The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Thursday, June 21, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Thursday, June 21, 2012

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Structure of RNAi complex now crystal clear (June 20, 2012) -- Researchers have determined and analyzed the crystal structure of a yeast Argonaute protein bound to RNA, which plays a key role in the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway that silences genes. ... > full story

Trouble on the horizon for genetically modified crops? (June 20, 2012) -- Pests are adapting to genetically modified crops in unexpected ways, including dominant resistance not previously observed in the lab, researchers have discovered. The findings underscore the importance of closely monitoring and countering pest resistance to biotech crops. ... > full story

Chemical analysis of pottery reveals first dairying in Saharan Africa nearly 7,000 years ago (June 20, 2012) -- The first unequivocal evidence that humans in prehistoric Saharan Africa used cattle for their milk nearly 7,000 years ago is described in new research. ... > full story

Scientists identify protein required to regrow injured nerves in limbs (June 20, 2012) -- A protein required to regrow injured peripheral nerves has been identified. The finding, in mice, has implications for improving recovery after nerve injury in the extremities. It also opens new avenues of investigation toward triggering nerve regeneration in the central nervous system, notorious for its inability to heal. ... > full story

Melting sea ice threatens emperor penguins (June 20, 2012) -- At nearly four feet tall, the Emperor penguin is Antarctica's largest sea bird -- and thanks to films like "March of the Penguins" and "Happy Feet," it's also one of the continent's most iconic. If global temperatures continue to rise, however, the Emperor penguins in Terre Adélie, in East Antarctica may eventually disappear, according to a new study. ... > full story

Preserved frogs hold clues to deadly pathogen (June 20, 2012) -- A graduate student has developed a novel means for charting the history of a pathogen deadly to amphibians worldwide. ... > full story

Nano-pesticides: Solution or threat for a cleaner and greener agriculture? (June 20, 2012) -- Research is urgently needed to evaluate the risks and benefits of nano-pesticides to human and environmental health. Scientists recently performed an extensive analysis of this emerging field of research. The study presents the current scientific state of art on nano-pesticides and identifies direction priorities for future research. ... > full story

Stars, jets and batteries: Multi-faceted magnetic phenomenon confirmed in the laboratory for the first time (June 20, 2012) -- Magnetic instabilities play a crucial role in the emergence of black holes and other cosmic phenomena. The confirmation of such a magnetic instability – the Tayler instability – was successfully achieved for the first time. The findings should be able to facilitate construction of large liquid-metal batteries, which are under discussion as cheap storage facilities for renewable energy. ... > full story

Earliest record of mating fossil vertebrates: Nine pairs of fossilized turtles died while mating 47 million years ago (June 20, 2012) -- The fossil record consists mostly of the fragmentary remains of ancient animals and plants. But some finds can provide spectacular insights into the life and environment of ancient organisms. Scientists have just discovered nine pairs of fossilized turtles that perished in the act of mating. ... > full story

Health check for European streams (June 20, 2012) -- In a unique field experiment, ten research groups from nine different countries have studied the ecological status of 100 streams across Europe. This was the first study to make extensive use of leaf-litter breakdown as an assessment method. ... > full story

Solar nanowire array may increase percentage of sun's frequencies available for energy conversion (June 20, 2012) -- Using a nanowire substrate to anchor advanced photovoltaic materials, researchers are able to alleviate strains between materials that otherwise would shorten life spans for photovoltaic products. ... > full story

Sorghum should be in the biofuel crop mix, experts say (June 20, 2012) -- Sweet and biomass sorghum would meet the need for next-generation biofuels to be environmentally sustainable, easily adopted by producers and take advantage of existing agricultural infrastructure. ... > full story

Why the vibrant city of Palmyra was located in the middle of what is now the Syrian Desert (June 20, 2012) -- Norwegian archaeologists have solved one of the great puzzles of the Roman Empire: Why was the vibrant city of Palmyra located in the middle of the Syrian Desert? ... > full story

Restoring streamside forests helps songbirds survive the winter in California's Central Valley (June 19, 2012) -- Restoring floodplain forests in the Central Valley of California helps songbirds survive through the winter, a finding previously substantiated only for summer nesting birds. ... > full story

Study: No-fat, low-fat dressings don't get most nutrients out of salads (June 19, 2012) -- The vegetables in salads are chock-full of important vitamins and nutrients, but you won't get much benefit without the right type and amount of salad dressing, a new study shows. ... > full story

