ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Tuesday, October 25, 2011
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Design rules will enable scientists to use DNA to build nanomaterials with desired properties (October 25, 2011) -- Scientists have learned how to top nature by building crystalline materials from nanoparticles (the "atoms") and DNA (the "bonds"). The researchers have learned how to create crystals with the particles arranged in the same types of atomic lattice configurations as some found in nature, but they also have built completely new structures that have no naturally occurring mineral counterpart. Their design rules could help improve the efficiency of optics, electronics and energy storage technologies. ... > full story
Could additives in hot dogs affect incidence of colon cancer? (October 25, 2011) -- The addition of ascorbate (vitamin C) or its close relative, erythorbate, and the reduced amount of nitrite added in hot dogs, mandated in 1978, have been accompanied by a steep drop in the death rate from colon cancer, according to new research. ... > full story
Study confirms males and females have at least one thing in common: Upregulating X (October 25, 2011) -- In a new study, scientists present experiments supporting a longstanding hypothesis that explains how males can survive with only one copy of the X chromosome. The finding provides clarity to a hotly debated topic in science and provides biologists with more information to interpret experiments involving genetic measurements in males and females. ... > full story
Viking buried with axe, sword and spear found with fully intact Viking boat burial in UK (October 25, 2011) -- The UK mainland's first fully intact Viking boat burial site has been discovered by archaeologists working in the Scottish Highlands. The 5m-long grave contained the remains of a high status Viking, who was buried with an axe, a sword with a beautifully decorated hilt, a spear, shield boss and bronze ring-pin. ... > full story
Earthquakes generate big heat in super-small areas (October 25, 2011) -- In experiments mimicking the speed of earthquakes, geophysicists detail a phenomenon known as flash heating. They report that because fault surfaces touch only at microscopic, scattered spots, these contacts are subject to intense stress and extreme heating during earthquakes, lowering their friction and thus the friction of the fault. The localized, intense heating can occur even while the temperature of the rest of the fault remains largely unaffected. ... > full story
Unraveling the mysteries of the natural killer within us (October 25, 2011) -- Scientists in Australia have discovered more about the intricacies of the immune system in a breakthrough that may help combat viral infections such as HIV. The researchers have discovered more about the critical role Natural Killer cells play in the body's innate immune response. ... > full story
Fallout of a giant meteorite strike revealed in new model (October 24, 2011) -- Seeking to better understand the level of death and destruction that would result from a large meteorite striking Earth, researchers have developed a new model that can not only more accurately simulate the seismic fallout of such an impact, but also help reveal new information about the surface and interior of planets based on past collisions. ... > full story
Water disinfection byproducts linked to adverse health effects (October 24, 2011) -- Scientists report the first identification of a cellular mechanism linked to the toxicity of a major class of drinking water disinfection byproducts. This study suggests a possible connection to adverse health effects, including neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's. ... > full story
Hold your forces: Mechanical stress can help or hinder wound healing depending on time of application (October 24, 2011) -- A new study demonstrates that mechanical forces affect the growth and remodeling of blood vessels during tissue regeneration and wound healing. The forces diminish or enhance the vascularization process and tissue regeneration depending on when they are applied during the healing process. ... > full story
Gallium nitride is non-toxic, biocompatible; holds promise for implants, research finds (October 24, 2011) -- Researchers have shown that the semiconductor material gallium nitride is non-toxic and is compatible with human cells -- opening the door to the material's use in a variety of biomedical implant technologies. ... > full story
Studying depression: Researchers demonstrate rare animal model (October 24, 2011) -- Scientists have taken a promising step toward creating an animal model for decoding the specific brain circuits involved in depression. By electrically stimulating a brain region central to an animal's primary emotions, the researchers saw rats exhibit a variety of behaviors associated with a depressed, negative mood, or affect. ... > full story
Fiery volcano offers geologic glimpse into land that time forgot (October 24, 2011) -- The first scientists to witness exploding rock and molten lava from a deep sea volcano, seen during a 2009 expedition, report that the eruption was near a tear in Earth's crust that is mimicking the birth of a subduction zone. ... > full story
