The EDGE: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Tuesday, June 26, 2012

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Tuesday, June 26, 2012

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NASA sees Tropical Storm Debby's clouds blanket Florida (June 25, 2012) -- Like a white blanket, Tropical Storm Debby's clouds covered the entire state of Florida in a NASA satellite image. Two satellites have captured imagery that shows Tropical Storm Debby has thrown a large white blanket of clouds over the state of Florida, and it doesn't seem like that blanket is going to lift quickly as Debby moves slowly north. ... > full story

Math formula leads researchers to source of pollution (June 25, 2012) -- The leaking of environmentally damaging pollutants into our waters and atmosphere could soon be counteracted by a simple mathematical algorithm, according to researchers. ... > full story

Geoflow: Space station experiments shed light on conditions deep inside Earth (June 25, 2012) -- ESA astronaut André Kuipers is running experiments on the International Space Station that are shedding light on conditions deep inside Earth. Orbiting some 400 km above us, Geoflow is offering insights into the inner workings of our planet. ... > full story

Eating garbage: Bacteria for bioremediation (June 25, 2012) -- A 150-foot-high garbage dump in Colombia, South America, may have new life as a public park. Researchers have demonstrated that bacteria found in the dump can be used to neutralize the contaminants in the soil. ... > full story

Ozone exposure linked to potential heart attacks (June 25, 2012) -- Young, healthy adult volunteers exposed for two hours to ozone developed physiological changes associated with cardiovascular ailments, according to a small study. ... > full story

Greenland ice may exaggerate magnitude of 13,000-year-old deep freeze (June 25, 2012) -- Ice samples pulled from nearly a mile below the surface of Greenland glaciers have long served as a historical thermometer, adding temperature data to studies of the local conditions up to the Northern Hemisphere’s climate. But the method — comparing the ratio of oxygen isotopes buried as snow fell over millennia — may not be such a straightforward indicator of air temperature. ... > full story

Mercury mineral evolution tied to Supercontinent assembly over last 3 billion years (June 25, 2012) -- Mineral evolution posits that Earth's near-surface mineral diversity gradually increased through an array of chemical and biological processes. A dozen different species in interstellar dust particles that formed the solar system have evolved to more than 4500 species today. New work demonstrates that the creation of most minerals containing mercury is fundamentally linked to several episodes of supercontinent assembly over the last 3 billion years. ... > full story

Cambodia remains last vulture bastion in Southeast Asia (June 25, 2012) -- In face of what has become a precipitous slide toward extinction across the Asian continent, the vultures of Cambodia have persisted, giving conservationists hope that these important scavengers can come back from the brink, according to authors a new study. ... > full story

Scientists struggle with mathematical details, study by biologists finds (June 25, 2012) -- Many people remember struggling with maths at school, but few of us would expect that professional scientists suffer from a similar problem in their daily work. A new study shows that scientists tend to overlook their colleagues' research if it is packed full of mathematical equations. ... > full story

Biological switch paves way for improved biofuel production (June 25, 2012) -- A mechanism that controls the way organisms breathe or photosynthesize has been discovered by scientists. The research could pave the way for improved biofuel production. ... > full story

Lead poisoning blocks recovery of California condor population (June 25, 2012) -- A comprehensive study shows that California condors are continually exposed to harmful levels of lead, the principal source of that lead is ammunition, and lead poisoning from ammunition is preventing the recovery of the condor population. ... > full story

Mystery of the flatfish head solved (June 25, 2012) -- A new discovery describes a fossil fish, named Heteronectes (meaning "different swimmer") that was found in 50 million year old marine rocks from northern Italy. This study provides the first detailed description of a primitive flatfish, revealing that the migrated eye had not yet crossed to the opposite side of the skull in early members of this group. ... > full story

Rate of severe reactions higher than thought in young children with food allergies (June 25, 2012) -- Young children with allergies to milk and egg experience reactions to these and other foods more often than researchers had expected, a study reports. The study also found that severe and potentially life-threatening reactions in a significant number of these children occur and that some caregivers are hesitant to give such children epinephrine, a medication that reverses the symptoms of such reactions and can save lives. ... > full story

Study slashes deforestation carbon emission estimate (June 25, 2012) -- A new study with NASA participation has sharply reduced previous estimates of how much carbon was emitted into Earth's atmosphere from tropical deforestation in the early 2000s. ... > full story

Neutrons explain how haemoglobin evolution in red blood cells helped the duck-billed platypus respire (June 25, 2012) -- Scientists have explained the evolutionary history of haemoglobin using what might seem an unlikely array of samples. Researchers focused the world’s most intense neutrons beams on the oxygen-carrying protein from a human, a duck-billed platypus, a chicken and a salt-water crocodile to explain how it has adapted to different body temperatures within different species. ... > full story

Fungicide used on farm crops linked to insulin resistance (June 25, 2012) -- A fungicide used on farm crops can induce insulin resistance, a new tissue-culture study finds, providing another piece of evidence linking environmental pollutants to diabetes. ... > full story

