ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Thursday, June 14, 2012
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African cichlid's noisy courtship ritual (June 13, 2012) -- Researchers have found that male African cichlids vocalize during courtship, and that females' sensitivity to these sounds increases when they are ready to mate. ... > full story
New drug-screening method yields long-sought anti-HIV compounds: Drug candidates act on target unlikely to mutate (June 13, 2012) -- Scientists have used a powerful new chemical-screening method to find compounds that inhibit the activity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS. ... > full story
Novel mechanism involved in key immune response (June 13, 2012) -- Scientists have identified a novel way that a common virus, called adenovirus, causes disease. In doing so, they have discovered important information on one of the body's key immune responses. Their findings may have implications for infectious diseases and cancer. ... > full story
Anxious mice make lousy dads (June 13, 2012) -- Normally, male California mice are surprisingly doting fathers, but new research suggests that high anxiety can turn these good dads bad. ... > full story
Lack of single protein results in persistent viral infection (June 13, 2012) -- Scientists have shown a single protein can make the difference between an infection clearing out of the body or persisting for life. ... > full story
Timing, duration of biochemical bugle call critical for fighting viruses (June 13, 2012) -- Researchers have identified the primary player of the biochemical bugle call that musters the body's defenders against viral infection. ... > full story
Bacterium signals plant to open up and let friends in: Bug's chemical feint makes plant respond the opposite of how it should (June 13, 2012) -- Researchers have identified the set of tools an infectious microbe uses to persuade a plant to open the windows and let the bug and all of its friends inside. ... > full story
Scientists synthesize first genetically evolved semiconductor material (June 13, 2012) -- In the not-too-distant future, scientists may be able to use DNA to grow their own specialized materials, thanks to the concept of directed evolution. Scientists have, for the first time, used genetic engineering and molecular evolution to develop the enzymatic synthesis of a semiconductor. ... > full story
Ancient effect harnessed to produce electricity from waste heat (June 13, 2012) -- A phenomenon first observed by an ancient Greek philosopher 2,300 years ago has become the basis for a new device designed to harvest the enormous amounts of energy wasted as heat each year to produce electricity. It is the first-of-its-kind "pyroelectric nanogenerator." ... > full story
Good news on using recycled sewage treatment plant water for irrigating crops (June 13, 2012) -- A new study eases concerns that irrigating crops with water released from sewage treatment plants -- an increasingly common practice in arid areas of the world -- fosters emergence of the antibiotic-resistant bacteria that cause thousands of serious infections each year. ... > full story
Northeast Passage soon free from ice again? (June 13, 2012) -- The Northeast Passage, the sea route along the North coast of Russia, is expected to be free of ice early again this summer. The forecast was made by sea ice physicists based on a series of measurement flights over the Laptev Sea, a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. ... > full story
Bonobo genome completed: The final great ape to be sequenced (June 13, 2012) -- Scientists have completed the genome of the bonobo -- the final great ape to be sequenced. Bonobos, which together with chimpanzees are the closest living relatives of humans, are known for their peaceful, playful and sexual behavior that contrasts with the more aggressive behavior of chimpanzees. ... > full story
Mapping the healthy human microbiome (June 13, 2012) -- Human beings are ecosystems on two legs, each of us carrying enough microbes to outnumber our human cells by 10 to 1 and our genes by even more. The Human Microbiome Project Consortium has for the first time answered two fundamental questions about the microbiota that healthy humans carry: Who's there and what are they doing? ... > full story
Where humans split from sharks: Common ancestor comes into focus (June 13, 2012) -- The common ancestor of all jawed vertebrates on Earth resembled a shark, according to a new analysis of the braincase of a 290-million-year-old fossil fish that has long puzzled paleontologists. Research on Acanthodes bronni, a Paleozoic fish, sheds light on the evolution of the earliest jawed vertebrates and offers a glimpse of the last common ancestor before the split between the earliest sharks and the first bony fishes -- the lineage that would eventually include human beings. ... > full story
Green fuel from carbon dioxide (June 13, 2012) -- Scientists agree that carbon dioxide has an effect on global warming as a greenhouse gas, but we still pump tons and tons of it into the atmosphere every day. Scientists have now developed a new system for producing methanol that uses CO2 and hydrogen. Methanol can, for example, be used as an environmentally friendly alternative for gasoline. The goal of the scientists is to harness the power of CO2 on a large scale and integrate it into the utilization cycle as a sustainable form of energy production. ... > full story
Inner ear may hold key to ancient primate behavior (June 13, 2012) -- CT scans of fossilized primate skulls or skull fragments from both the Old and New Worlds may shed light on how these extinct animals moved, especially for those species without any known remains. ... > full story
Big uncertainties in the global water budget (June 13, 2012) -- No life without water. Catastrophes like droughts or strong rains reflect our dependence on the water cycle and climate system. Hence, it is important to understand details of the water cycle among the atmosphere, oceans, and land. A new study outlines significant differences of global models and measurement data sets. As the network of measurement stations worldwide is shrinking dramatically, uncertainties are increased. ... > full story
