ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Thursday, April 28, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Thursday, April 28, 2011

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Indigenous cases of leprosy found in the Southern United States: Human contamination through contact with armadillos (April 28, 2011) -- Using advanced DNA analysis and extensive field work, an international research team has confirmed the link between leprosy infection in Americans and direct contact with armadillos. Clear evidence was found that a never-before-seen strain of Mycobacterium leprae has emerged in the Southern United States and that it is transmitted through contact with armadillos carrying the disease. ... > full story

Geologists solve mystery of the Colorado Plateau (April 28, 2011) -- Scientists have figured out why the Colorado Plateau -- a 130,000-square-mile region that straddles Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico -- is rising even while parts of its lower crust appear to be falling. The massive, tectonically stable region of the western United States has long puzzled geologists. ... > full story

Novel microorganism 'Nitrososphaera viennensis' isolated (April 28, 2011) -- Microorganisms play an important role in global nutrient cycles. A research team has isolated the first ammonium oxidizing Archaeon from a soil in Vienna and thus proved its activity. ... > full story

A surprise: China’s energy consumption will stabilize (April 28, 2011) -- Well before 2050, China's energy use will level off, even as its population edges past 1.4 billion, according to a new study. There will come a time -- within the next two decades -- when the number of people in China acquiring cars, larger homes, and other accouterments of industrialized societies will peak. Between 2030 and 2035, the steeply rising curve of energy demand in China will begin to moderate and flatten thereafter. ... > full story

Agulhas ocean current 'leakage', fueled by global warming, could stabilize Atlantic overturning circulation (April 27, 2011) -- The Agulhas Current which runs along the east coast of Africa may not be as well known as its counterpart in the Atlantic, the Gulf Stream, but researchers are now taking a much closer look at this current and its "leakage" from the Indian Ocean into the Atlantic Ocean. Agulhas Leakage could be a significant player in global climate variability, according to new research. ... > full story

Medical sleuthing linked muscle, kidney problems to kava tea (April 27, 2011) -- When a 34-year-old bicyclist was found collapsed on a roadside and rushed to the emergency room on the verge of kidney failure and muscle breakdown, doctors were surprised to discover that a trendy tea derived from the kava plant was the cause of his ills. ... > full story

Green UV sterilization: Switching on LEDs to save energy and the environment (April 27, 2011) -- Ultraviolet light can safely sterilize food, water and medical equipment by disrupting the DNA and other reproductive molecules in harmful bacteria. Traditionally, mercury lamps have supplied this UV light, however mercury release from power generation and lamp disposal have generated discussion of harmful environmental impact. A potentially energy efficient and non-toxic alternative is the light-emitting diode, or LED, which can be made to emit at almost any desired wavelength. ... > full story

How mosquitoes handle the heat of a hot blood meal (April 27, 2011) -- Mosquitoes make proteins to help them handle the stressful spike in body temperature that's prompted by their hot blood meals, a new study has found. The mosquito's eating pattern is inherently risky: Taking a blood meal involves finding warm-blooded hosts, avoiding detection, penetrating tough skin and evading any host immune response, not to mention the slap of a human hand. ... > full story

Caterpillars inspire new movements in soft robots (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers have been examining the diverse behaviors of caterpillars to find solutions for the new generation of search and rescue soft robots. Despite their extreme flexibility and adaptability, current soft-bodied robots are often limited by their slow speed, leading the researchers to turn to terrestrial soft-bodied animals for inspiration. Some caterpillars have the extraordinary ability to rapidly curl themselves into a wheel and propel themselves away from predators. Researchers saw this as an opportunity to design a robot that mimics this behavior of caterpillars and to develop a better understanding of the mechanics behind ballistic rolling. ... > full story

Mercury converted to its most toxic form in ocean waters (April 27, 2011) -- New research has confirmed that a relatively harmless inorganic form of mercury found worldwide in ocean water is transformed into a potent neurotoxin in the seawater itself. ... > full story

