ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Tuesday, August 2, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.

Ancient glacial melting shows that small amount of subsurface warming can trigger rapid collapse of ice shelves (August 2, 2011) -- An analysis of prehistoric "Heinrich events" that happened many thousands of years ago, creating mass discharges of icebergs into the North Atlantic Ocean, make it clear that very small amounts of subsurface warming of water can trigger a rapid collapse of ice shelves. The results are important due to concerns that warmer water could cause a comparatively fast collapse of ice shelves in Antarctica or Greenland. ... > full story

US sets drought monitor's 'exceptional drought' record in July (August 2, 2011) -- The percent of contiguous US land area experiencing the worst form of drought reached the highest levels in the history of the US Drought Monitor in July, officials said. ... > full story

Researchers 'genetically fingerprinting' E. coli from watersheds (August 2, 2011) -- Researchers have been collecting water samples at 30 river sites -- 15 in the Lampasas River watershed and 15 in the Leon River watershed -- monthly since February. They've also been taking fecal samples from all over the watersheds of known possible sources: home septic systems, wildlife, livestock, pets and water-treatment plants. The samples are then "genetically fingerprinted" to determine exactly what the source of E. coli is. ... > full story

NASA satellite tracks severity of African drought (August 2, 2011) -- Northeast Africa continues to reel from the effects of the worst drought to strike the region in decades. ... > full story

The last great wilderness: Human impact on the deep sea (August 1, 2011) -- Over 20 deep-sea experts participating in the Census of Marine Life project SYNDEEP conducted a semi-quantitative analysis of the most important anthropogenic impacts that affect deep-sea habitats at the global scale in past, present and future scenarios. Which deep-sea habitats are at highest risk in the short and mid-term, as well as what will be the main anthropogenic impacts affecting these areas are identified in a new paper. ... > full story

Aerosols affect climate more than satellite estimates predict (August 1, 2011) -- Aerosol particles, including soot and sulfur dioxide from burning fossil fuels, essentially mask the effects of greenhouse gases and are at the heart of the biggest uncertainty in climate change prediction. New research shows that satellite-based projections of aerosols' effect on Earth's climate significantly underestimate their impacts. ... > full story

Microbes consumed oil in Gulf slick at unexpected rates, study finds (August 1, 2011) -- In the first published study to explain the role of microbes in breaking down the oil slick on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, researchers have found that bacterial microbes inside the slick degraded the oil at a rate five times faster than microbes outside the slick -- accounting in large part for the disappearance of the slick some three weeks after Deepwater Horizon's Macondo well was shut off. ... > full story

Nobel Prize winner’s unfinished symphony (August 1, 2011) -- When Robert Burns Woodward passed away in 1979 he left 699 pages of handwritten notes. Because R.B. Woodward was a Nobel Laureate (Chemistry, 1965) his family had carefully preserved his notes for posterity. An extensive study has now uncovered hidden treasures in these notes. ... > full story

Greenhouse gas impact of hydroelectric reservoirs downgraded (August 1, 2011) -- Scientists have amassed the largest data set to date on greenhouse gas emissions from hydroelectric reservoirs. Their analysis posits that these human-made systems emit about one-sixth of the carbon dioxide and methane previously attributed to them. ... > full story

Physics could be behind the secrets of crop-circle artists (August 1, 2011) -- Researchers takes a serious, objective look at a topic that critics might claim is beyond scientific understanding -- crop circles. ... > full story

Chemists transform acids into bases: Research offers vast family of new catalysts for use in drug discovery, biotechnology (August 1, 2011) -- Chemists have accomplished in the lab what until now was considered impossible: transform a family of compounds which are acids into bases. Their research shows it is possible to replace phosphorus ligands in catalysts with boron ligands. While phosphorus is toxic, boron is not. The research makes possible a vast array of chemical reactions -- such as those used in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, manufacturing new materials and research academic institutions. ... > full story

