The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Friday, June 8, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Friday, June 8, 2012

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U.S. experienced second warmest May, warmest spring on record, NOAA reports (June 7, 2012) -- According to NOAA scientists, the average temperature for the contiguous U.S. during May was 64.3°F, 3.3°F above the long-term average, making it the second warmest May on record. The month's high temperatures also contributed to the warmest spring, warmest year-to-date, and warmest 12-month period the nation has experienced since recordkeeping began in 1895. ... > full story

Australia has two distinct white shark populations (June 7, 2012) -- A new scientific study has identified two distinct populations of white shark at the east and west of Bass Strait in Australian waters, prompting researchers to suggest the huge fish may need regional conservation plans. ... > full story

Food-trade network vulnerable to fast spread of contaminants (June 7, 2012) -- Physicists and food science experts have recently published a rigorous analysis of the international food-trade network that shows the network's vulnerability to the fast spread of contaminants as well as the correlation between known food poisoning outbreaks and the centrality of countries on the network. ... > full story

Floating dock from Japan carries potential invasive species (June 7, 2012) -- When debris from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan began making its way toward the West Coast of the United States, there were fears of possible radiation and chemical contamination as well as costly cleanup. But a floating dock that unexpectedly washed ashore in Newport this week and has been traced back to the Japanese disaster has brought with it a completely different threat -- invasive species. ... > full story

Immune system 'circuitry' that kills malaria in mosquitoes identified (June 7, 2012) -- For the first time, researchers have determined the function of a series proteins within the mosquito that transduce a signal that enables the mosquito to fight off infection from the parasite that causes malaria in humans. Together, these proteins are known as immune deficiency (Imd) pathway signal transducing factors, are analogous to an electrical circuit. As each factor is switched on or off it triggers or inhibits the next, finally leading to the launch of an immune response against the malaria parasite. ... > full story

Scientists discover huge phytoplankton bloom in ice-covered waters (June 7, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered a massive bloom of phytoplankton beneath ice-covered Arctic waters. Until now, sea ice was thought to block sunlight and limit the growth of microscopic marine plants living under the ice. ... > full story

Scientists identify first gene in programmed axon degeneration (June 7, 2012) -- Researchers have described a gene – dSarm/Sarm1 – responsible for actively promoting axon destruction after injury. The research provides evidence of an exciting new therapeutic target that could be used to delay or even stop axon decay. ... > full story

Highly contagious honey bee virus transmitted by mites (June 7, 2012) -- Researchers report that the parasitic 'Varroa' mite has caused the deformed wing virus to proliferate in honey bee colonies. This association is now thought to contribute to the world-wide spread and probable death of millions of honey bee colonies. The current monetary value of honey bees as commercial pollinators in the United States alone is estimated at about - billion annually. ... > full story

Armored caterpillar could inspire new body armor (June 7, 2012) -- Military body armor and vehicle and aircraft frames could be transformed by incorporating the unique structure of the club-like arm of a crustacean that looks like an armored caterpillar, according to new findings. ... > full story

New twist on old chemical process could boost energy efficiency significantly (June 7, 2012) -- An unappreciated aspect of chemical reactions on the surface of metal oxides could be key in developing more efficient energy systems, including more productive solar cells or hydrogen fuel cells efficient enough for automobiles. ... > full story

Steel-strength plastics: Durable plastic may replace metals (June 7, 2012) -- Chemists have been working hard to develop a more biodegradable plastic to reduce pollution and protect the environment. Now a researcher has taken a different approach -- creating plastics as strong and durable as steel. ... > full story

City kids more likely to have food allergies than rural ones: Population density is key factor, study finds (June 7, 2012) -- Children living in urban centers have a much higher prevalence of food allergies than those living in rural areas, according to a new study, which is the first to map children's food allergies by geographical location in the United States. In particular, kids in big cities are more than twice as likely to have peanut and shellfish allergies. ... > full story

Photovoltaic cells tap underwater solar energy (June 7, 2012) -- Scientists have developed solar cells capable of producing sufficient power to operate electronic sensor systems underwater at depths of nine meters. ... > full story

