) -- A new disinfectant, Akwaton, that works at extremely low concentrations could be used in healthcare settings to help control persistent hospital-acquired infections such as Clostridium difficile. Researchers tested the new compound, Akwaton, against bacterial spores that attach to surfaces and are difficult to destroy. Previous work has shown Akwaton is also effective at low concentrations against strains of Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. ... > full story

Planting the seeds of defense: Stress triggers widespread epigenetic changes that aid in disease resistance (August 7, 2012) -- It was long thought that methylation, a crucial part of normal organism development, was a static modification of DNA that could not be altered by environmental conditions. New findings, however, suggest that the DNA of organisms exposed to stress undergo changes in DNA methylation patterns that alter how genes are regulated. ... > full story

Can nature parks save biodiversity? (August 7, 2012) -- As human activities put increasing pressures on natural systems and wildlife to survive, 200 scientists around the world carved up pieces of the puzzle to present a clearer picture of reality and find ways to mitigate the destructive forces at work. ... > full story

Shedding new light on how jaws evolve (August 7, 2012) -- If you're looking for information on the evolution and function of jaws, a new integrative research program has some answers. Scientists are investigating major adaptive and morphological transformations in the mammalian musculoskeletal system during development and across higher-level groups. ... > full story

Control of devastating cassava virus in Africa demonstrated (August 7, 2012) -- Scientists recently demonstrated progress in protecting cassava against cassava brown streak disease (CBSD), a serious virus disease, in a confined field trial in Uganda using an RNA interference technology. ... > full story

Diseased trees new source of climate gas (August 7, 2012) -- Diseased trees in forests may be a significant new source of methane that causes climate change, according to researchers. ... > full story

New pathway for invasive species -- science teachers (August 7, 2012) -- A survey of teachers from the United States and Canada found that one out of four educators who used live animals as part of their science curriculum released the organisms into the wild after they were done using them in the classroom. ... > full story

Chemists advance clear conductive thin films (August 7, 2012) -- Thin, conductive films are useful in displays and solar cells. A new solution-based chemistry for making indium tin oxide films could allow engineers to employ a much simpler and cheaper manufacturing process. ... > full story

California's hydropower stations to generate less electricity in summer as climate warms (August 7, 2012) -- California's hydropower is vulnerable to climate change, a scientist has advised policymakers. According to the scientist, if California loses snowpack under climate warming, high-elevation hydropower-plant reservoirs may not be able to store enough water for hydropower generation in summer months when the demand is much higher and hydropower is priced higher. ... > full story

Division of labor offers insight into the evolution of multicellular life (August 7, 2012) -- Dividing tasks among different individuals is a more efficient way to get things done, whether you are an ant, a honeybee or a human. A new study suggests that this efficiency may also explain a key transition in evolutionary history, from single-celled to multi-celled organisms. ... > full story

The economic cost of increased temperatures: Warming episodes hurt poor countries and limit long-term growth (August 7, 2012) -- Even temporary rises in local temperatures significantly damage long-term economic growth in the world's developing nations, according to a new study. ... > full story

Preserving an icon: Impact of historical domestic cattle hybridization with American bison revealed (August 7, 2012) -- Plains bison are an iconic symbol of America on everything from coins to state flags. Now scientists are exploring how the cross-breeding of bison with domestic cattle in the late 1800s may still have unwanted effects on modern populations of the species. ... > full story

Study finds with vacant lots greened, residents feel safer (August 7, 2012) -- Greening vacant lots may make neighborhood residents feel safer and may be associated with reductions in certain gun crimes, according to a new study. Results show that residents living near greened vacant lots feel safer than those near non-greened sites. ... > full story

Birds do better in 'agroforests' than on farms (August 7, 2012) -- Compared with open farmland, wooded "shade" plantations that produce coffee and chocolate promote greater bird diversity, although a new study says forests remain the best habitat for tropical birds. The findings suggest that as open farmland replaces forests and "agroforests" -- where crops are grown under trees – reduced number of bird species and shifts in the populations of various types of birds may hurt "ecosystem services" that birds provide to people, such as eating insect pests, spreading seeds and pollinating crops. ... > full story

Paddlefish's doubled genome may question theories on limb evolution (August 7, 2012) -- The American paddlefish -- known for its bizarre, protruding snout and eggs harvested for caviar -- duplicated its entire genome about 42 million years ago, according to a new study. This finding may add a new twist to the way scientists study how fins evolved into limbs since the paddlefish is often used as a proxy for a more representative ancestor shared by humans and fishes. ... > full story