Novel ash analysis validates volcano no-fly zones (April 27, 2011) -- Air safety authorities essentially had to fly blind when the ash cloud from Eyjafjallajökull caused them to close the airspace over Europe last year. Now nanoscientists have developed a way to provide the necessary information within hours. ... > full story

New heat pump could last 10,000 years, experts say (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers in Norway are testing an entirely new kind of heat pump. While heat pumps used today typically last 10 to 20 years, the new one will last practically indefinitely, the scientists believe. ... > full story

RAD-tagging technology is demystifying genome sequencing (April 27, 2011) -- Take millions of puzzle pieces containing partial words and create full words, sentences, paragraphs and chapters until a book is rebuilt. That process is like sequencing a genome, says a biologist who has published a proof-of-principle article on a patent-pending technology. ... > full story

Wind turbines: In the wake of the wind (April 27, 2011) -- Wind turbines not only produce power, they produce wakes -- similar to what forms in bodies of water -- that are invisible ripples and waves and other disturbances in the atmosphere downstream that can damage turbines and decrease efficiency. Researchers are launching a study of those wakes, with an eye toward improving the efficiency of wind farms. ... > full story

Choosing the right electric vehicles batteries for the future (April 27, 2011) -- One of the most important decisions facing designers of plug-in electric or hybrid vehicles is related to battery choice. Now, researchers have used a life cycle analysis to examine three vehicle battery types to determine which does the best job of powering the vehicle while causing the least amount of environmental impact during its production. ... > full story

Can Siberian hot springs reveal ancient ecology? (April 27, 2011) -- Exotic bacteria that do not rely on oxygen may have played an important role in determining the composition of Earth's early atmosphere, according to a new theory that researchers are testing in the scalding hot springs of a volcanic crater in Siberia. ... > full story

Prey-tell: Why right whales linger in the Gulf of Maine (April 27, 2011) -- As they might with most endangered animals, scientists consider the whereabouts and activities of right whales extremely important. New research finds that the location, the length of stay, and perhaps the very abundance of the whales may be dependent on an interesting vertical migration pattern by the copepods on which the whales feed. It seems to be a case of how the behavior of the prey influences the behavior of the whales. ... > full story

Collective conservation efforts boosted rhino population in Nepal, new data show (April 27, 2011) -- After three rigorous weeks of conducting the National Rhino Census in Nepal, new data on the population of greater one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) have been formally released. According to the census, there are 534 rhinos in Nepal, marking an increase of 99 rhinos from the 435 recorded in the last census in 2008. ... > full story

Streptococci and E. coli continue to put newborns at risk for sepsis (April 27, 2011) -- Bloodstream infections in newborns can lead to serious complications with substantial morbidity and mortality. In recent years, antibiotic prophylaxis given to at-risk mothers has reduced the incidence of early-onset group B streptococcal infections among their babies. A new nationwide study shows the most frequent pathogens associated with sepsis are group B streptococci (GBS) in full-term infants and Escherichia coli in preterm infants. The study also found that infection rates in newborns increased with decreasing gestational age and birth weight. ... > full story

Water molecules characterize the structure of DNA genetic material (April 27, 2011) -- Water molecules surround the genetic material DNA in a very specific way. Scientists have discovered that, on the one hand, the texture of this hydration shell depends on the water content and, on the other hand, actually influences the structure of the genetic substance itself. These findings are not only important in understanding the biological function of DNA; they could also be used for the construction of new DNA-based materials. ... > full story

Prototypes framework developed for evaluating sustainability standards (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a prototype tool to help organizations of all types sort through the welter of choices and evaluate, and implement sustainability standards most appropriate for their operations and interests. ... > full story

Plankton fossils tell tale of evolution and extinction (April 26, 2011) -- Scientists studying the fossils of tiny ocean-dwelling plankton, called foraminifera, have uncovered another piece in the puzzle of why species evolve or become extinct. ... > full story

Effect of cloud-scattered sunlight on Earth's energy balance depends on wavelength of light (April 26, 2011) -- Atmospheric scientists trying to pin down how clouds curb the amount of sunlight available to warm the earth have found that it depends on the wavelength of sunlight being measured. This unexpected result will help researchers improve how they portray clouds in climate models. ... > full story