Global climate change: Underestimated impact of sea-level rise on habitat loss? (June 13, 2012) -- Global climate change is expected to cause sea-level rise of approximately 1-2 meters within this century. Researchers have found that in more populated regions secondary effects can lead to an equal or even higher loss of habitat than primary displacement effects. ... > full story
New species of crab has been found hiding in the seabed of Galicia (Spain) (June 13, 2012) -- Despite Europe's marine fauna being the best documented on Earth, there are still some new species to be discovered. This is the case of Uroptychus cartesi, a crab between 5 cm and 7 cm in size found at more than 1400 deep in the underwater mountains facing the Galician coast (Spain). Its closest relative can be found in the Caribbean Sea. ... > full story
If your dog is aggressive, maybe it is in pain (June 13, 2012) -- Dogs can sometimes suffer sudden episodes of aggression without their owners understanding why. But, in many cases, the cause of these attacks can be pain that has never been diagnosed or treated. For the first time the study describes the characteristics of this irritability, which can make dogs violent and increase aggression in already conflictive individuals. There are many factors that explain aggression in dogs: the conditions of the mother during gestation, the handling of the puppy in the neonatal phase, the age at weaning, the experiences of the animal during the socializing phase, diet, exercise, genetics and learning techniques based on active punishment during adulthood. However, aggressive behavior also arises from the presence of pathologies and pain in the dog. ... > full story
Little mighty creature of the ocean inspires strong new material for medical implants and armour (June 13, 2012) -- A scientist may be onto an ocean of discovery because of his research into a little sea creature called the mantis shrimp. The research is likely to lead to making ceramics -- today's preferred material for medical implants and military body armour -- many times stronger. The mantis shrimp's can shatter aquarium glass and crab shells alike. ... > full story
Ancient story of Dartmoor tors has an ice-cold twist (June 13, 2012) -- Ice extended further across the UK than previously thought and played a part in sculpting the rocky landscape of Dartmoor in South West England during the last Ice Age, according to new research which challenges previously held theories. ... > full story
Role of omega-3 in preventing cognitive decline in older people questioned (June 13, 2012) -- Older people who take omega-3 fish oil supplements are probably not reducing their chances of losing cognitive function, according to a new Cochrane systematic review. Based on the available data from studies lasting up to 3.5 years, the researchers concluded that the supplements offered no benefits for cognitive health over placebo capsules or margarines, but that longer term effects are worth investigating. ... > full story
Dissonant music brings out the animal in listeners (June 13, 2012) -- Researchers have isolated some of the ways in which distorted and jarring music is so evocative, and they believe that the mechanisms are closely related to distress calls in animals. ... > full story
Unusual microbes could hitch a ride with travelers, findings suggest (June 13, 2012) -- A rare and unusual new species of yeast has been identified at three separate locations across the world. The findings suggest a link between the distribution of specialized microbes and human migrations. The novel strain of yeast has been named Saccharomycopsis fodiens and was isolated from flower-associated beetles in three geographically distant locations in Eastern Australia, Costa Rica and the Galapagos islands. ... > full story
Spotting ultrafine loops in the sun's corona (June 12, 2012) -- A key to understanding the dynamics of the sun and what causes the great solar explosions there relies on deciphering how material, heat and energy swirl across the sun's surface and rise into the upper atmosphere, or corona. Scientists have for the first time observed a new facet of the system: Especially narrow loops of solar material scattered on the sun's surface, which are connected to higher lying, wider loops. ... > full story
Protein residues kiss, don't tell: Genomes reveal contacts, scientists refine methods for protein-folding prediction (June 12, 2012) -- Researchers have created a computational tool to help predict how proteins fold by finding amino acid pairs that are distant in sequence but change together. Protein interactions offer clues to the treatment of disease, including cancer. ... > full story
Woolly mammoth extinction has lessons for modern climate change (June 12, 2012) -- Not long after the last ice age, the last woolly mammoths succumbed to a lethal combination of climate warming, encroaching humans and habitat change -- the same threats facing many species today. ... > full story
Climate change to alter global fire risk (June 12, 2012) -- Climate change is widely expected to disrupt future fire patterns around the world, with some regions, such as the western United States, seeing more frequent fires within the next 30 years, according to a new analysis. The study used 16 different climate change models to generate what the researchers said is one of the most comprehensive projections to date of how climate change might affect global fire patterns. ... > full story
Potential Iceland eruption could pump acid into European airspace (June 12, 2012) -- A modern recurrence of an extraordinary type of volcanic eruption in Iceland could inject large quantities of hazardous gases into North Atlantic and European flight corridors, potentially for months at a time, a new study suggests. Using computer simulations, researchers are investigating the likely atmospheric effects if a "flood lava" eruption took place in Iceland today. ... > full story
Community-acquired MRSA cases on the rise in New York City, study suggests (June 12, 2012) -- Hospitalization rates in New York City for patients with community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a potentially deadly bacterial infection that is resistant to antibiotic treatment, more than tripled between 1997 and 2006, according to a new report. ... > full story