Specific bacteria linked to indoor water-damage and mold identified (June 19, 2012) -- Bacterial contamination in water-damaged buildings has been identified as a potential cause of health problems, including infection and respiratory conditions like asthma. An environmental health research team found evidence linking two specific strains of bacteria -- Stenotrophomonas and Mycobacterium -- to indoor mold from water damage. ... > full story

Hulk smash? Maybe not anymore: Scientists block excess aggression in mice (June 19, 2012) -- Pathological rage can be blocked in mice, researchers have found, suggesting potential new treatments for severe aggression, a widespread trait characterized by sudden violence, explosive outbursts and hostile overreactions to stress. ... > full story

Noisy environments make young songbirds shuffle their tunes: Baby songbirds shape their species' playlist (June 19, 2012) -- iPod owners aren't the only ones who frequently shuffle their favorite tunes. Baby songbirds do it, too, a new study shows. ... > full story

Resveratrol may be natural exercise performance enhancer (June 19, 2012) -- A natural compound found in some fruits, nuts and red wine may enhance exercise training and performance, demonstrates newly published medical research. ... > full story

Mother goats do not forget their kids (June 19, 2012) -- Mother goats remember the calls of their kids for up to 11-17 months, scientists have found. ... > full story

New gravitational biology lab allows for testing in artificial gravity (June 19, 2012) -- NASA is expanding its existing capabilities for doing plant and animal tissue investigations on the International Space Station with the delivery of a new centrifuge scheduled for this summer. The centrifuge is a NASA and commercial industry collaboration, and will be housed in the NanoRacks facility. ... > full story

From pomegranate peel to nanoparticles (June 19, 2012) -- Food waste is a growing problem in many parts of the world, but discarded fruit peel, in the case of pomegranates, could be put to good use in the burgeoning field of nanotechnology according to new research. ... > full story

Schooling fish: Wild zebrafish assess risk through social learning (June 19, 2012) -- Scientists have investigated whether zebrafish use social learning to assess risk. They found that wild zebrafish, which are more timid than their domesticated counterparts, became emboldened after interacting with domesticated zebrafish. The opposite did not occur, however. ... > full story

Oxygen 'sensor' may shut down DNA transcription (June 19, 2012) -- A key component found in an ancient anaerobic microorganism may serve as a sensor to detect potentially fatal oxygen, researchers have found. This helps researchers learn more about the function of these components, called iron-sulfur clusters, which occur in different parts of cells in all living creatures. ... > full story

Antibacterials in personal-care products linked to allergy risk in children (June 19, 2012) -- Exposure to common antibacterial chemicals and preservatives found in soap, toothpaste, mouthwash and other personal-care products may make children more prone to a wide range of food and environmental allergies, according to new research. ... > full story

Landsat sets the standard for maps of world's forests (June 18, 2012) -- Countries like Brazil are using data from NASA satellites to track and measure their forests in advance of a United Nations effort to reduce climate change by providing "carbon credits" for protected land. The concept is known as REDD+, which stands for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation. It includes monitoring forest degradation and efforts in conservation and sustainable management. ... > full story

Link between vitamin C and twin seedlings can increase seed production in crops (June 18, 2012) -- Biochemists have found that increasing the level of dehydroascorbate reductase, a naturally occurring enzyme that recycles vitamin C in plants and animals, increases the vitamin's level and results in the production of twin and triplet seedlings in a single seed. The discovery's value lies in the potential to produce genetically identical seedlings and increase production of high-value crops. The extra seedlings per seed may also enhance per-seed survival chances for some species. ... > full story

Crucial immune fighter role of STING protein revealed (June 18, 2012) -- Researchers have unlocked the structure of a key protein that, when sensing certain viruses and bacteria, triggers the body's immediate immune response. ... > full story

Clues to nervous system evolution found in nerve-less sponge (June 18, 2012) -- Scientists have turned to the simple sponge to find clues about the evolution of the complex nervous system and found that, but for a mechanism that coordinates the expression of genes that lead to the formation of neural synapses, sponges and the rest of the animal world may not be so distant after all. ... > full story

Brothers in arms: Commensal bacteria help fight viruses (June 18, 2012) -- Healthy humans harbor an enormous and diverse group of bacteria and other bugs that live within their intestines. These microbial partners provide beneficial aid in multiple ways -- from helping digest food to the development of a healthy immune system. New research shows that commensal bacteria are essential to fight off viral infections. ... > full story

Discovery helps mice beat urinary tract infections (June 18, 2012) -- The bacteria that cause urinary tract infections may take advantage of a cellular waste disposal system that normally helps fight invaders, according to researchers. ... > full story