Without competition, island frogs evolve rapidly (August 1, 2011) -- Scientists have documented the rapid evolution of new fanged frog species on the island of Sulawesi, near the Philippines. ... > full story

New duck-billed dinosaur gives scientists clues to evolution of head ornamentation and provinciality (August 1, 2011) -- A new genus and species of hadrosaur (duck-billed) dinosaur -- the oldest duck-billed dinosaur known from North America -- has been named by scientists who expect the discovery to shed new light on dinosaur evolution. ... > full story

Pathogens and insecticides: A lethal cocktail for honeybees (August 1, 2011) -- For over 15 years, bee colonies have been plagued by a strange disease that causes the disappearance of thousands of colonies every year and is poorly understood by beekeepers and scientists. Researchers have now found that infection by Nosema ceranae, a parasite that causes Nosema disease, results in higher mortality among honeybees when they are exposed to low doses of insecticides. ... > full story

Evolution in the back yard: Census of 750,000 banded snails leads to surprising results (August 1, 2011) -- Thousands of members of the public across Europe have taken part in one of the largest evolutionary studies ever, by observing banded snails in their gardens and open public spaces. ... > full story

Rainforest plant developed 'sonar dish' to attract pollinating bats (August 1, 2011) -- How plants sound as well as how they look helps them to attract pollinators, a new study has found. Researchers discovered that a rainforest vine, pollinated by bats, has evolved dish-shaped leaves with such conspicuous echoes that nectar-feeding bats can find its flowers twice as fast by echolocation. ... > full story

Researchers map long-range migrations and habitats of leatherback sea turtles in the Pacific Ocean (August 1, 2011) -- Endangered leatherback sea turtles migrate and forage across vast areas of the Pacific Ocean and Indo-Pacific seas and require greater international collaboration for their protection, according to a recent study. The study is based on data from 126 leatherbacks tracked by satellite and supports continuing research to improve conservation efforts for this endangered species by better understanding how oceanographic features influence their migration and foraging behavior. ... > full story

New discoveries on gene regulation in the evolution of the vertebrate brain (August 1, 2011) -- Alternative splicing of RNA transcripts is a process leading to differential gene expression and the production of different proteins, which is the key to cell differentiation and a foundation of many diseases. Researchers have now described the generation of a gene network regulated by the splicing factor NOVA1 during the development of the central nervous system in vertebrates. ... > full story

Cows clock-in for monitored mealtimes (August 1, 2011) -- Electronic ear tags are being trialled by scientists in a bid to provide farmers with an extra line of defense against diseases such as foot and mouth and TB. ... > full story

Electronic tongue identifies cava wines (August 1, 2011) -- Researchers have developed an electronic tongue which can identify different types of cava wines, thanks to a combination of sensor systems and advanced mathematical procedures. The device automatically produces classifications similar to those of a sommelier and can be useful in detecting defects during the elaboration of these wines. ... > full story

Possible association between maternal exposure to magnetic fields and development of asthma in children (August 1, 2011) -- Children whose mothers had high exposure to magnetic fields (MF) during pregnancy appear to have an increased risk of developing asthma, according to a new study. ... > full story

Researchers target, switch off serotonin-producing neurons in mice; New insights may be relevant to sudden infant death syndrome (July 31, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a toolkit that enables them to turn off targeted cell populations while leaving others unaffected. The group focused on serotonin-producing neurons, observing how mice behave in a normal environment when suddenly their serotonin neurons are turned down. ... > full story

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics: The more they resist, the more they divide (July 31, 2011) -- The number of multiresistant strains of bacteria in hospitals is increasing. Bacteria acquire resistance to antibiotics through mutations in their chromosomes and by incorporating new genes, either from the surrounding environment or from other bacteria. Now, researchers in Portugal have shown that, surprisingly, when both mechanisms of resistance are playing out in the bacterium E. coli, its ability to survive and reproduce is increased. ... > full story

