The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Friday, June 15, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Friday, June 15, 2012

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Uranium-series dating reveals Iberian paintings are Europe's oldest cave art (June 14, 2012) -- Paleolithic paintings in El Castillo cave in Northern Spain date back at least 40,800 years -- making them Europe's oldest known cave art, according to new research. Scientists found that the practice of cave art in Europe began up to 10,000 years earlier than previously thought, indicating the paintings were created either by the first anatomically modern humans in Europe or, perhaps, by Neanderthals. ... > full story

Grasshoppers frightened by spiders affect whole ecosystem (June 14, 2012) -- Grasshoppers ‘stressed’ by spiders affect the productivity of our soil. A grasshopper who is in fear of an attacker, such as a spider, will enter a situation of stress and will consume a greater quantity of carbohydrate-rich plants -- similar to humans under stress who might eat more sweets. ... > full story

Atomic-resolution view of a receptor reveals how stomach bacterium avoids acid (June 14, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered how the bacterium Helicobacter pylori navigates through the acidic stomach, opening up new possibilities to inactivate its disease-causing ability without using current strategies that often fail or are discontinued because of side effects. ... > full story

Quirky fruit fly gene could point way to new cancer drugs (June 14, 2012) -- Researchers are taking advantage of a quirk in the evolution of fruit fly genes to help develop new weapons against cancer. ... > full story

Single-track sustainability 'solutions' threaten people and planet, experts say (June 14, 2012) -- The targets, indicators and approaches being used to pursue progress towards sustainable development at Rio+20 are counter-productive, say scientists in a new paper. Three renowned sustainability institutes argue that global and grassroots innovations must be connected to avoid breaching planetary boundaries and reversing progress on poverty reduction. ... > full story

New action for ancient heart drug (June 14, 2012) -- Researchers have revealed that digoxin, the active ingredient in the poisonous plant Foxglove, can enhance the body's own protective mechanism against high blood pressure and heart failure. ... > full story

Two warmest winter months in Midwest, U.S. history may have connection (June 14, 2012) -- This past March was the second warmest winter month ever recorded in the Midwest, with temperatures 15 degrees above average. The only other winter month that was warmer was December of 1889, during which temperatures were 18 degrees above average. Now, researchers may have discovered why the weather patterns during these two winter months, separated by 123 years, were so similar. The answer could help scientists develop more accurate weather prediction models. ... > full story

Warm climate -- cold Arctic? (June 14, 2012) -- The Eemian interglacial period that began some 125,000 years ago is often used as a model for contemporary climate change. Scientists have presented evidence that the Eemian differed in essential details from modern climatic conditions. ... > full story

Plant poison turns seed-eating mouse into seed spitter (June 14, 2012) -- In Israel's Negev Desert, a plant called sweet mignonette or taily weed uses a toxic "mustard oil bomb" to make the spiny mouse spit out the plant's seeds when eating the fruit. Thus, the plant has turned a seed-eating rodent into a seed spreader that helps the plant reproduce, says a new study. ... > full story

Still capable of adapting: Genetic diversity of 'living fossil' coelacanths (June 14, 2012) -- The morphology of coelacanths has not fundamentally changed since the Devonian age, that is, for about 400 million years. Nevertheless, these animals known as living fossils are able to genetically adapt to their environment. ... > full story

Aquarius, NASA's salt-mapping instrument, marks first birthday (June 14, 2012) -- Aquarius, NASA's pioneering instrument to measure ocean surface salinity from orbit, launched a year ago (on June 10, 2011) aboard the Argentine Space Agency's Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC-D) observatory. Designed to advance our understanding of what changes in the saltiness of the ocean's top layer say about the water cycle and variations in climate, the mission has had a busy first year. ... > full story

Cougars are re-populating their historical range, new study confirms (June 14, 2012) -- American mountain lions, or cougars, are re-emerging in areas of the United States, reversing 100 years of decline. The evidence raises new conservation questions, such as how humans can live alongside the returning predators. ... > full story

Could roseola virus be behind epilepsy? Childhood virus infection linked to prolonged seizures with fever (June 14, 2012) -- New research shows that human herpesviruses (HHV)-6B and HHV-7, commonly know as roseola virus), account for one third of febrile status epilepticus cases. Results suggest that HHV-6B may be involved in the development of epilepsy and further research is urgently needed. ... > full story

Pitcher plant uses rain drops to capture prey (June 13, 2012) -- During heavy rain, the lid of Nepenthes gracilis pitchers acts like a springboard, catapulting insects that seek shelter on its underside directly into the fluid-filled pitcher, new research has found. ... > full story

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

Putting parasites on the world map: Methods developed to enable large-scale analysis of malaria parasite genomes from patient blood samples (June 13, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a new technique to identify hotspots of malaria parasite evolution and track the rise of malarial drug resistance, faster and more efficiently than ever before. ... > 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

Battle history between bacteria, viruses in human body (June 13, 2012) -- Researchers have conducted the most in-depth and diverse genetic analysis of the defense systems that trillions of micro-organisms in the human body use to fend off viruses. The work is among a collection of 16 research papers just released by the Human Microbiome Project Consortium, an effort to map the normal microbial make-up of healthy humans. ... > 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

Divide the Antarctic to protect native species, propose experts (June 13, 2012) -- Scientists have published the first continent-wide assessment of the Antarctic's biogeography, and propose that the landmass should be divided into 15 distinct conservation regions to protect the continent from invasive alien species. ... > full story

New report puts real numbers behind history of oyster reefs (June 13, 2012) -- In an effort to advance the field of coastal restoration, biologists have conducted an in-depth study of oyster reef area and, for the first time, the actual biomass (the "living weight") of oyster reefs in dozens of estuaries throughout the United States. ... > 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

GPS technology improves weather forecasting (June 13, 2012) -- The satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS) technology that guides modern in-car navigation systems is now being used to improve weather forecasts. ... > 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