The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Thursday, October 6, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Thursday, October 6, 2011

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Biologists find 'surprising' number of unknown viruses in sewage (October 6, 2011) -- Though viruses are the most abundant life form on Earth, our knowledge of the viral universe is limited to a tiny fraction of the viruses that likely exist. In a new paper, researchers found that raw sewage is home to thousands of novel, undiscovered viruses, some of which could relate to human health. ... > full story

Components based on nature’s example (October 6, 2011) -- They are lightweight and yet strong and resilient: straw, bamboo, bones and teeth owe their surprising strength to their cleverly designed internal structures and a judicious combination of materials. The same principles can be applied to produce lighter and more durable plastic products. ... > full story

Arctic sea ice continues decline, hits second-lowest level (October 6, 2011) -- Last month the extent of sea ice covering the Arctic Ocean declined to the second-lowest extent on record. Satellite data from NASA and the the National Snow and Ice Data Center showed that the summertime sea ice cover narrowly avoided a new record low. The near-record ice-melt followed higher-than-average summer temperatures, but without the unusual weather conditions that contributed to the extreme melt of 2007. ... > full story

MVA-B Spanish HIV vaccine shows 90 percent immune response in humans (October 6, 2011) -- Phase I clinical trials developed by Spanish researchers reveals MVA-B preventive vaccine's immune efficiency against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 90% of the volunteers who went through the tests developed an immunological response against the virus and 85% has kept this response for at least one year, according to researchers. ... > full story

Lift weights, eat mustard, build muscles? (October 6, 2011) -- If you want to lean out, add muscle and get ripped, new research suggests to look to your garden for help. Scientists have found that when a specific plant steroid was ingested by rats, it triggered a response similar to anabolic steroids with minimal side effects. The stimulatory effect of homobrassinolide on protein synthesis in muscle cells led to increases in lean body mass, muscle mass, and physical performance. ... > full story

Unlocking jams in fluid materials: A theoretical model to understand how to best avoid jamming of soft matter (October 6, 2011) -- In a new study, a German scientist constructed a theoretical model to understand how to best avoid jamming of soft matter that can be applied in food and cosmetics production. ... > full story

Pumice proposed as home to the first life forms (October 5, 2011) -- The glassy, porous, and once gas-rich rock called pumice may have given rise to early life forms, according to a provocative new hypothesis on the origin of life. ... > full story

HIV: Cell-penetrating peptides for drug delivery act like a Swiss Army Knife (October 5, 2011) -- Scientists have identified how HIV TAT peptides can have multiple interactions with the membrane, the actin cytoskeleton, and specific cell-surface receptors to produce multiple pathways of translocation under different conditions. Moreover, because they now know how cell penetrating peptides work, it is possible to have a general recipe for reprogramming normal peptides into cell penetrating peptides. ... > full story

Certain biofuel mandates unlikely to be met by 2022; unless new technologies, policies developed (October 5, 2011) -- It is unlikely the United States will meet some specific biofuel mandates under the current Renewable Fuel Standard by 2022 unless innovative technologies are developed or policies change. ... > full story

Ancient road found at Maya village buried by volcanic ash 1,400 years ago (October 5, 2011) -- A research team excavating a Maya village in El Salvador buried by a volcanic eruption 1,400 years ago has unexpectedly hit an ancient white road that appears to lead to and from the town, which was frozen in time by a blanket of ash. ... > full story

Last universal common ancestor more complex than previously thought (October 5, 2011) -- Scientists call it LUCA, the Last Universal Common Ancestor, but they don't know much about this great-grandparent of all living things. Many believe LUCA was little more than a crude assemblage of molecular parts, a chemical soup out of which evolution gradually constructed more complex forms. Some scientists still debate whether it was even a cell. New evidence suggests that LUCA was a sophisticated organism after all, with a complex structure recognizable as a cell, researchers report. ... > full story

Potential key found for unlocking biomass energy (October 5, 2011) -- Researchers have found a potential key for unlocking the energy potential from non-edible biomass materials such as corn leaves and stalks, or switch grass. ... > full story