Dietary patterns may be linked to increased colorectal cancer risk in women (October 24, 2011) -- Researchers may have found a specific dietary pattern linked to levels of C-peptide concentrations that increase a woman's risk for colorectal cancer. ... > full story
Propensity for longer life span inherited non-genetically over generations, study shows (October 24, 2011) -- We know that our environment -- what we eat, the toxic compounds we are exposed to -- can positively or negatively impact our life span. But could it also affect the longevity of our descendants, who may live under very different conditions? Recent research suggests this could be the case. ... > full story
Run-off, emissions deliver double whammy to coastal marine creatures, study finds (October 24, 2011) -- Increasing acidification in coastal waters could compromise the ability of oysters and other marine creatures to form and keep their shells, according to a new study. ... > full story
Nanoparticles and their size may not be big issues (October 24, 2011) -- If you've ever eaten from silverware or worn copper jewelry, you've been around nanoparticles dropped into the environment, say scientists. Using high-powered microscopes, researchers looked at common metal products, finding that we've been exposed for years and concluding that 'size' concerns may be overblown. ... > full story
Exposure to chemical BPA before birth linked to behavioral, emotional difficulties in girls (October 24, 2011) -- Exposure in the womb to bisphenol A (BPA) -- a chemical used to make plastic containers and other consumer goods -- is associated with behavior and emotional problems in young girls, according to a new study. ... > full story
Stranded dolphins exhibit bubbles, and ability to recover (October 24, 2011) -- Scientists know that the blood and tissues of some deceased beaked whales stranded near naval sonar exercises are riddled with bubbles. It is also well known that human divers can suffer from bubbles-induced decompression sickness, also known as the bends. What researchers know comparatively little about is how living marine mammals handle the compression of lung gas as they dive deep and then resurface. ... > full story
Liver parasite lacks key genes for fatty acid synthesis: Genome sequencing of Clonorchis sinensis (October 24, 2011) -- The human liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis affects more than 35 million people in South East Asia and 15 million in China. The complete genome sequence the genome of C. sinensis has provided insight into the biochemical pathways available to the fluke and shows that they are lacking enzymes required for fatty acid biosynthesis. ... > full story
New study shows no simultaneous warming of northern and southern hemispheres as a result of climate change for 20,000 years (October 24, 2011) -- A common argument against global warming is that the climate has always varied. Temperatures rise sometimes and this is perfectly natural is the usual line. However, a climate researcher has now shown that global warming, i.e. simultaneous warming events in the northern and southern hemispheres, have not occurred in the past 20 000 years, which is as far back as it is possible to analyze with sufficient precision to compare with modern developments. ... > full story
How close is too close? Hydrofracking to access natural gas reservoirs poses risks to surface water, researchers say (October 24, 2011) -- Natural gas mining has drawn fire recently after claims that hydraulic fracturing, an increasingly popular technique for tapping hard-to-reach reservoirs, contaminates groundwater. Surface lakes, rivers and streams may also be at risk. In a new paper, researchers estimate the average proximity of drill platforms to surface lakes and streams for two large shale basins underlying much of the eastern United States. ... > full story
Solving the mysteries of short-legged Neandertals (October 24, 2011) -- While most studies have concluded that a cold climate led to the short lower legs typical of Neandertals, researchers have found that lower leg lengths shorter than the typical modern human's let them move more efficiently over the mountainous terrain where they lived. The findings reveal a broader trend relating shorter lower leg length to mountainous environments that may help explain the limb proportions of many different animals. ... > full story
How hemp got high: Cannabis genome mapped (October 24, 2011) -- Researchers have sequenced the genome of Cannabis sativa, the plant that produces both industrial hemp and marijuana, and in the process revealed the genetic changes that led to the plant's drug-producing properties. ... > full story
NASA caught Tropical Storm Rina forming, strengthening (October 24, 2011) -- NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite called TRMM and NASA's Aqua satellite captured radar and temperature data that showed Tropical Storm Rina forming in the western Caribbean Sea yesterday. Today, Rina continues strengthening. ... > full story
Effects of deforestation and expansion of agriculture in Peruvian highland jungle (October 24, 2011) -- An environmental science researcher in Sweden has examined the geochemical status of the natural environment in the Amazonas Region, and to what extent it has been impacted by deforestation and altered land use. ... > full story
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
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