Using a 'systems biology' approach to look under the hood of an aggressive form of breast cancer (July 31, 2011) -- Using a "systems biology" approach -- which focuses on understanding the complex relationships between biological systems -- to look under the hood of an aggressive form of breast cancer, researchers for the first time have identified a set of proteins in the blood that change in abundance long before the cancer is clinically detectable. ... > full story

Soybean genetic treasure trove found in Swedish village (July 31, 2011) -- The first screening of the American ancestors of soybeans for tolerance to ozone and other stresses had an eye-opening result: The world superstars of stress resistance hailed from a little village in far northern Sweden, called Fiskeby. ... > full story

How bats stay on target despite the clutter (July 30, 2011) -- Neuroscientists have learned how bats can remain on target despite obstacles. The key lies in bats' neural response to echoes from their sonar pulses: Differences in delay as short as 3 microseconds between parts of an echo is enough to tell the bat the object may not be its target. The research could lead to more precise targeting by sonar-led vehicles. ... > full story

Warming climate could give exotic grasses edge over natives (July 30, 2011) -- With rising temperatures and decreasing rainfall, California's native grasses will likely suffer at the hands of exotic invasive grasses, which are more equipped to deal with warmer weather. That is the conclusion of researchers who analyzed all exotic and native grasses in the state and predicted their likely range changes with changing climate. ... > full story

Largest-ever map of plant protein interactions (July 30, 2011) -- Researchers have mapped and analyzed thousands of protein-to-protein interactions within the cells of Arabidopsis thaliana -- a variety of mustard plant that is to plant biology what the lab mouse is to human biology. The research promises to enable biologists to make agricultural plants more nutritious and more resistant to drought and diseases. ... > full story

Powerful fluorescence tool lights the way to new insights into RNA of living cells (July 30, 2011) -- The ability to tag proteins with a green fluorescent light to watch how they behave inside cells so revolutionized the understanding of protein biology that it earned the scientific teams who developed the technique Nobel Prizes in 2008. Now, researchers have developed a similar fluorescent tool that can track the mysterious workings of the various forms of cellular RNA. ... > full story

Fall of the Neanderthals: Volume of modern humans infiltrating Europe cited as critical factor (July 29, 2011) -- New research sheds light on why, after 300,000 years of domination, European Neanderthals abruptly disappeared. Researchers have discovered that modern humans coming from Africa swarmed the region, arriving with over ten times the population as the Neanderthal inhabitants. ... > full story

Oral interferon may prevent and control avian influenza virus infection (July 29, 2011) -- Avian influenza virus is a threat to the commercial chicken industry and, with its recent rapid spread across China, has also shown the ability for transmission from chickens to humans and other mammals. ... > full story

Doggedly tracking badgers (July 29, 2011) -- How far would you drive in the Badger State to find a badger -- or even a burrow? One graduate student has traveled more than 300 miles -- more than once -- only to find her research subject had moved on to a new address. ... > full story

Gene discovery in truffle dogs sheds new light on mechanisms of childhood epilepsy (July 29, 2011) -- A new epilepsy gene, LGI2, has been found in the Lagotto Romagnolo dogs, known from their gift for truffle hunting. ... > full story

Genetic evidence clears Ben Franklin: Invasive tree afflicting Gulf Coast was not brought to U.S. by famed statesman (July 29, 2011) -- The DNA evidence is in, and Ben Franklin didn't do it. Genetic tests on more than 1,000 Chinese tallow trees from the United States and China show that Franklin did not import the tallow trees that are overrunning thousands of acres of U.S. coastal prairie from Florida to East Texas. The study found that the invasive strain of the tree was likely imported by federal biologists around 1905. ... > full story

NASA measures wildfire pollution pour over Niagara Falls (July 29, 2011) -- Water isn't the only thing pouring over Niagara Falls. Pollution from fires in Ontario, Canada is also making the one thousand mile trip, while being measured by NASA's Aqua satellite. ... > full story