Scientists identify a surprising new source of cancer stem cells (April 26, 2011) -- Certain differentiated cells in breast tissue can spontaneously convert to a stem-cell-like state, according to Whitehead Institute researchers. Until now, scientific dogma has stated that differentiation is a one-way path; once cells specialize, they cannot return to the flexible stem-cell state on their own. These findings hold true for normal mammary cells as well as for breast cancer cells. ... > full story

Green environments essential for human health, research shows (April 26, 2011) -- Research shows that a walk in the park is more than just a nice way to spend an afternoon. It's an essential component for good health, according to an environment and behavior researcher. ... > full story

King crabs invade Antarctica (April 26, 2011) -- It's like a scene out of a sci-fi movie -- thousands, possibly millions, of king crabs are marching through icy, deep-sea waters and up the Antarctic slope. Shell-crushing crabs haven't been in Antarctica, Earth's southernmost continent, for hundreds or thousands, if not millions, of years. But something has changed, and these crustaceans are poised to move by the droves up the slope and onto the shelf that surrounds Antarctica. ... > full story

Flame retardants at high levels in pet dogs, study finds (April 26, 2011) -- Scientists have found chemical flame retardants in the blood of pet dogs at concentrations five to 10 times higher than in humans, but lower than levels found in a previous study of cats. ... > full story

Safeguarding genome integrity through extraordinary DNA repair (April 26, 2011) -- Once called "junk DNA" because it contains numerous repeated short sequences that don't code for proteins, heterochromatin is in fact vital for normal growth and function. Yet it poses special challenges to accurate DNA repair. Scientists have discovered an unsuspected and dramatic process by which double-strand breaks in heterochromatin are repaired in dynamic stages. ... > full story

Solar power goes viral: Researchers use virus to improve solar-cell efficiency (April 26, 2011) -- Researchers have found a way to make significant improvements to the power-conversion efficiency of solar cells by enlisting the services of tiny viruses to perform detailed assembly work at the microscopic level. ... > full story

Chernobyl's radioactivity reduced populations of birds of orange plumage, study finds (April 26, 2011) -- On April 26, 1986, history's greatest nuclear accident took place northwest of the Ukrainian city of Chernobyl. Despite the scale of the disaster, 25 years later, we still do not know its real effects. An international team of investigators has shown for the first time that the color of birds' plumage may make them more vulnerable to radioactivity. ... > full story

Pioneering animal diabetes treatment: Researchers adapt human continuous glucose monitors for pets (April 26, 2011) -- Researchers have changed the way veterinarians treat diabetes in animals by adapting a device used to monitor glucose in humans. ... > full story

Reasonable quantities of red pepper may help curb appetite, study suggests (April 26, 2011) -- Spicing up your daily diet with some red pepper can curb appetite, especially for those who don't normally eat the popular spice, according to research from Purdue University. ... > full story

New tools to tackle a solar data storm (April 26, 2011) -- So great is the wealth of data about the Sun now being sent back by space missions such as SOHO, STEREO and the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) that scientists back on Earth can struggle to keep pace. To combat this data overload, scientists are developing advanced imaging tools to help scientists visualise what's happening at the Sun, make sense of the data and predict the extreme solar activities that could affect our life here on Earth. ... > full story

Global catastrophic amphibian declines have multiple causes, no simple solution (April 26, 2011) -- Amphibian declines around the world have forced many species to the brink of extinction, are much more complex than realized and have multiple causes that are still not fully understood, researchers conclude in a new report. ... > full story

Tuberculosis discovery paves way for drugs that prevent lung destruction (April 26, 2011) -- Scientists have identified a key enzyme responsible for destroying lung tissue in tuberculosis. Drugs that inhibit this enzyme are already available, meaning that the finding could lead quickly to new treatments. ... > full story