Hormone fights fat with fat: Orexin prevents obesity in mice by activating calorie-burning brown fat (October 5, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that the hormone orexin activates calorie-burning brown fat in mice. Orexin deficiency is associated with obesity, suggesting that orexin supplementation could provide a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of obesity and other metabolic disorders. An orexin-based therapy would represent a new class of fat-fighting drugs -- one that focuses on peripheral fat-burning tissue rather than the brain's appetite control center. ... > full story

A fish's personality may determine how it is captured (October 5, 2011) -- A fish's personality may determine how it is captured. This association between personality difference and capture-technique could have significant evolutionary and ecological consequences for affected fish populations, as well as for the quality of fisheries. ... > full story

A 'carbonizing dragon': Construction drives China's growing CO<sub>2</sub> emissions (October 5, 2011) -- Constructing buildings, power plants and roads has driven a substantial increase in China's carbon dioxide emission growth, according to a new study. ... > full story

Outsmarting algae: Scientist finds the turn-off switch (October 5, 2011) -- Algaecide is no crime. Consider that some strains of algae produce toxins lethal to wildlife, fish and plants. Even the less harmful varieties suck oxygen out of water, suffocating living creatures in lakes, ponds, pools and aquariums. Recent algal blooms in the Great Lakes, for instance, threaten critical ecosystems. Scientists have now deciphered the structure of an essential enzyme in algae, critical to algaecide development. ... > full story

For common toy breed dog windpipe issue, veterinarians use technology and precision (October 5, 2011) -- Jack, a 12-year-old Yorkshire terrier, was lethargic and gasping for air when he arrived at a veterinary hospital. His tongue and gums were a bluish-purple. But, just one day following an innovative procedure, Jack bounced back to his former youthful exuberance. ... > full story

Modeling cancer using ecological principles (October 5, 2011) -- The invasion of a new species into an established ecosystem can be directly compared to the steps involved in cancer metastasis. New research uses the Tilman model of competition between invasive species to study the metastasis of prostate cells into bone. ... > full story

Seaside fortress was a final stronghold of early Islamic power (October 5, 2011) -- Researchers have said that a Roman-influenced bath house at the fortress of Yavneh-Yam, located on a peninsula near present-day Tel Aviv, indicates that Arabic rulers maintained control of the site until the 12th century A.D. Military officers in the fortress, he suggests, were responsible for hostage negotiations between Arabic powers and Christian Crusaders, and the harbor itself was used for prisoner exchange. ... > full story

Follow the odor and CO<sub>2</sub>: Flight patterns reveal how mosquitoes find hosts to transmit deadly diseases (October 5, 2011) -- Experiments performed by entomologists to study how female Aedes aegypti -- mosquitoes that transmit yellow fever and dengue -- respond to plumes of carbon dioxide and human odor demonstrate that puffs of exhaled carbon dioxide first attract these mosquitoes, which then proceed to follow a broad skin odor plume, eventually landing on a human host. Results from the study could clue scientists on how odors can be used in traps for intercepting host-seeking mosquitoes. ... > full story

Grazing zebras versus cattle: Not so black and white (October 5, 2011) -- African ranchers often prefer to keep wild grazers like zebra off the grass that fattens their cattle. But a new study shows that grazing by wild animals doesn't always harm -- and can sometimes benefit -- cattle. ... > full story

DNA sequences reveal the true identity of the softshell turtle Pelodiscus (October 5, 2011) -- A research team has identified many different genetic lineages in the softshell turtle genus Pelodiscus, representing different species. Traditionally it has been assumed that only the species Pelodiscus sinensis belonged to the genus examined. As a foodstuff, Chinese softshell turtles are the most economically important turtles in the world, with an annual trade volume of many hundreds of millions of specimens. ... > full story

Climate change simulations show which animals can take the heat (October 4, 2011) -- As climate change continues to take hold this century, which species will be able to take the heat? In simulations examining species and their projected range, researchers show that animals' ability to withstand fluctuations in temperature during their climate-induced journeys will be a crucial determinant of their ultimate survival. ... > full story