Caribbean wins the seaweed Olympics (June 7, 2012) -- Coral reefs might seem to be tranquil environments but in fact a battle is constantly waged between corals and seaweeds fighting over space. Scientists have known for some time that seaweeds can gain the upper hand if corals are damaged by hurricanes or excessively warm sea temperatures that cause coral bleaching. But a new study reveals that Caribbean seaweeds are the equivalent of Olympian athletes compared those found on coral reefs elsewhere. ... > full story

Predicting the oceans of the future with a mini-lab (June 7, 2012) -- Scientists from the Stanford and elsewhere joined to create a mini-lab in Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The device can simulate predicted future ocean conditions – such as rising carbon dioxide levels – and their effects on ecosystems such as coral. ... > full story

Vampire jumping spiders identify victims by their antennae (June 7, 2012) -- Ravenous Evarcha culicivora jumping spiders -- vampire spiders -- have very specific tastes: they prefer to dine on blood-engorged female Anopheles mosquitoes. So how do they pick out female Anopheles from all other insects? Biologists have discovered that the spiders identify their victims by their antennae alone, even though the details of the antennae are too tiny to be seen by humans. ... > full story

Slime moulds work on computer games (June 7, 2012) -- British computer scientists are taking inspiration from slime to help them find ways to calculate the shape of a polygon linking points on a surface. Such calculations are fundamental to creating realistic computer graphics for gaming and animated movies. The quicker the calculations can be done, the smoother and more realistic the graphics. ... > full story

Virgin male moths think they're hot when they're not (June 7, 2012) -- When a virgin male moth gets a whiff of female sex attractant, he’s quicker to start shivering to warm up his flight muscles, and then takes off prematurely when he’s still too cool for powerful flight. So his headlong rush to reach the female first may cost him the race. ... > full story

Fish show autism-like gene expression in water with psychoactive pharmaceuticals (June 6, 2012) -- Psychoactive medications in water affect the gene expression profiles of fathead minnows in a way that mimics the gene expression patterns associated with autism spectrum disorder in genetically susceptible humans, according to new research. ... > full story

Stealth behavior allows cockroaches to seemingly vanish (June 6, 2012) -- Cockroaches, known for their stealth behavior, have a strategy up their sleeve only recently discovered by biologists. They are able to quickly disappear under ledges by flinging themselves off at full speed, grabbing the edge with hook-like claws on their hind legs, and swinging like a pendulum to land upside down underneath. Such a behavior was reproduced by a six-legged robot using Velcro strips. ... > full story

Too few salmon is far worse than too many boats for killer whales (June 6, 2012) -- Not having enough Chinook salmon to eat stresses out southern resident killer whales in the Pacific Northwest more than having boats nearby, according to hormone levels of whales summering in the waters between British Columbia and Washington. ... > full story

Microbial communities changed after Deepwater Horizon Spill (June 6, 2012) -- Communities of microbial organisms -- species such as nematodes, protists and fungi -- on beaches along the Gulf of Mexico changed significantly following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in April 2010. Researchers analyzed marine sediments from five Gulf Coast sites prior to and several months following shoreline oiling. ... > full story

Ecologists call for preservation of planet's remaining biological diversity (June 6, 2012) -- Twenty years after the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, 17 ecologists are calling for renewed international efforts to curb the loss of Earth's biological diversity. The loss is compromising nature's ability to provide goods and services essential for human well-being, the scientists say. ... > full story

Variations in sex steroid gene expression can predict aggressive behaviors, bird study shows (June 6, 2012) -- A biologist has shown that natural variation in measures of the brain's ability to process steroid hormones predicts functional variation in aggressive behavior. The new work has found strong and significant relationships between aggressive behavior in free-living birds and the abundance of messenger RNA in behaviorally relevant brain areas for three major sex steroid processing molecules: androgen receptor, estrogen receptor and aromatase. ... > full story

Today's climate more sensitive to carbon dioxide than in past 12 million years (June 6, 2012) -- Until now, studies of Earth's climate have documented a strong correlation between global climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide; that is, during warm periods, high concentrations of CO2 persist, while colder times correspond to relatively low levels. ... > full story

