The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Monday, October 24, 2011

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Monday, October 24, 2011

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Complexities of DNA repair discovered (October 23, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered that DNA repair in cancer cells is not a one-way street as previously believed. ... > full story

Plate tectonics may control reversals in Earth's magnetic field (October 23, 2011) -- Earth's magnetic field has reversed many times at an irregular rate throughout its history. Long periods without reversal have been interspersed with eras of frequent reversals. What is the reason for these reversals and their irregularity? Researchers have shed new light on the issue by demonstrating that, over the last 300 million years, reversal frequency has depended on the distribution of tectonic plates on the surface of the globe. This result does not imply that terrestrial plates themselves trigger the switch over of the magnetic field. Instead, it establishes that although the reversal phenomenon takes place, in fine, within Earth's liquid core, it is nevertheless sensitive to what happens outside the core and more specifically in Earth's mantle. ... > full story

Decision-making: What you want vs. how you get it (October 23, 2011) -- New research reveals how we make decisions. Birds choosing between berry bushes and investors trading stocks are faced with the same fundamental challenge -- making optimal choices in an environment featuring varying costs and benefits. ... > full story

First Ebola-like virus native to Europe discovered (October 22, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a new Ebola-like virus -- Lloviu virus -- in bats from northern Spain. Lloviu virus is the first known filovirus native to Europe. Filoviruses, which include well-known viruses like Ebola and Marburg, are among the deadliest pathogens in humans and non-human primates, and are generally found in East Africa and the Philippines. The findings thus expand the natural geographical distribution of filoviruses. ... > full story

West Nile virus transmission linked to land use patterns and 'super-spreaders' (October 22, 2011) -- After its initial appearance in New York in 1999, West Nile virus spread across the United States in just a few years and is now well established throughout North and South America. Researchers have found that in most places only a few key species of bird "hosts" and mosquito "vectors" are important in transmission of the virus. ... > full story

Cooling the warming debate: Major new analysis confirms that global warming is real (October 21, 2011) -- Global warming is real, according to a major new study. Despite issues raised by climate change skeptics, the Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature study finds reliable evidence of a rise in the average world land temperature of approximately 1 degree Celsius since the mid-1950s. ... > full story

Biologists describe key mechanism in early embryo development (October 21, 2011) -- Biologists have identified a key mechanism controlling early embryonic development that is critical in determining how structures such as appendages -- arms and legs in humans -- grow in the right place and at the right time. ... > full story

New evidence for the oldest oxygen-breathing life on land (October 21, 2011) -- New research shows the first evidence that oxygen-breathing bacteria occupied and thrived on land 100 million years earlier than previously thought. ... > full story

Can aromatherapy produce harmful indoor air pollutants? (October 21, 2011) -- Spas that offer massage therapy using fragrant essential oils, called aromatherapy, may have elevated levels of potentially harmful indoor air pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and ultrafine particles, according to a new article. ... > full story

Bolivia's jaguars set a record (October 21, 2011) -- In a new camera trap survey in the world's most biologically diverse landscape, researchers have identified more individual jaguars than ever before. ... > full story

Viruses coaxed to form synthetics with microstructures akin to those of corneas, teeth and skin (October 21, 2011) -- Using a simple, single-step process, engineers and scientists have recently developed a technique to direct benign, filamentous viruses called M13 phages to serve as structural building blocks for materials with a wide range of properties. ... > full story

NASA, Japan release improved topographic map of Earth (October 21, 2011) -- NASA and Japan released a significantly improved version of the most complete digital topographic map of Earth on Oct. 17, produced with detailed measurements from NASA's Terra spacecraft. The map, known as a global digital elevation model, was created from images collected by the Japanese Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, or ASTER, instrument aboard Terra. So-called stereo-pair images are produced by merging two slightly offset two-dimensional images to create the three-dimensional effect of depth. The first version of the map was released by NASA and Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in June 2009. ... > full story

First North American hunters 1,000 years earlier than previously thought, speared mastodon fossil shows (October 21, 2011) -- A new and astonishing chapter has been added to North American prehistory in regards to the first hunters and their hunt for the now extinct giant mammoth-like creatures -- the mastodons. New research has shown that the hunt for large mammals occurred at least 1,000 years before previously assumed. ... > full story

Human norovirus in groundwater remains infective after two months (October 21, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that norovirus in groundwater can remain infectious for at least 61 days. ... > full story

Magnetic attraction: Microchip demonstrates concept of 'MRAM for biomolecules' (October 21, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a low-power microchip that uses a combination of microfluidics and magnetic switches to trap and transport magnetic beads. The novel transport chip may have applications in biotechnology and medical diagnostics. ... > full story

Significant ozone hole remains over Antarctica (October 21, 2011) -- The Antarctic ozone hole, which yawns wide every Southern Hemisphere spring, reached its annual peak on Sept. 12, stretching 10.05 million square miles, the ninth largest on record. Above the South Pole, the ozone hole reached its deepest point of the season on Oct. 9 when total ozone readings dropped to 102 Dobson units, tied for the 10th lowest in the 26-year record. ... > full story