Green tea helps mice keep off extra pounds (October 4, 2011) -- Green tea may slow down weight gain and serve as another tool in the fight against obesity, according to food scientists. ... > full story

Experiments suggest research avenues for treating excess fat storage and obesity (October 4, 2011) -- Scientists have begun to unravel the complex process by which cells take in and store microscopic fat molecules, suggesting new directions for further research into solutions for obesity and its related conditions, such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. ... > full story

A hitchhiker's guide to the Galápagos: Co-evolution of Galápagos mockingbirds and their parasites (October 4, 2011) -- Along with the famous finches the Galápagos mockingbirds had a great influence on Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. Now, 176 years later, three of the four mockingbird species are among the rarest birds in the world. New research untangles the evolutionary relationships between Galápagos mockingbirds and provides information about their parasites to help ensure the birds survival. ... > full story

Researchers transform iPhone into high-quality medical imaging device (October 4, 2011) -- In a feat of technology tweaking that would rival MacGyver, a team of researchers has transformed everyday iPhones into medical-quality imaging and chemical detection devices. With materials that cost about as much as a typical app, the decked-out smartphones are able to use their heightened senses to perform detailed microscopy and spectroscopy. ... > full story

Engineers build smart petri dish: Device can be used for medical diagnostics, imaging cell growth continuously (October 4, 2011) -- The cameras in our cell phones have dramatically changed the way we share the special moments in our lives, making photographs instantly available to friends and family. Now, the imaging sensor chips that form the heart of these built-in cameras are helping engineers transform the way cell cultures are imaged by serving as the platform for a "smart" petri dish. ... > full story

From compost to sustainable fuels: Heat-loving fungi sequenced (October 4, 2011) -- Two heat-loving fungi, often found in composts that self-ignite without flame or spark, could soon have new vocations. The complete genetic makeup of Myceliophthora thermophila and Thielavia terrestris has now been decoded. The findings may lead to the faster and greener development of biomass-based fuels, chemicals and other industrial materials. ... > full story

Robot brain implanted in a rodent: Researcher implants robotic cerebellum to repair motor function (October 4, 2011) -- With new cutting-edge technology aimed at providing amputees with robotic limbs, a researcher has successfully implanted a robotic cerebellum into the skull of a rodent with brain damage, restoring its capacity for movement. ... > full story

How gas and temperature controlled bacterial response to Deepwater Horizon spill (October 4, 2011) -- Scientists used DNA to identify microbes present in the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and then identified the microbes responsible for consuming the large amount of natural gas present immediately after the spill. They have also explained how water temperature played a key role in the way bacteria reacted to the spill. ... > full story

Location matters: For invasive aquatic species, it's better to start upstream (October 4, 2011) -- Scientists have studied populations of European green crab, Carcinus maenas. The species was introduced to the East Coast of North America twice, at both the upper and lower edges of its range. Their findings may help inform the control of invasive species and conservation of imperiled native species. ... > full story

Overall quality of pregnant woman’s diet affects risk for two birth defects, study shows (October 4, 2011) -- The overall quality of a pregnant woman's diet is linked with risk for two types of serious birth defects, a new study has shown. In the study, women who ate better before and during pregnancy gave birth to fewer infants with malformations of the brain and spinal cord, or orofacial clefts, such as cleft lip and cleft palate. ... > full story

Forest structure, services and biodiversity may be lost even as form remains (October 4, 2011) -- A forest may look like a forest, have many of the same trees that used to live there, but still lose the ecological, economic or cultural values that once made it what it was, researchers suggest. ... > full story

Helium raises resolution of whole cell imaging (October 4, 2011) -- The ability to obtain an accurate three-dimensional image of an intact cell is critical for unraveling the mysteries of cellular structure and function. However, for many years, tiny structures buried deep inside cells have been practically invisible to scientists due to a lack of microscopic techniques that achieve adequate resolution at the cell surface and through the entire depth of the cell. Now, a new study demonstrates that microscopy with helium ions may greatly enhance both surface and sub-cellular imaging. ... > full story