Arsenic for better drugs and cleaner crops (June 25, 2012) -- New research may lead to more effective arsenic-containing drugs. The results may also lead to more resistant plants, and crops with a limited absorption and storage of arsenic. ... > full story

Creative individuals travelled to the south Swedish inland 9,000 years ago (June 25, 2012) -- Despite its good ecologic status, there were no permanent settlements in the south Swedish inland 9,000 years ago. Yet the area was visited by people who wanted to express their individuality and creativity and thereby gain status, new research suggests. ... > full story

Gut microbes battle a common set of viruses shared by global populations (June 25, 2012) -- The human gut is home to a teeming ecosystem of microbes that is intimately involved in both human health and disease. But while the gut microbiota is interacting with our body, they are also under constant attack from viruses. Researchers have analyzed a bacterial immune system, revealing a common set of viruses associated with gut microbiota in global populations. ... > full story

Remapping gang turf: Math model used for mapping chimp territories applies (June 25, 2012) -- A mathematical model that has been used for more than 80 years to determine the hunting range of wild animals holds promise for mapping the territories of street gangs, social scientists report. The way gangs break up their neighborhoods into unique territories is a lot like the way lions, chimpanzees or honey bees break up space, according to researchers. ... > full story

Better looking birds have more help at home with their chicks (June 25, 2012) -- In choosing a mate both males and females rely on visual cues to determine which potential partner will supply the best genes, best nesting site, best territory, and best parenting skills. New research shows that male blue tits’ (Cyanistes caeruleus) parental behavior is determined by female ornamentation (ultraviolet coloration of the crown), as predicted by the differential allocation hypothesis (DAH). ... > full story

Complex thinking behind the bow and arrow (June 25, 2012) -- The bow and arrow have long been regarded as a possible indicator of culture in prehistoric times. Bows and arrows appear to have been in use for some 64,000 years, given evidence from South Africa. Until recently, their significance in human cognitive ability was unclear. Now two researchers have been able to decode the conceptual foundations of the bow and arrow. ... > full story

Toxins produced by algae lead to deviant behaviour and changes in brain activity in salmon (June 25, 2012) -- Salmon exposed to algal-produced neurotoxins show changes in both their brain activity and general behavior. It has also been found that very small doses of these toxins can have an affect on how salmon relate to other fish. These toxins are some of those that can cause food poisoning in people who eat contaminated mussels. ... > full story

How bacteria change movement direction in response to oxygen: Molecular interactions unravelled (June 25, 2012) -- How single cell organisms like bacteria manage to react to their environment is not yet completely understood. Scientists have now gained new insights into the molecular interactions during aerotaxis of Bacillus subtilis, i.e., the dependence of the movement direction on the oxygen concentration in the environment. The research team investigated the conformational changes within the protein HemAT. Via a signal transduction chain, this protein sends a command to the flagellar motor which controls the movement direction. ... > full story

Significant sea-level rise in a two-degree warmer world (June 24, 2012) -- Even if global warming is limited to two degrees Celsius, global mean sea level could continue to rise, reaching between 1.5 and four meters above present-day levels by the year 2300, with the best estimate being at 2.7 meters, according to a new study. However, emissions reductions that allow warming to drop below 1.5 degrees Celsius could limit the rise strongly. ... > full story

Climate change and the South Asian summer monsoon (June 24, 2012) -- The vagaries of South Asian summer monsoon rainfall impact the lives of more than one billion people. This review of the most recent research concludes that with continued rise in CO2 the region can expect generally more rainfall due to the expected increase in atmospheric moisture stemming from global warming, as well as more variability in rainfall. Regional projections for devastating droughts and floods, however, are still beyond the reach of current climate models. ... > full story

Boosting blood system protein complex protects against radiation toxicity (June 24, 2012) -- Boosting a protein pathway in the body's blood making system protects mice from otherwise fatal radiation poisoning. Scientists say their findings open the potential for new treatments against radiation toxicity during cancer treatment or environmental exposures -- such as in a nuclear explosion or accident. ... > full story

Lichen can survive in space: Space station research sheds light on origin of life; potential for better sunscreens (June 23, 2012) -- You can freeze it, thaw it, vacuum dry it and expose it to radiation, but still life survives. Research on the International Space Station is giving credibility to theories that life came from outer space -- as well as helping to create better sunscreens. ... > full story

Pasta made from green banana flour a tasty alternative for gluten-free diets (June 23, 2012) -- People with celiac disease struggle with limited food choices, as their condition makes them unable to tolerate gluten, found in wheat and other grains. Researchers have now developed a gluten-free pasta product from green banana flour, which tasters found more acceptable than regular whole wheat pasta. The product has less fat and is cheaper to produce than standard pastas. ... > full story

Bringing down the cost of microbial fuel cells (June 23, 2012) -- A new catalyst material could dramatically reduce the cost of producing microbial fuel cells. ... > full story