Newly discovered reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (October 20, 2011) -- Waters polluted by the ordure of pigs, poultry, or cattle represent a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes, both known and potentially novel. These resistance genes can be spread among different bacterial species by bacteriophage, bacteria-infecting viruses, according to new research. ... > full story

Home washing machines: Source of potentially harmful ocean 'microplastic' pollution (October 20, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting that household washing machines seem to be a major source of so-called "microplastic" pollution -- bits of polyester and acrylic smaller than the head of a pin -- that they now have detected on ocean shorelines worldwide. ... > full story

Laser makes sure food is fresh (October 20, 2011) -- Minced meat, bread, fruit juice and many other foods are packaged in a protective gas which extends their shelf life. There is currently no good method to check whether the packaging has the correct gas content. However, researchers have now developed a new laser instrument which could solve the problem. The first product is expected to be ready for market launch later in the autumn. ... > full story

Research could lead to new treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and viral infections (October 20, 2011) -- The intestinal ecosystem is even more dynamic than previously thought, according to two new studies. The research provides a new understanding of the unique intestinal environment and suggest new strategies for the prevention of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and viral infections, the researchers said. ... > full story

Bioluminescence: Explanation for glowing seas suggested (October 20, 2011) -- It has long been known that distinctive blue flashes -- a type of bioluminescence -- that are visible at night in some marine environments are caused by tiny, unicellular plankton known as dinoflagellates. However, a new study has, for the first time, detailed the potential mechanism for this bioluminesence. ... > full story

Antibody treatment protects monkeys from Hendra virus disease (October 20, 2011) -- A human antibody given to monkeys infected with the deadly Hendra virus completely protected them from disease, according to a new study. Hendra and the closely related Nipah virus, both rare viruses that are part of the NIH biodefense research program, target the lungs and brain and have human case fatality rates of 60 percent and more than 75 percent, respectively. These diseases in monkeys mirror what happens in humans, and the study results are cause for hope that the antibody, named m102.4, ultimately may be developed into a possible treatment for people who become infected with these viruses. ... > full story

Piecing together the priceless 'Cairo Genizah' (October 20, 2011) -- The Cairo Genizah is an irreplaceable repository for information about 1,000 years of human history. But the 350,000 fragments that make up the Genizah are scattered worldwide. Researchers are now putting all these pieces back together with a computer program based on facial recognition technology. ... > full story

Young human-specific genes correlated with brain evolution (October 20, 2011) -- Young genes that appeared since the primate branch split from other mammal species are expressed in unique structures of the developing human brain, a new analysis finds. ... > full story

Researchers examine BPA and breast cancer link (October 20, 2011) -- Chronic low-level exposure to a compound found in a variety of plastic household items could pose a threat to women who overproduce a protein linked with breast cancer, say researchers. ... > full story

Lightning strikes, in the form of bits and bytes (October 20, 2011) -- Scientists are utilizing a superfast computer system for simulating lightning strikes. Their objectives are arriving at better understandings of the effects of lightning strikes on humans and machinery and better predictions of those effects. ... > full story

U.S. rivers and streams saturated with carbon (October 20, 2011) -- Rivers and streams in the United States are releasing substantially more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than previously thought, according to researchers. Their findings could change the way scientists model the movement of carbon among land, water and the atmosphere. ... > full story

Pollutants linked to 450 percent increase in risk of birth defects in rural China (October 19, 2011) -- Pesticides and pollutants are related to an alarming 450 percent increase in the risk of spina bifida and anencephaly in rural China, according to scientists. ... > full story

Computing building blocks created from bacteria and DNA (October 19, 2011) -- Scientists have successfully demonstrated that they can build some of the basic components for digital devices out of bacteria and DNA, which could pave the way for a new generation of biological computing devices. ... > full story

Skin's immune peacekeepers discovered (October 19, 2011) -- There are more bacteria living on our skin and in our gut than cells in our body. We need them. But until now no one knew how the immune system could tell that these bacteria are harmless. Researchers in Sydney have discovered a set of peacekeepers -- immune cells in the outer layers of our skin that stop us from attacking friendly bacteria. ... > full story

Ammonia air pollution from cars and trucks worse in winter (October 19, 2011) -- Motor vehicles and industry are primary producers of ammonia in Houston's atmosphere, and cars and trucks appear to boost their output during the winter, according to a new study. ... > full story

New, higher estimates of endangered humpback whales in the North Pacific (October 19, 2011) -- Scientists have increased the estimate on the number of humpback whales in the North Pacific Ocean. The increase follows a refined statistical analysis of data compiled in 2008 from the largest whale survey ever undertaken to assess humpback whale populations throughout the North Pacific. ... > full story