Chemists use nanopores to detect DNA damage (June 18, 2012) -- Scientists are racing to sequence DNA faster and cheaper than ever by passing strands of the genetic material through molecule-sized pores. Now, scientists have adapted this “nanopore” method to find DNA damage that can lead to mutations and disease. ... > full story

NOAA predicts a near-normal 2012 Atlantic hurricane season (June 18, 2012) -- Conditions in the atmosphere and the ocean favor a near-normal hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin this season. ... > full story

May 2012 global temperatures second warmest on record (June 18, 2012) -- The globally-averaged temperature for May 2012 marked the second warmest May since record keeping began in 1880. May 2012 also marks the 36th consecutive May and 327th consecutive month with a global temperature above the 20th century average. ... > full story

Dating evidence: Relics could be of John the Baptist (June 18, 2012) -- New dating evidence supports claims that bones found under a church floor in Bulgaria may be of John the Baptist, who is described in the Bible as a leading prophet and relative of Jesus Christ. Scientists dated a knucklebone from the right hand to the 1st century AD, a date which fits with the widely held view of when he would have lived. The researchers say they were surprised when they discovered the very early age of the remains adding, however, that dating evidence alone cannot prove the bones to be of John the Baptist. ... > full story

'Facebook for animals' tested on wild great tits (June 18, 2012) -- A new way of analyzing the social networks that link individual animals to each other has been tested on wild great tits. ... > full story

Natural exposure to gamma rays in background radiation linked to childhood leukemia (June 18, 2012) -- New findings demonstrate that there are small effects of radiation even at very low doses. ... > full story

Million-year-old groundwater in Maryland water supply (June 18, 2012) -- A portion of the groundwater in the upper Patapsco aquifer underlying Maryland is over a million years old. A new study suggests that this ancient groundwater, a vital source of freshwater supplies for the region east of Washington, DC and Baltimore, was recharged over periods of time much greater than human timescales. ... > full story

Key part of plants' rapid response system revealed (June 18, 2012) -- Scientists have revealed the workings of a switch that activates plant hormones, tags them for storage or marks them for destruction. ... > full story

Peaches, plums, nectarines give obesity, diabetes slim chance (June 18, 2012) -- Peaches, plums and nectarines have bioactive compounds that can potentially fight-off obesity-related diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to new studies. ... > full story

Carbon is key for getting algae to pump out more oil (June 18, 2012) -- Overturning two long-held misconceptions about oil production in algae, scientists show that ramping up the microbes' overall metabolism by feeding them more carbon increases oil production as the organisms continue to grow. The findings may point to new ways to turn photosynthetic green algae into tiny "green factories" for producing raw materials for alternative fuels. ... > full story

Reflected infrared light unveils never-before-seen details of Renaissance paintings (June 18, 2012) -- When restoring damaged and faded works of art, artists often employ lasers and other sophisticated imaging techniques to study intricate details, analyze pigments, and search for subtle defects not visible to the naked eye. To refine what can be seen during the restoration process even further, a team of Italian researchers has developed a new imaging tool that can capture features not otherwise detectable with the naked eye or current imaging techniques. ... > full story

Seeping Arctic methane has serious implications for Florida coastline (June 18, 2012) -- All of the methane escaping into the atmosphere causes more melting ice, oceanographers say, which causes sea levels to rise and could affect coastal real estate values -- sooner rather than later. ... > full story

Wild almond tree oil may combat obesity, diabetes (June 18, 2012) -- A future weapon in the battle against obesity and diabetes could come in the form of an oil derived from the seeds of wild almond trees, according to researchers. ... > full story

Antitoxin strategy may help target other pathogens (June 18, 2012) -- “Beads on a string” approach may reduce cost and development time for agents that neutralize and clear pathogenic molecules. ... > full story

Ancient warming greened Antarctica, study finds (June 17, 2012) -- A new study finds ancient Antarctica was much warmer and wetter than previously suspected. The climate was suitable to support substantial vegetation -- including stunted trees -- along the edges of the frozen continent. ... > full story

Sustainability index that looks beyond GDP launched (June 17, 2012) -- The world's fixation on economic growth ignores a rapid and largely irreversible depletion of natural resources that will seriously harm future generations, according to a report which unveils a new indicator aimed at encouraging sustainability -- the Inclusive Wealth Index (IWI). The IWI looks beyond the traditional economic and development yardsticks of GDP and HDI to include a full range of assets such as manufactured, human and natural capital. ... > full story

Expansion of forests in the European Arctic could result in the release of carbon dioxide (June 17, 2012) -- Carbon stored in Arctic tundra could be released into the atmosphere by new trees growing in the warmer region, exacerbating climate change, scientists have revealed. ... > full story