Ice Age carbon mystery: Rising carbon dioxide levels not tied to Pacific Ocean, as had been suspected (October 4, 2011) -- After the last Ice Age peaked about 18,000 years ago, levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide rose about 30 percent. Scientists believe that the additional CO2 -- the source of which was thought to be the deep ocean -- played a key role in warming the planet and melting the continental ice sheets. But a new study suggests that the deep ocean was not an important source of carbon during glacial times. The finding will force researchers to reassess their ideas about the fundamental mechanisms that regulate atmospheric CO2 over long time scales. ... > full story

Tuberculosis bacterium's outer cell wall disarms the body's defense to remain infectious (October 4, 2011) -- The bacterium that causes tuberculosis has a unique molecule on its outer cell surface that blocks a key part of the body's defense. New research suggests this represents a novel mechanism in the microbe's evolving efforts to remain hidden from the human immune system. The TB bacterium has a molecule on its outer surface called lipomannan that can stop production of an important protein in the body's immune cells that helps contain TB infection and maintain it in a latent state. ... > full story

Tick responsible for equine piroplasmosis outbreak identified (October 4, 2011) -- The cayenne tick has been identified as one of the vectors of equine piroplasmosis in horses in a 2009 Texas outbreak, according to new research. ... > full story

Developing East Coast fever vaccine (October 4, 2011) -- A vaccine that protects cattle against East Coast fever, a destructive disease in eastern and central Africa, is being developed. ... > full story

Polar oceans in transition (October 4, 2011) -- Polar bears will be affected by climate change in the Arctic and Antarctic, but so will India's iconic tigers and elephants. Researchers are working to understand what is happening in polar oceans -- and what can be done. ... > full story

Closer to solving the cod mystery (October 4, 2011) -- Fish quantities off the Norwegian coast fluctuate widely from year to year. For 150 years, scientists have tried to figure out why -- and now they are nearing an explanation. ... > full story

Gaps in forest monitoring (October 4, 2011) -- A new report identifies gaps in forest monitoring and ways to improve data collection. This will produce reliable estimates of greenhouse gas emission reductions from activities aimed at reducing deforestation. ... > full story

Decline and recovery of coral reefs linked to 700 years of human and environmental activities (October 3, 2011) -- Changing human activities coupled with a dynamic environment over the past few centuries have caused fluctuating periods of decline and recovery of corals reefs in the Hawaiian Islands, according to a new study. Using the reefs and island societies as a model social-ecological system, a team of scientists reconstructed 700 years of human-environment interactions in two different regions of the Hawaiian archipelago. ... > full story

Fruity aromas: An aphrodisiac for flies (October 3, 2011) -- The smell of food acts as an aphrodisiac for Drosophila (vinegar flies). Scientists have brought to light a novel olfactory perception mechanism: male flies use a scent derived from the fruit that they eat to stimulate their sexual appetite. ... > full story

Tenerife geology discovery is among 'world's best': Holiday Island landscape reveals explosive past (October 3, 2011) -- Volcanologists have uncovered one of the world's best-preserved accessible examples of a monstrous landslide that followed a huge volcanic eruption on the Canarian island of Tenerife. ... > full story

Mother's investment in the eggs makes zebra finch males attractive (October 3, 2011) -- It is not the superior genes of the father, but the mother's resource investment in the eggs that makes zebra finch males particularly attractive. A Swiss-Australian research team has challenged the theory that females mate with superior males to obtain good genes for their offspring. ... > full story

Killing crop-eating pests: Compounds work by disrupting bugs' winter sleep (October 3, 2011) -- The creation of compounds that disrupt a worldwide pest's winter sleep hints at the potential to develop natural and targeted controls against crop-eating insects, new research suggests. Scientists have designed agents that interfere with the protective dormancy period of the corn earworm, a species that infests more than 100 types of plants and costs American farmers an estimated billion a year in losses and control costs. ... > full story

Russian and US veterinarians collaborate to solve mysterious wild tiger deaths (October 3, 2011) -- Veterinarians are working to understand how distemper -- a virus afflicting domestic dogs and many wildlife species -- may be a growing threat to Siberian tigers. ... > full story