Mosquitoes bred to be incapable of transmitting malaria (June 12, 2012) -- Mosquitoes bred to be unable to infect people with the malaria parasite are an attractive approach to helping curb one of the world's most pressing public health issues, according to scientists. ... > full story
Voicemail discovered in nature: Insects receive soil messages from the past (June 12, 2012) -- Insects can use plants as "green phones" for communication with other bugs. A new study now shows that through those same plants insects are also able to leave "voicemail" messages in the soil. Herbivorous insects store their voicemails via their effects on soil fungi. Researchers discovered this unique messaging service in the ragwort plant. ... > full story
Powerful new method to analyze genetic data (June 12, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a powerful visual analytical approach to explore genetic data, enabling scientists to identify novel patterns of information that could be crucial to human health. ... > full story
Volcanic gases could deplete ozone layer (June 12, 2012) -- Giant volcanic eruptions in Nicaragua over the past 70,000 years could have injected enough gases into the atmosphere to temporarily thin the ozone layer, according to new research. And, if it happened today, a similar explosive eruption could do the same, releasing more than twice the amount of ozone-depleting halogen gases currently in stratosphere due to humanmade emissions. ... > full story
Early gut bacteria regulate happiness (June 12, 2012) -- Scientists have shown that brain levels of serotonin -- the 'happy hormone' -- are regulated by the amount of bacteria in the gut during early life. The research shows that normal adult brain function depends on the presence of gut microbes during development. Serotonin, the major chemical involved in the regulation of mood and emotion, is altered in times of stress, anxiety and depression and most clinically effective antidepressant drugs work by targeting this neurochemical. ... > full story
A century of learning about the physiological demands of Antarctica (June 12, 2012) -- A century after British Naval Captain Robert F. Scott led a team of explorers on their quest to be the first to reach the South Pole, a new article examines what we have learned about the physiological stresses of severe exercise, malnutrition, hypothermia, high altitude, and sleep deprivation since then. ... > full story
Satellite sees smoke from Siberian fires reach the US coast (June 12, 2012) -- Fires burning in Siberia recently sent smoke across the Pacific Ocean and into the US and Canada. Images of data taken by the nation's newest Earth-observing satellite tracked aerosols from the fires taking six days to reach America's shores. ... > full story
Potential carbon capture role for new CO2-absorbing material (June 12, 2012) -- A novel porous material that has unique carbon dioxide retention properties has just been developed. ... > full story
Why are some people greener than others? (June 12, 2012) -- Differences in attitudes and cultural values could have far-reaching implications for the development of a sustainable global society, according to a new analysis. ... > full story
Living microprocessor tunes in to feedback (June 12, 2012) -- What keeps the machinery for chopping certain precursor RNA strands into functional pieces from cutting up the wrong kinds of RNA? ... > full story
Nature or nurture? It may depend on where you live (June 12, 2012) -- The extent to which our development is affected by nature or nurture -- our genetic make-up or our environment -- may differ depending on where we live, according to new research. ... > full story
Highest-energy light from a solar flare ever detected (June 11, 2012) -- During a powerful solar blast on March 7, NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope detected the highest-energy light ever associated with an eruption on the sun. The discovery heralds Fermi's new role as a solar observatory, a powerful new tool for understanding solar outbursts during the sun's maximum period of activity. ... > full story
Global warming threat seen in fertile soil of northeastern U.S. forests (June 11, 2012) -- Vast stores of carbon in U.S. forest soils could be released by rising global temperatures, according to a new study. Scientists found that heating soil in Wisconsin and North Carolina woodlands by 10 and 20 degrees increased the release of carbon dioxide by up to eight times. They showed for the first time that most carbon in topsoil is vulnerable to this warming effect. ... > full story
New evidence supports theory of extraterrestrial impact (June 11, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered melt-glass material in a thin layer of sedimentary rock in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Syria. According to the researchers, the material -- which dates back nearly 13,000 years -- was formed at temperatures of 1,700 to 2,200 degrees Celsius (3,100 to 3,600 degrees Fahrenheit), and is the result of a cosmic body impacting Earth. ... > full story
Sick from your stomach: Bacterial changes may trigger diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (June 11, 2012) -- Larger-than-normal populations of specific gut bacteria may trigger the development of diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and possibly fuel disease progression in people genetically predisposed to this crippling and confounding condition, say the researchers. ... > full story
Untangling knots, slipknots in species separated by a billion years of evolution (June 11, 2012) -- A new study examines structures of proteins that not only twist and turn themselves into knots, but also form slipknots that, if anybody could actually see them, might look like shoelaces for cells. ... > full story
The downstream consequences of depleting groundwater (June 11, 2012) -- A new report identifies improvements to groundwater management from the Western United States to Australia. ... > full story
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