ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Wednesday, August 10, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Wednesday, August 10, 2011

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Polar dinosaur tracks open new trail to past (August 10, 2011) -- Paleontologists have discovered a group of more than 20 polar dinosaur tracks on the coast of Victoria, Australia, offering a rare glimpse into animal behavior during the last period of pronounced global warming, about 105 million years ago. ... > full story

Mosquitoes can't spot a spermless mate (August 10, 2011) -- A female mosquito cannot tell if the male that she has mated with is fertile or 'spermless' and unable to fertilize her eggs, according to a new study. The research could help scientists in their mission to prevent the spread of malaria by interfering with the mosquitoes' ability to reproduce. ... > full story

Waging war on invasive plant species: Effects of invasives persist even after removal (August 10, 2011) -- Invasive species cost an estimated .4 trillion annually in their environmental and economic impacts worldwide and are second only to habitat loss as a threat to biodiversity. As scientists struggle with the challenge of controlling invasive species, the question of why some species are so successful continually arises. ... > full story

Hybrid solar system makes rooftop hydrogen (August 10, 2011) -- While roofs across the world sport photovoltaic solar panels to convert sunlight into electricity, an engineer believes a novel hybrid system can wring even more useful energy out of the sun's rays. Instead of systems based on standard solar panels, an engineer proposes a hybrid option in which sunlight heats a combination of water and methanol in a maze of glass tubes on a rooftop. After two catalytic reactions, the system produces hydrogen much more efficiently than current technology without significant impurities. The resulting hydrogen can be stored and used on demand in fuel cells. ... > full story

Solar flares: What does it take to be X-class? Sun emits an X-Class flare on August 9, 2011 (August 9, 2011) -- Solar flares are giant explosions on the sun that send energy, light and high speed particles into space. These flares are often associated with solar magnetic storms known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The number of solar flares increases approximately every 11 years, and the sun is currently moving towards another solar maximum, likely in 2013. That means more flares will be coming, some small and some big enough to send their radiation all the way to Earth. ... > full story

New insights into biology of germ cells: Machinery for recombination is part of chromosome structure (August 9, 2011) -- During the development of gametes, such as egg and sperm cells in humans, chromosomes are broken and rearranged at many positions. Using state of the art technology, researchers in Austria have analyzed this process at high resolution. The surprising observations regarding the mechanism of meiosis are now published in a new article. ... > full story

Study of abalone yields new insights into sexual reproduction (August 9, 2011) -- In new research that could have implications for increasing fertilization in humans and other mammals, life scientists have studied interactions between individual sperm and individual eggs in the natural habitats of abalone -- a large marine snail -- and made precise chemical measurements and developed physical models of these interactions. They are the first scientists to do so. ... > full story

Flaxseed may be effective in protecting against harmful effects of radiation (August 9, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that flax might have a new use for the 21st century: protecting healthy tissues and organs from the harmful effects of radiation. Researchers have found that a diet of flaxseed given to mice not only protects lung tissues before exposure to radiation, but can also significantly reduce damage after exposure occurs. ... > full story

Archaeologists uncover 3,000-year-old lion adorning citadel gate complex in Turkey (August 9, 2011) -- Archaeologists in southeastern Turkey have unearthed the remains of a monumental gate complex adorned with stone sculptures, including a magnificently carved lion. The gate complex provided access to the citadel of Kunulua, capital of the Neo-Hittite Kingdom of Patina (ca. 950-725 BCE), and is reminiscent of the citadel gate excavated by British archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley in 1911 at the royal Hittite city of Carchemish. ... > full story

Connecting the dots: Dental medicine team describes how enamel forms (August 9, 2011) -- Dental medicine researchers are piecing together the process of tooth enamel biomineralization, which could lead to novel nanoscale approaches to developing biomaterials. ... > full story

Japan's Tohoku tsunami created icebergs in Antarctica (August 9, 2011) -- A NASA scientist and her colleagues were able to observe for the first time the power of an earthquake and tsunami to break off large icebergs a hemisphere away. The researchers were able to link the calving of icebergs from the Sulzberger Ice Shelf in Antarctica following the Tohoku Tsunami, which originated with an earthquake off the coast of Japan in March 2011. The finding marks the first direct observation of such a connection between tsunamis and icebergs. ... > full story