Photosynthesis: A new way of looking at photosystem II (June 6, 2012) -- Using ultrafast, intensely bright pulses of X-rays scientists have obtained the first ever images at room temperature of photosystem II, a protein complex critical for photosynthesis and future artificial photosynthetic systems. ... > full story

Sensors detect contaminants in water in low concentrations (June 6, 2012) -- Many organic contaminants in the air and in drinking water need to be detected at very low-level concentrations. New research could be beneficial in detecting those contaminants. ... > full story

Role of fungus in digestive disorders explored (June 6, 2012) -- Researchers say their examination of the fungi in the intestines suggests an important link between these microbes and inflammatory diseases such as ulcerative colitis. In the new study researchers identified and characterized the large community of fungi inhabiting the large intestine in a model of the disease. ... > full story

Gut immune cells keep beneficial microbes in their place (June 6, 2012) -- Resident immune cells in intestinal tissues of healthy humans, mice, and non-human primates are critical in limiting the location of commensal bacteria. If the cells are depleted commensal bacteria move to peripheral tissues and promote inflammation. The bacteria were all members of a group called Alcaligenes, indicating a selective pathway to contain commensal bacteria. ... > full story

To quit smoking, try eating more veggies and fruits (June 6, 2012) -- Eating more fruits and vegetables may help you quit smoking and stay tobacco-free for longer, according to a new study. It is the first longitudinal study on the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and smoking cessation. ... > full story

First photos ever of jaguars in Colombian oil palm plantation (June 6, 2012) -- Camera traps recently produced the first photographic evidence of wild jaguars with cubs in an oil palm plantation in Colombia. These rare photos confirm that in some cases, jaguars are willing to move through oil palm. Importantly, the photos come from a small plantation adjacent to a protected area with some indigenous habitat present - perhaps the best case scenario for fostering jaguar use of palm oil tracts. ... > full story

Arctic ice melt is setting stage for severe winters (June 6, 2012) -- A dramatic melt-off of Arctic sea ice due to climate change is hitting closer to home than millions of Americans might think – triggering a domino effect leading to increased odds of severe winter weather outbreaks in the Northern Hemisphere's middle latitudes, according to new research. ... > full story

New technique for detecting mold contamination in homes and other buildings (June 6, 2012) -- With mold contamination of homes an ongoing concern – and a special threat to the 2.5 million foreclosed houses in the US, shuttered with little ventilation – scientists are reporting a new method to detect and identify low levels of airborne mold. The report describes a simple, fast method that could provide an early indication of potential contamination. ... > full story

New secrets from 'Bay of the Pirates' warship that sunk 2,300 years ago (June 6, 2012) -- A new study puts some finishing touches on the 2,300-year history of the beak-like weapon that an ancient warship used to ram enemy ships in the First Punic War, the conflict between ancient Rome and Carthage. The report also identifies a major threat that conservators must address in preserving this archaeological treasure for future generations. ... > full story

Evidence of impending tipping point for Earth (June 6, 2012) -- A group of 22 scientists worldwide argue that the Earth is frighteningly close to a tipping point that would send the globe irreversibly into a state that could spell disaster for humans. The group note that human pressures and climate change can irreversibly change local ecosystems. The fear is that Earth faces planet-wide change that will disrupt global animal and plant communities as well as water and food supplies. ... > full story

Warming climate sees tundra turn to forest (June 6, 2012) -- In just a few decades shrubs in the Arctic tundra have turned into trees as a result of the warming Arctic climate, creating patches of forest which, if replicated across the tundra, would significantly accelerate global warming. ... > full story

Complex world of gut microbes fine-tune body weight (June 6, 2012) -- Gut microbes have a significant effect on nutrient absorption and energy regulation. The composition of microbial communities is shown to vary with age, body weight, and variety of food ingested; as well as in response to bariatric surgery for obesity, use of antibiotics and many other factors. Based on current findings, the authors suggest that therapeutic modification of the gut microbiome may offer an attractive approach to future treatment of nutrition-related maladies, including obesity and a range of serious health consequences linked to under-nutrition. ... > full story