Aging brains are different in humans and chimpanzees; Evolution of human longevity led to both a large brain and brain shrinkage (July 29, 2011) -- Brains shrink in humans, potentially causing a number of health problems and mental illnesses as people age, but do they shrink to the same extent in the closest living relatives to humans -- the chimpanzees? ... > full story

Emulating nature for better engineering (July 29, 2011) -- Researchers in the UK describe a novel approach to making porous materials, solid foams, more like their counterparts in the natural world, including bone and wood. ... > full story

Common Korean surname tells tale of nationhood (July 29, 2011) -- The most common surname in Korea -- Kim -- has been traced back 1,500 years using a statistical model, providing evidence of a strong, stable culture that has remained intact to this day. ... > full story

Sea level rise less from Greenland, more from Antarctica, than expected during last interglacial (July 29, 2011) -- New research results are revealing surprising patterns of melting during the last interglacial period that suggest that Greenland's ice may be more stable -- and Antarctica's less stable -- than many thought. ... > full story

Ongoing global biodiversity loss unstoppable with protected areas alone (July 29, 2011) -- Continued reliance on a strategy of setting aside land and marine territories as "protected areas" is insufficient to stem global biodiversity loss, according to a new comprehensive assessment. ... > full story

Earth's atmosphere may be more efficient at releasing energy to space than climate models indicate, satellite data suggest (July 29, 2011) -- Data from NASA's Terra satellite suggests that when the climate warms, Earth's atmosphere is apparently more efficient at releasing energy to space than models used to forecast climate change may indicate, according to a new study. ... > full story

World population to surpass 7 billion in 2011; Explosive population growth means challenges for developing nations (July 28, 2011) -- Global population is expected to hit 7 billion later this year, up from 6 billion in 1999. Between now and 2050, an estimated 2.3 billion more people will be added -- nearly as many as inhabited the planet as recently as 1950. New estimates from the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations also project that the population will reach 10.1 billion in 2100. ... > full story

Unexpected discovery on hormone secretion (July 28, 2011) -- Geneticists have made an unexpected discovery on hormone secretion. Contrary to common belief, the researchers found that pituitary cells are organized in structured networks. ... > full story

Geographic analysis offers new insight into coral disease spread (July 28, 2011) -- In the last 30 years, more than 90 percent of the reef-building coral responsible for maintaining major marine habitats and providing a natural barrier against hurricanes in the Caribbean has disappeared because of a disease of unknown origin. ... > full story

Toucans wearing GPS backpacks help Smithsonian scientists study seed dispersal (July 28, 2011) -- Nutmeg-loving toucans wearing GPS transmitters recently helped scientists in Panama address an age-old problem in plant ecology: accurately estimating seed dispersal. The tracking data revealed what scientists have long suspected, that toucans are excellent seed dispersers, particularly in the morning; also, for the first time, the data enabled researchers to create a map of the relative patterns and distances that toucans distribute the seeds of a nutmeg tree. ... > full story

Researchers tap yeasts as source of 'green' surfactants (July 28, 2011) -- Surfactants, which are wetting agents that lower a liquid's surface tension, have a long list of uses, from detergents and cosmetics to paints and pesticides. Most surfactants are petroleum-based. But one group of scientists has now focused its attention on sophorolipids, surfactant-like molecules produced by naturally occurring yeasts. ... > full story

Reservoirs of ancient lava shaped Earth (July 28, 2011) -- Geological history has periodically featured giant lava eruptions that coat large swaths of land or ocean floor with basaltic lava, which hardens into rock formations called flood basalt. New research proposes that the remnants of six of the largest volcanic events of the past 250 million years contain traces of the ancient Earth's primitive mantle -- which existed before the largely differentiated mantle of today -- offering clues to the geochemical history of the planet. ... > full story

Organized crime is wiping out wildlife, report finds (July 28, 2011) -- An immense and increasingly sophisticated illegal trade in wildlife parts conducted by organized crime, coupled with antiquated enforcement methods, are decimating the world's most beloved species including rhinos, tigers and elephants on a scale never before seen. ... > full story