Novel animal reservoir for group of tick-borne diseases discovered -- and it lives in your backyard (June 23, 2012) -- A new assay that uses mitochondrial DNA that mutates faster than nuclear DNA has allowed scientists to identify one of the major animal reservoirs for the ehlichioses, STARI and other tick-borne diseases in the southeastern United States. The animal turned out to be the eastern gray squirrel. ... > full story

Foundational concept of ecology tested: Purple loosestrife altered life in nearby ponds (June 23, 2012) -- How strong are the links in food webs? An experiment demonstrates that they're strong enough for a disturbance to propagate across four trophic levels and two ecosystems. The experiment demonstrates that invasive species such as purple loosestrife could have broad effects on surrounding plant and animal communities, many of them cryptic. ... > full story

Is your leaf left-handed? (June 23, 2012) -- The spiral pattern of leaf formation from the point of growth affects the developing leaf's exposure to the plant hormone auxin; This exposure leads to measurable left-right asymmetry in leaf development, in species previously assumed to have symmetric leaves. ... > full story

New technique allows simulation of noncrystalline materials (June 23, 2012) -- Scientists have found a new mathematical approach to simulating the electronic behavior of noncrystalline materials, which may eventually play an important part in new devices including solar cells, organic LED lights and printable, flexible electronic circuits. ... > full story

Rio+20 Summit: Earth observation for us and our planet (June 23, 2012) -- The Rio+20 summit on promoting jobs, clean energy and a more sustainable use of our planet's resources closed today after three days of talks. During the summit, the role of Earth observation in sustainable development was highlighted. ... > full story

Infection biology: The elusive third factor (June 22, 2012) -- Researchers have identified an enzyme that is involved in a modification pathway that is essential for bacterial pathogenicity. Because it shows no similarity to other known proteins, it may be an ideal target for development of novel antimicrobial drugs. ... > full story

South African daffodils may be a future treatment for depression (June 22, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered that plant compounds from a South African flower may in time be used to treat diseases originating in the brain – including depression. A number of these substances have now been tested in a laboratory model of the blood-brain barrier. ... > full story

Stonehenge was monument marking unification of Britain (June 22, 2012) -- After 10 years of archaeological investigations, researchers have concluded that Stonehenge was built as a monument to unify the peoples of Britain, after a long period of conflict and regional difference between eastern and western Britain. ... > full story

First paternity study of southern right whales finds local fathers most successful (June 22, 2012) -- The first paternity study of southern right whales has found a surprisingly high level of local breeding success for males, scientists say, which is good news for the overall genetic diversity of the species, but could create risk for local populations through in-breeding. ... > full story

The blue blood of the emperor scorpion X-rayed (June 22, 2012) -- Biologists have successfully crystallized the hemocyanin of the emperor scorpion to shed new light on the structure and active site of the giant oxygen transport protein. ... > full story

Birds can recognize people's faces and know their voices (June 22, 2012) -- New research suggests that some birds may know who their human friends are, as they are able to recognize people’s faces and differentiate between human voices. ... > full story

NASA satellite sees several western U.S. fires blazing (June 22, 2012) -- Fires are raging in the western U.S. and in one overpass from its orbit around Earth, NASA's Aqua satellite picked up smoke and identified hot spots from fires in Colorado, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. ... > full story

How stress can boost immune system (June 21, 2012) -- Scientist have tracked the trajectories of key immune cells in response to short-term stress and traced, in great detail, how hormones triggered by such stress enhance immune readiness. The study, conducted in rats, adds weight to evidence that immune responsiveness is heightened, rather than suppressed as many believe, by the so-called "fight-or-flight" response. ... > full story

From the mouths of monkeys: Swab technique spots tuberculosis in non-human primates (June 21, 2012) -- A new technique detected the first published evidence of tuberculosis pathogens in the mouths of macaques living near people in six Asian countries. The method analyses mouth swabs from monkeys to check for tuberculosis DNA. The findings raise the question of interspecies transmission, but the origin of these infections is uncertain. However, the risk of spread to people appears minimal. The test could help protect the health of the world's primate populations. ... > full story

Greater Los Angeles to heat up an average 4 to 5 degrees by mid-century (June 21, 2012) -- A new study shows climate change will cause temperatures in the Los Angeles region to rise an average of 4-5 degrees by midcentury, tripling the number of extremely hot days in downtown L.A., and quadrupling them in the valleys and high elevations. ... > full story

New evidence in fructose debate: Could it be healthy for us? (June 21, 2012) -- A new study suggests that fructose may not be as bad for us as previously thought and that it may even provide some benefit. ... > full story

Environmental estrogens affect early developmental activity in zebrafish (June 21, 2012) -- New research reveals that environmental estrogens may influence human and animal development at the very beginning stages of embryonic development, which is earlier than previously realized. ... > full story

Avian flu viruses which are transmissible between humans could evolve in nature (June 21, 2012) -- It might be possible for human-to-human airborne transmissible avian H5N1 influenza viruses to evolve in nature, new research has found. ... > full story