First complete sequencing of pear genome (June 6, 2012) -- Scientists have announced the first complete sequencing of pear genome. Pear (Pyrus spp.) is one of the major and oldest cultivated fruit trees in the temperate regions, which is likely to have originated during the Tertiary period (65-55 million years ago) in southwestern China. It is genetically diverse with more than 5,000 cultivars and accessions present all over the world that could be divided into two major groups, the European or "Occidental" pears and the Asiatic or "Oriental" pears. ... > full story

How plants make cocaine (June 6, 2012) -- Cocaine is one of the most commonly used (and abused) plant-derived drugs in the world, but we have almost no modern information on how plants produce this complex alkaloid. Researchers have just discovered a key reaction in cocaine formation in the coca plant from South America, and identified the responsible enzyme. This enzyme was shown to belong to the aldo-keto-reductase protein family revealing some exciting new insights into the evolution of cocaine biosynthesis. ... > full story

Legendary lost city of Ciudad Blanca may have been found with airborne LiDAR (June 6, 2012) -- Archaeologists have used airborne laser mapping to unveil archaeological ruins in a Honduran rainforest. An initial analysis of the LiDAR survey has identified ruins that could be those of Ciudad Blanca or other long-hidden sites. ... > full story

Gasification may convert mesquite and juniper wood to a usable bioenergy (June 6, 2012) -- Biomass gasification is being considered as a possible technology for converting at least 10 million acres of Texas brush into biofuel, according to a rangeland ecologist. ... > full story

Geoengineering could disrupt rainfall patterns (June 6, 2012) -- A geoengineering solution to climate change could lead to significant rainfall reduction in Europe and North America, a team of European scientists concludes. The researchers studied how models of the Earth in a warm, CO2-rich world respond to an artificial reduction in the amount of sunlight reaching the planet's surface. ... > full story

Calorie-restricted diet keeps heart young (June 6, 2012) -- People who restrict their caloric intake in an effort to live longer have hearts that function more like those in people who are 20 years younger. Researchers have found that a key measure of the heart’s ability to adapt to physical activity, stress and other factors, doesn’t decline nearly as rapidly in people who have significantly restricted their caloric intake. ... > full story

Dinosaurs lighter than previously thought (June 6, 2012) -- Scientists have developed a new technique to accurately measure the weight and size of dinosaurs and discovered they are not as heavy as previously thought. ... > full story

Homo heidelbergensis was only slightly taller than the Neanderthal (June 6, 2012) -- The reconstruction of 27 complete human limb bones found in Atapuerca (Burgos, Spain) has helped to determine the height of various species of the Pleistocene era. Homo heilderbergensis, like Neanderthals, were similar in height to the current population of the Mediterranean. ... > full story

New plant and fungus species discovered (June 5, 2012) -- In a single year, scientists at The New York Botanical Garden have discovered and described 81 new species of plants and fungi from around the world. Combining work in the field, laboratory research, and painstaking study in plant collections, scientists in 2011 correctly identified the palm species that Vietnamese villagers weave into hats, discovered more than a dozen new lichen species in America's most visited national park, and identified new species in a wide variety of plant families. ... > full story

Latin American and Asian cities lead way in planning for global warming (June 5, 2012) -- The cities that are most active in preparing for climate change are not necessarily the biggest or wealthiest. Instead, they are often places buffeted by natural disasters and increasing changes in temperature or rainfall. ... > full story

Overfed fruit flies develop insulin resistance; Represent new tool to study human diabetes (June 5, 2012) -- Researchers have demonstrated that adult fruit flies fed either high-carb or high-protein diets develop metabolic abnormalities, including insulin resistance, which is a hallmark of type 2 human diabetes. Fruit fly D. melanogaster has been used successfully to investigate multiple human diseases. The new study demonstrates that diet profoundly influences fruit fly physiology and health and that insulin-resistant flies provide a new research tool for investigating the molecular mechanisms of insulin resistance. ... > full story