Understanding how crops deal with stress -- yield's biggest enemy (April 26, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a new arm of the pathway by which plants activate a response to environmental stress caused by adverse environmental conditions, such as drought, flood and heat. These stresses affect yield more than crop pests and diseases. Finding a way to maintain high yields for plants under stress is a goal of plant breeders and other agriculture stakeholders. ... > full story

Lollipops with side effects: A plant's sugary offering betrays caterpillars to predatory ants (April 26, 2011) -- Trichomes, hair-like projections on leaves, of wild tobacco contain acyl sugars, which are composed of sucrose, bound to branched chain aliphatic acids. Hatched caterpillars consume these sweet secretions. This has unwanted side effects for the insects: the caterpillars develop a distinctive odor. Scientists discovered that ants recognize the caterpillar's odor to locate the larvae on the plants and carry them back to their nests to feed their young and co-workers. ... > full story

Discovery identifies elaborate G-protein network in plants (April 26, 2011) -- The most elaborate heterotrimeric G-protein network known to date in the plant kingdom has just been identified. ... > full story

Cheaper hydrogen fuel cells: Utility of non-precious-metal catalysts documented (April 25, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a way to avoid the use of expensive platinum in hydrogen fuel cells, the environmentally friendly devices that might replace current power sources in everything from personal data devices to automobiles. Scientists have developed a platinum-free catalyst for use in the cathode of a hydrogen fuel cell. ... > full story

Fruit flies on meth: Study explores whole-body effects of toxic drug (April 25, 2011) -- A new study in fruit flies offers a broad view of the potent and sometimes devastating molecular events that occur throughout the body as a result of methamphetamine exposure. The study tracks changes in the expression of genes and proteins throughout the body in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) exposed to meth. ... > full story

'Going off the grid' helps some bacteria hide from antibiotics (April 25, 2011) -- Call them the Jason Bournes of the bacteria world. Going "off the grid," like rogue secret agents, some bacteria avoid antibiotic treatments by essentially shutting down and hiding until it's safe to come out again. ... > full story

Phage hunting students find new bacteriophages in soils of St. Louis suburbs (April 25, 2011) -- Twelve students who had participated in an unusual biology course as freshmen have found two bacteriophages, viruses that prey exclusively on bacteria, in the soil of two suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri. As the finders, they had the naming rights; the new phages are called Angelica and Uncle Howie. ... > full story

Radar checks buildings after earthquakes (April 25, 2011) -- Recent advances in ground-penetrating radar could be used to help structural engineers and conservationists assess the stability of historic buildings or buildings affected by earthquakes that otherwise appear sound. ... > full story

Beetle bling: Researchers discover optical secrets of 'metallic' beetles (April 25, 2011) -- Brilliant gold- (and silver-colored beetles have given optics researchers new insights into the way biology can recreate the appearance of some of nature's most precious metals, which in turn may allow researchers to produce new materials based on the natural properties found in the beetles' coloring. ... > full story

How do you get a fruit fly to exercise? (April 25, 2011) -- A professor puts his fruit flies through a grueling daily workout in a quest to understand how their genes respond to exercise and to uncover clues that may one day help people stay healthier and more active into their advanced years. ... > full story

Ozone hole linked to climate change all the way to the equator (April 25, 2011) -- The ozone hole, which is located over the South Pole, has affected the entire circulation of the Southern Hemisphere all the way to the equator, according to new research. This is the first time that ozone depletion, an upper atmospheric phenomenon confined to the polar regions, has been linked to climate change from the Pole to the equator. ... > full story

Breed-specific causes of death in dogs revealed in landmark study (April 25, 2011) -- Dog owners and veterinarians have long relied on a mix of limited data and anecdotal evidence to assess which breeds are at risk of dying from various conditions, but a new study provides a rare and comprehensive look at causes of death in more than 80 breeds. ... > full story

RNA dynamics deconstructed (April 25, 2011) -- RNA plays a critical role in directing the creation of proteins, but there is more to the life of an RNA molecule than simply carrying DNA's message. Researchers have developed an approach that offers many windows into the lifecycle of these essential molecules. Their approach offers high resolution and a comprehensive scope. ... > full story

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