Optimal modulation of ion channels rescues neurons associated with epilepsy (October 19, 2011) -- New research successfully reverses epilepsy-associated pathology by using a sophisticated single-cell modeling paradigm to examine abnormal cell behavior and identify the optimal modulation of channel activity. The study describes a procedure that may be useful for rescuing function in organs with excitable cells, such as the heart and pancreas. ... > full story

Natural disasters: Networking robots and sensor systems to help first responders react more quickly (October 19, 2011) -- Earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes -- natural disasters always catch us by surprise, no matter how many early warning systems are in place. This makes it all the more important for rescue teams to get a quick overview of the situation at hand. Researchers in Germany are working to network the various robots and sensor systems first responders use so that they can react more quickly and efficiently in the case of an emergency to search for victims and survivors. ... > full story

Two new bee species are mysterious pieces in the Panama puzzle (October 19, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered two new, closely related bee species: one from Coiba Island in Panama and another from northern Colombia. Both descended from of a group of stingless bees that originated in the Amazon and moved into Central America, the ancestors of Mayan honeybees. ... > full story

Why steroid treatment for COPD is ineffective (October 19, 2011) -- Corticosteroids do not improve survival nor alter the progression of COPD and may reduce lung symptoms as little as 20 percent. A new study found why corticosteroids do not work well for COPD patients and how additional treatment with sulforaphane -- an ingredient of broccoli and other vegetables -- can improve the effectiveness of corticosteroids. ... > full story

Scientists reveal surprising picture of how powerful antibody neutralizes HIV (October 19, 2011) -- Researchers have uncovered the surprising details of how a powerful anti-HIV antibody grabs hold of the virus. The findings highlight a major vulnerability of HIV and suggest a new target for vaccine development. ... > full story

Efficacy of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma vaccine demonstrated in dogs (October 19, 2011) -- An experimental vaccine is the first veterinary cancer vaccine of its kind that shows an increase in survival time for dogs with spontaneous non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The work shows for the first time the feasibility and therapeutic efficacy of this alternative cell-based vaccine, which could be employed in the treatment of a number of different cancer types. ... > full story

Industrial by-products upgraded into fuel (October 19, 2011) -- Researchers in Finland have achieved good results in using waste and other excess products from industry to develop new and innovative fuels for transport. The researchers have studied the processing of both biobutanol and biogas into transport fuels. ... > full story

The ultimate qPCR based lncRNA profiling platform (October 19, 2011) -- lncRNAs represent an emerging important class of regulatory transcribed elements. The study of lncRNAs is timely and relevant, because of their implication in important cellular processes, through new modes of action. The lncRNA genes are generally low abundant, which is exactly why there is a genuine need for a platform with ultimate sensitivity superseding microarray based platforms. ... > full story

First-ever sequence and structure of biologically important carbohydrate (October 18, 2011) -- Scientists have been unable to determine the structure of a biologically important so-called GAG proteoglycan -- or even to agree whether these remarkably complex molecules have well-defined structures. Medical researchers have now, for the first time, determined the sequence and structure of a glycosaminoglycan, or GAG, proteoglycan. ... > full story

Unexpected effect of climate change on body size for many different species (October 18, 2011) -- A new study by researchers in Singapore shows that organisms from primary producers to top predators are shrinking in size in response to climate change. Decreasing organism size could have adverse effect on society, for example crop harvests getting smaller or ecosystem services being compromised. ... > full story

Robotic bug gets wings, sheds light on evolution of flight (October 18, 2011) -- When engineers outfitted a six-legged robotic bug with wings in an effort to improve its mobility, they unexpectedly shed some light on the evolution of flight. The wings nearly doubled the running speed of the 25-gram robot, but was that good enough for takeoff? ... > full story

Chemical warfare on the reef: Molecules used by certain seaweed to harm corals (October 18, 2011) -- Scientists for the first time have identified and mapped the chemical structure of molecules used by certain species of marine seaweed to kill or inhibit the growth of reef-building coral. ... > full story

Omega-3 fatty acids shown to prevent or slow progression of osteoarthritis (October 18, 2011) -- New research has shown for the first time that omega-3 in fish oil could "substantially and significantly" reduce the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis. ... > full story

Food without preservatives -- thanks to self-cleaning equipment (October 18, 2011) -- Éclairs and other pastries should taste light and fluffy. If the pastry dough contains too many microorganisms, though, it will not rise in the oven. Now, researchers have devised a system that cleans itself automatically after every batch of dough. This means the dough is sterile -- and for the first time, it can be made in large quantities off-site for delivery to bakeries. ... > full story

Goats could increase the risk of a rare lung cancer, researchers find (October 18, 2011) -- Exposure to goats could increase the risk of a certain type of lung cancer, according to French researchers. ... > full story

Future forests may soak up more carbon dioxide than previously believed (October 18, 2011) -- North American forests appear to have a greater capacity to soak up heat-trapping carbon dioxide gas than researchers had previously anticipated. ... > full story