ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Wednesday, April 20, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Wednesday, April 20, 2011

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Collecting the sun's energy: Novel electrode for flexible thin-film solar cells (April 20, 2011) -- Conventional silicon-based rigid solar cells generally found on the market are not suitable for manufacturing moldable thin-film solar cells, in which a transparent, flexible and electrically conductive electrode collects the light and carries away the current. A new woven polymer electrode has now produced first results which are very promising, indicating that the new material may be a substitute for indium tin oxide coatings. ... > full story

Mercury on the rise in endangered Pacific seabirds (April 20, 2011) -- Using 120 years of feathers from natural history museums in the United States, researchers have been able to track increases in the neurotoxin methylmercury in the black-footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes), an endangered seabird that forages extensively throughout the Pacific. ... > full story

New biosensor microchip could speed up drug development, researchers say (April 20, 2011) -- A new biosensor microchip that could hold more than 100,000 magnetically sensitive nanosensors could speed up drug development markedly, researchers say. The nanosensors analyze how proteins bond -- a critical step in drug development. The ultrasensitive sensors can simultaneously monitor thousands of times more proteins than existing technology, deliver results faster and assess the strength of the bonds. ... > full story

One year later, oil spill’s impact on Gulf not fully understood (April 19, 2011) -- One year after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill began on April 20, 2010, two experts comment on the known and unknown impacts to wildlife -- in the air, on the land and in the sea. ... > full story

LED efficiency puzzle solved by theorists using quantum-mechanical calculations (April 19, 2011) -- Researchers say they've figured out the cause of a problem that's made light-emitting diodes (LEDs) impractical for general lighting purposes. Their work will help engineers develop a new generation of high-performance, energy-efficient lighting that could replace incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. ... > full story

Pronghorn tracked by satellite (April 19, 2011) -- The pronghorn were captured in a helicopter netting operation on February 28, fitted with the collars, and released. The collars are scheduled to "drop off" of the animals at a future date through an automated release mechanism. ... > full story

Gene necessary for successful repair of muscle damage identified (April 19, 2011) -- Scientists are a step closer to treating, and perhaps preventing, muscle damage caused by neurodegenerative disorders and other forms of disease. They have discovered that the gene polymerase I and transcript release factor, or PTRF, is an essential component of the cell process that repairs damaged muscle tissue. This discovery has the potential to lead to development of therapeutic treatment for patients who suffer from severe complications of diseases such as muscular dystrophy, cardiovascular disorders and other degenerative conditions. ... > full story

Nearly 3,000 new Walt Whitman papers discovered (April 19, 2011) -- As a clerk in the U.S. Attorney General's Office in the 1860s and 1870s, Walt Whitman had a firsthand view of the legal, cultural and ideological challenges facing the nation after the Civil War. That experience, most believe, shaped his later works of poetry and prose. Now, a university researcher has discovered nearly 3,000 previously unknown Whitman documents from that era -- a trove of information that sheds new light on the legendary poet's post-war thinking, as well as on Whitman's published reflections on the state of the nation that soon followed. ... > full story

Marine organisms with eternal life can solve the riddle of aging (April 19, 2011) -- Animals that reproduce asexually by somatic cloning have special mechanisms that delay aging provide exceptionally good health. Scientists in Sweden have shown how colony-forming ascidians (or sea squirts) can activate the enzyme telomerase, which protects DNA. This enzyme is more active also in humans who attain an advanced age. ... > full story

Could black trees blossom in a world with two suns? (April 19, 2011) -- A sky with two suns is a favorite image for science fiction films, but how would a binary star system affect life evolving on an orbiting planet? A researcher suggests what plants might be like on an Earth-like planet with two or three suns and found that they may appear black or grey. ... > full story

Tibetian Terrier dogs could play key role in developing therapy for early-onset Parkinson’s (April 19, 2011) -- Researchers believe both humans and animals will benefit from their discovery that the same gene mutation found in Tibetan terrier dogs can also be found in a fatal human neurological disorder related to Parkinson's disease. ... > full story

Americans believe climate change is occurring, but disagree on why (April 19, 2011) -- Most Americans now agree that climate change is occurring, but still disagree on why, with opinions about the cause of climate change defined by political party, not scientific understanding, according to new research. ... > full story

Sugar helping map new ground against deadly bug (April 19, 2011) -- A potential vaccine against bacteria that cause serious gastric disorders including stomach cancer may be a step closer following a pioneering study. ... > full story

Bioartificial organs: Spanish researchers replace pig corneal cells with human stem cells (April 19, 2011) -- Researchers in Spain have made progress toward bioartificial organs by extracting pig corneal cells and replacing them with human stem cells. ... > full story

X‑rays shed new light on regulation of muscle contraction (April 19, 2011) -- More than 200 years ago, Luigi Galvani discovered that the muscles of a frog's leg twitch when a voltage is applied. Scientists from Italy, the UK and France have brought this textbook classic into the era of nanoscience. They used a new synchrotron X-ray technique to observe for the first time at the molecular scale how muscle proteins change form and structure inside an intact and contracting muscle cell. ... > full story