Holy bat detector! Ecologists develop first Europe-wide bat ID tool (August 7, 2012) -- Just as differences in song can be used to distinguish one bird species from another, the pips and squeaks bats use to find prey can be used to identify different species of bat. Now, for the first time, ecologists have developed a Europe-wide tool capable of identifying bats from their echolocation calls. ... > full story

Eco-computer with a natural wood look (August 7, 2012) -- Surfing for hours on the Internet consumes a lot of electricity and is harmful to the environment. However, a new ecological PC saves energy as it operates: It produces about 70 percent less CO2 than conventional computers. ... > full story

Using wastewater as fertilizer (August 7, 2012) -- Sewage sludge, wastewater and liquid manure are valuable sources of fertilizer for food production. Researchers have now developed a chemical-free, eco-friendly process that enables the recovered salts to be converted directly into organic food for crop plants. ... > full story

Cannabis as painkiller (August 7, 2012) -- Cannabis-based medications have been demonstrated to relieve pain. Cannabis medications can be used in patients whose symptoms are not adequately alleviated by conventional treatment. The indications are muscle spasms, nausea and vomiting as a result of chemotherapy, loss of appetite in HIV/Aids, and neuropathic pain, experts say. ... > full story

2012 the hottest year on record for Northeast, US (August 7, 2012) -- The Northeast’s seven-month average (January through July) of 49.9 degrees was the warmest such period since 1895, the year such record keeping began. ... > full story

How forests thrive after fires and volcanoes (August 6, 2012) -- Forests hammered by windstorms, avalanches and wildfires may appear blighted, but a researcher says such disturbances can be key to maximizing an area's biological diversity. In fact land managers can alter their practices to enhance such diversity, creating areas with a wide variety of species, including rare and endangered plants and animals, experts say. ... > full story

Researchers unlock secret of the rare 'twinned rainbow' (August 6, 2012) -- Scientists have yet to fully unravel the mysteries of rainbows, but a group of researchers have used simulations of these natural wonders to unlock the secret to a rare optical phenomenon known as the twinned rainbow. ... > full story

Microbes, sponges, and worms add to coral reef woes (August 6, 2012) -- Microbes, sponges, and worms -- the side effects of pollution and heavy fishing -- are adding insult to injury in Kenya's imperiled reef systems, according to a recent study. ... > full story

Forensic tools for catching poachers (August 6, 2012) -- The trade in ivory was largely outlawed in 1989, but poaching continues and remains a serious threat to the African elephant. Seizures of large amounts of ivory, sometimes over a ton, continue to occur. Scientists have now found a way to determine just where the ivory comes from. ... > full story

Seafood, wild or farmed? The answer may be both (August 6, 2012) -- Most people think of seafood as either wild or farmed, but in fact both categories may apply to the fish you pick up from your grocery store. An article recommends that when a combination of seafood production techniques are used, this be acknowledged in the marketplace. ... > full story

Limits of microbial life in an undersea volcano: Third of Earth's organisms live in rock and sediments (August 6, 2012) -- By some estimates, a third of the Earth's organisms by mass live in our planet's rocks and sediments, yet their lives and ecology are almost a complete mystery. Microbiologists have just revealed the first detailed data about a group of methane-exhaling microbes that live deep in the cracks of hot undersea volcanoes. ... > full story

Correlation between injection wells and small earthquakes discovered (August 6, 2012) -- Most earthquakes in the Barnett Shale region of north Texas occur within a few miles of one or more injection wells used to dispose of wastes associated with petroleum production such as hydraulic fracturing fluids, according to new research. None of the quakes identified in the two-year study were strong enough to pose a danger to the public. ... > full story

Researchers peek at the early evolution of sex chromosomes (August 6, 2012) -- Two new studies offer insight into sex chromosome evolution by focusing on papaya, a multimillion dollar crop plant with a sexual problem (as far as growers are concerned) and a complicated past. ... > full story

Black drink: Evidence of ritual use of caffeinated brew at Cahokia (August 6, 2012) -- People living 700 to 900 years ago in Cahokia, a massive settlement near the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, ritually used a caffeinated brew made from the leaves of a holly tree that grew hundreds of miles away, researchers report. ... > full story

New study defines the genetic map of the Jewish diasporas (August 6, 2012) -- A new genetic analysis focusing on Jews from North Africa has provided an overall genetic map of the Jewish Diasporas. The findings support the historical record of Middle Eastern Jews settling in North Africa during Classical Antiquity, proselytizing and marrying local populations, and, in the process, forming distinct populations that stayed largely intact for more than 2,000 years. ... > full story

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