Curry spice could offer treatment hope for tendinitis (August 9, 2011) -- A derivative of a common culinary spice found in Indian curries could offer a new treatment hope for sufferers of the painful condition tendinitis, researchers have shown. The researchers have shown that curcumin, which also gives the spice turmeric its trademark bright yellow coloring, can be used to suppress biological mechanisms that spark inflammation in tendon diseases. ... > full story

DNA building blocks can be made in space, NASA evidence suggests (August 9, 2011) -- NASA-funded researchers have evidence that some building blocks of DNA, the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for life, found in meteorites were likely created in space. The research gives support to the theory that a "kit" of ready-made parts created in space and delivered to Earth by meteorite and comet impacts assisted the origin of life. ... > full story

Research outlines math framework that could help convert 'junk' energy into useful power (August 9, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a mathematical framework that could one day form the basis of technologies that turn road vibrations, airport runway noise and other "junk" energy into useful power. ... > full story

Buyer beware: Herbal products missing key safety information (August 9, 2011) -- Many herbal remedies available over-the-counter in pharmacies and health food shops are still lacking important information needed for safe use, according to researchers. ... > full story

Key to 'bifocals' in mangrove fish species: 'Four-eyed fish' shows how gene expression enables adaptation (August 9, 2011) -- A "four-eyed" fish that sees simultaneously above and below the water line has offered up a dramatic example of how gene expression allows organisms to adapt to their environment. ... > full story

Chimpanzees are spontaneously generous after all, study shows (August 9, 2011) -- Researchers have shown chimpanzees have a significant bias for prosocial behavior. This, the study authors report, is in contrast to previous studies that positioned chimpanzees as reluctant altruists and led to the widely held belief that human altruism evolved in the last six million years only after humans split from apes. ... > full story

Biology, materials science get a boost from robust imaging tool: Collaborators give a new view of macromolecular systems (August 9, 2011) -- Shape and alignment are everything. How nanometer-sized pieces fit together into a whole structure determines how well a living cell or an artificially fabricated device performs. A new method to help understand and predict such structure has arrived with the successful use a new imaging tool. ... > full story

Scientist develops virus that targets HIV: Using a virus to kill a virus (August 9, 2011) -- In what represents an important step toward curing HIV, a scientist has created a virus that hunts down HIV-infected cells. ... > full story

Protein unmasks pathogenic fungi to activate immune response (August 9, 2011) -- Researchers have uncovered a novel association between two fungal recognition receptors on the surface of certain immune cells, called macrophages. The interaction of these receptors (dectin-1 and galectin-3) sheds new light on how the innate immune system discriminates between non-pathogenic and pathogenic fungi. Invasive fungal infections are a rising source of morbidity and mortality in healthy individuals, as well as in patients suffering from chronic diseases, such as cancer or AIDS. ... > full story

Live from the scene -- biochemistry in action: New microscope follows single molecules by the millisecond (August 9, 2011) -- Researchers can now watch molecules move in living cells, literally millisecond by millisecond, thanks to a new microscope developed by scientists in Germany. The new technique provides insights into processes that were so far invisible. ... > full story

Severe low temperatures devastate coral reefs in Florida Keys (August 8, 2011) -- Increased seawater temperatures are known to be a leading cause of the decline of coral reefs all over the world. Now, researchers have found that extreme low temperatures affect certain corals in much the same way that high temperatures do, with potentially catastrophic consequences for coral ecosystems. ... > full story

Soy tablets not associated with reduction in bone loss or menopausal symptoms in women, study finds (August 8, 2011) -- Soy isoflavone tablets do not appear to be associated with a reduction in bone loss or menopausal symptoms in women within the first five years of menopause, according to a new study. ... > full story

Billion-year-old piece of North America traced back to Antarctica (August 8, 2011) -- An international team of researchers has found the strongest evidence yet that parts of North America and Antarctica were connected 1.1 billion years ago, long before the supercontinent Pangaea formed. ... > full story

Puffins 'scout out' best migration route (August 8, 2011) -- Individual Atlantic puffins 'scout out' their own migration routes rather than relying on genetic 'programming' or learning routes from a parent, a new study suggests. ... > full story