Limiting carbs, not calories, reduces liver fat faster, researchers find (April 19, 2011) -- Curbing carbohydrates is more effective than cutting calories for individuals who want to quickly reduce the amount of fat in their liver, researchers report. ... > full story

Molecular messages from moth antennae: Scientists assemble genes involved in regulating olfaction (April 19, 2011) -- Insects use their antennae for smelling and thus for locating resources in their environment. In a new study, researchers present the first complete analysis of genes involved in antennal olfaction of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta. Approximately 70 different receptors expressed in some 100,000 neurons allow these moths to detect a large number of odours and to perform relevant door-guided behaviours. This is the first more or less complete antennal transcriptome characterized in a non-model insect. ... > full story

Biological arms races in birds result in sophisticated defenses against cuckoos (April 19, 2011) -- New research reveals how biological arms races between cuckoos and host birds can escalate into a competition between the host evolving new, unique egg patterns (or "signatures") and the parasite new forgeries. ... > full story

Genetic study offers insight into the social lives of bees (April 19, 2011) -- Most people have trouble telling them apart, but bumble bees, honey bees, stingless bees and solitary bees have home lives that are as different from one another as a monarch's palace is from a hippie commune or a hermit's cabin in the woods. A new study of these bees offers a first look at the genetic underpinnings of their differences in lifestyle. ... > full story

Using leaves' characteristics improves accuracy measuring past climates (April 19, 2011) -- Geologists have shown that a new method that uses different size and shape traits of leaves to reconstruct past climates over the last 120 million years is more accurate than other current methods. ... > full story

Did a supernova mark the birth of the Merry Monarch? (April 19, 2011) -- The supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A) is the relic of the explosion of a massive star that took place around 11,000 years ago and is one of the brightest radio sources in the sky. Oddly, although the light from the explosion should have reached the Earth in the seventeenth century and been easily visible in the sky, it appears to have gone unnoticed. Now astronomers and historians argue that the supernova was seen -- as a 'new' star visible during the day at the birth of the future King Charles II of Great Britain. ... > full story

'Liquefaction' key to much of Japanese earthquake damage (April 18, 2011) -- The massive subduction zone earthquake in Japan caused a significant level of soil "liquefaction" that has surprised researchers with its widespread severity, a new analysis shows. The findings also raise questions about whether existing building codes and engineering technologies are adequately accounting for this phenomenon in other vulnerable locations. ... > full story

New pollutants: Flame retardants detected in peregrine falcon eggs (April 18, 2011) -- Flame retardants are chemical compounds added to fabrics and plastics to keep them from burning easily, but these can be toxic. Now a team of researchers from Spain and Canada has detected some of these emerging pollutants for the first time in peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) eggs in both countries. ... > full story

Closer look at cell membrane shows cholesterol 'keeping order' (April 18, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a way to magnify cell membranes dramatically and watch them move, revealing a surprising dependence on cholesterol within this boundary between the cell and the outside world. ... > full story

Many restaurant staff are undertrained and misinformed about food allergies, study finds (April 18, 2011) -- A new study reveals that there is no association between a restaurant worker's knowledge of food allergy and his or her confidence in being able to provide a safe meal to a food allergic customer. ... > full story

Oxygenation at a depth of 120 meters could save the Baltic Sea, researchers demonstrate (April 18, 2011) -- Oxygenation brings dead sea bottoms to life. This creates the necessary conditions for the establishment of new ecosystems that enable nature itself to deal with eutrophication. By conducting pilot studies in two fjords in Sweden, researchers have demonstrated that pumping oxygen-rich surface water down to sea bottoms is effective. A large wind-driven pump is now to be tested in open water in the Baltic. ... > full story

Oldest known toothache? Infection in jaw of ancient reptilian fossil revealed (April 18, 2011) -- A reptile that lived 275-million years ago in what is now Oklahoma is giving paleontologists a glimpse of the oldest known toothache. ... > full story

Breast cancer: Tumor marker same in dogs and humans (April 18, 2011) -- Researchers were surprised to find that dogs and humans share a common tumor marker. The researchers uncovered a molecule, the CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) receptor, that is almost identical in the two species. The result could lead to the rapid development of new therapies for dogs and humans. ... > full story

Carbon sequestration estimate in US increased, barring a drought (April 18, 2011) -- Forests and other terrestrial ecosystems in the lower 48 states can sequester up to 40 percent of the nation's fossil fuel carbon emissions, a larger amount than previously estimated -- unless a drought or other major disturbance occurs, new research shows. ... > full story

Sugarcane cools climate, study finds (April 18, 2011) -- Brazilians are world leaders in using biofuels. About a quarter of their automobile fuel consumption comes from sugarcane, which significantly reduces carbon dioxide emissions. Now scientists have found that sugarcane has a double benefit. Expansion of the crop in areas previously occupied by other crops cools the local climate by reflecting sunlight back into space and by lowering the air temperature as the plants "exhale" cooler water. ... > full story

Probiotic may reduce rate of recurrent urinary tract infections in women, study suggests (April 18, 2011) -- Urinary tract infections are common in women and occur frequently, affecting 2 to 3 percent of all women. A depletion of vaginal lactobacilli, a type of bacteria, is associated with urinary tract infection risk, which suggests that replenishing these bacteria may be beneficial. Researchers conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled trial to investigate this theory. Their results suggest that a probiotic may reduce the rate of recurrent urinary tract infections in women prone to these infections. ... > full story

Why ancient Mayan communities were 'living on the edge' of what is now a massive wetland (April 18, 2011) -- Archeologists are investigating why a highly sophisticated civilization decided to build large, bustling cities next to what is essentially swampland. The research zeroes in on why larger and successful Maya communities were located along the edges of the massive wetlands of Tikal. ... > full story

Bone-munching worms from the deep sea thrive on fish bones (April 18, 2011) -- A new study is painting a more complete picture of an extraordinary sea worm that makes its living in the depths of the ocean on the bones of dead animals. ... > full story

Vanilla: Preserving a world favorite flavor (April 18, 2011) -- Vanilla is one of the world's best-loved flavors, and demand for it is increasing all the time. But now its future in the global food industry could be more secure, thanks to new research in Malaysia. ... > full story

Paleontologists audition modern examples of ancient behavior (April 18, 2011) -- A video of a modern shellfish by paleontologists suggests a way to test theories about the behavior of fossilized specimens. ... > full story

Ocean front is energetic contributor to mixing, data shows (April 18, 2011) -- Wind blowing on the ocean is a crucial factor mixing carbon dioxide into the ocean depths and keeping it from going back into the atmosphere. For more than two decades scientists have suspected there's another -- possibly substantial -- source of energy for mixing that's generated where cold, heavy water collides with warm, light water. However, there's never been a way to get enough measurements of such a "front" to prove this -- until now. ... > full story

Safer treatment for millions suffering from trypanosome parasite infection (April 18, 2011) -- A safer and more effective treatment for 10 million people in developing countries who suffer from infections caused by trypanosome parasites could become a reality, thanks to new research. ... > full story

Miniature sensors to measure the ocean (April 18, 2011) -- The first miniature sensors designed to measure saltiness and temperature across the world's oceans are being put in use on an ambitious expedition. ... > full story

Hydrocarbons deep within Earth: New computational study reveals how (April 17, 2011) -- A new computational study reveals how hydrocarbons may be formed from methane in deep Earth at extreme pressures and temperatures. The thermodynamic and kinetic properties of hydrocarbons at high pressures and temperature are important for understanding carbon reservoirs and fluxes in Earth. ... > full story

Invasive mussels causing massive ecological changes in Great Lake (April 17, 2011) -- The ongoing spread of non-native mussels in the Great Lakes has caused "massive, ecosystem-wide changes" throughout lakes Michigan and Huron, two of the planet's largest freshwater lakes, according to a new study. ... > full story

Biochemist uses computer models to study protein involved with cancer, aging and chronic disease (April 17, 2011) -- Biochemists took a combined computational and experimental approach to understand how protein p21 functions as a versatile regulator of cell division. ... > full story

Earth's dust and plankton from space: New views from Envisat satellite (April 17, 2011) -- Europe's Envisat satellite has captured a new view of dust and sand from the Algerian Sahara Desert, located in northern Africa, blowing west across the Atlantic Ocean. ... > full story

Long-sought fossil mammal with transitional middle ear (April 17, 2011) -- A new, complete fossil turns what's known about the evolution of early mammals on its ear. The specimen shows the bones associated with hearing in mammals -- the malleus, incus and ectotympanic -- decoupled from the lower jaw, as had been predicted, but were held in place by an ossified cartilage that rested in a groove on the lower jaw. ... > full story

GPS data used to model effects of tidal loads on Earth's surface (April 17, 2011) -- Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite technology is helping researchers find their way to a more complete understanding of Earth's interior structure. ... > full story

Successful blueprints are recycled by evolution, study suggests (April 17, 2011) -- A new study finds evidence that the different cell types that make up organs have arisen only once during the course of evolution. The programs to develop these cells have been passed on ever since. ... > full story

Vegetarians may be at lower risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke (April 17, 2011) -- Vegetarians experience a 36 percent lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome than non-vegetarians, suggests new research. Because metabolic syndrome can be a precursor to heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, the findings indicate vegetarians may be at lower risk of developing these conditions. ... > full story

Recipe for radioactive compounds aids nuclear waste and fuel storage pools studies (April 17, 2011) -- Easy-to-follow recipes for radioactive compounds like those found in nuclear fuel storage pools, liquid waste containment areas and other contaminated aqueous environments have been developed by researchers. ... > full story

Toward a 'green grid' for delivering solar and wind-based electricity (April 17, 2011) -- After years of neglect, scientists and policy makers are focusing more attention on developing technologies needed to make the so-called "green grid" possible, according to a new article. That's the much-needed future electrical grid, an interconnected network for delivering solar and wind-based electricity from suppliers to consumers. ... > full story

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