Researchers use neutrons to spy on the elusive hydronium ion: Unprecedented proof of ion's role in enzymatic process (August 8, 2011) -- A research team has harnessed neutrons to view for the first time the critical role that an elusive molecule plays in certain biological reactions. The effort could aid in treatment of peptic ulcers or acid reflux disease, or allow for more efficient conversion of woody waste into transportation fuels. ... > full story

Endangered river turtle's genes reveal ancient influence of Maya Indians (August 8, 2011) -- A genetic study focusing on the Central American river turtle recently turned up surprising results involved in the conservation of this critically endangered species. Small tissue samples collected from 238 wild turtles at 15 different locations across their range in Southern Mexico, Belize and Guatemala revealed a "surprising lack" of genetic structure. ... > full story

'Amino acid time capsule': New way to date the past (August 8, 2011) -- British scientists are using an 'amino acid time capsule' to date the Quaternary period, stretching back nearly three million years. It is the first widespread application of refinements of the 40-year-old technique of amino acid geochronology. The refined method measures the breakdown of a closed system of protein in fossil snail shells, and provides a method of dating archaeological and geological sites. ... > full story

Key molecule that keeps immune cell development on track described (August 8, 2011) -- Researchers have clarified the role of two proteins key to T-cell development. They found that one well-known protein called Notch passes off much of its role during T-cell maturation to another protein called TCF-1. ... > full story

Increase in tornado, hurricane damage brings call for more stringent building standards (August 8, 2011) -- Researchers have examined some of last spring's massive tornado damage and conclude in a new report that more intensive engineering design and more rigorous, localized construction and inspection standards are needed to reduce property damage and loss of life. ... > full story

New conducting properties discovered in bacteria-produced wires (August 8, 2011) -- The discovery of a fundamental, previously unknown property of microbial nanowires in the bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens that allows electron transfer across long distances could revolutionize nanotechnology and bioelectronics, says a team of physicists and microbiologists. Their findings may one day lead to cheaper, less toxic nanomaterials for biosensors and solid state electronics that interface with biological systems. ... > full story

Hiding vegetables in kids' foods can increase vegetable intake (August 8, 2011) -- Preschool children consumed nearly twice as many vegetables and 11 percent fewer calories over the course of a day when researchers added pureed vegetables to the children's favorite foods. ... > full story

Montana weather linked to ocean temperatures near Peru (August 8, 2011) -- Researchers analyzed 100 years of data and found a significant link between extreme Montana weather and the ocean temperatures near Peru. ... > full story

Cell-based alternative to animal testing? Genomic biomarker signature can predict skin sensitizers, study finds (August 8, 2011) -- European legislation restricts animal testing within the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries and companies are increasingly looking at alternative systems to ensure that their products are safe to use. New research demonstrates that the response of laboratory grown human cells can now be used to classify chemicals as sensitizing, or non-sensitizing, and can even predict the strength of allergic response, so providing an alternative to animal testing. ... > full story

Bizarre insect inbreeding signals an end to males (August 8, 2011) -- A bizarre form of inbreeding could spell the end of males in one insect species, according to researchers. The research focused on cottony cushion scales, a hermaphroditic bug species in which females appear to fertilize their own eggs. ... > full story

New resource to unlock the role of microRNAs (August 8, 2011) -- The first mammalian microRNA knockout resource -- mirKO -- will soon be released. This research toolbox of mutant mouse ES cells, in which individual or clustered groups of microRNA genes have been deleted, will help researchers define the role of microRNAs in health and disease. Using these tools researchers can create cells or mice lacking specific microRNAs, study expression using fluorescent markers, or inactivate the gene in specific tissues or at specific times in development. ... > full story

U.S. government urged to rule on consumption of genetically engineered salmon (August 8, 2011) -- Scientists are urging federal officials to decide whether genetically engineered salmon would be allowed for US consumption and arguing that not doing so may set back scientific efforts to increase food production. ... > full story

Brain's map of space falls flat when it comes to altitude (August 8, 2011) -- Animal's brains are only roughly aware of how high-up they are in space, meaning that in terms of altitude the brain's 'map' of space is surprisingly flat, according to new research. ... > full story

Finding about cell division and metabolism may provide insight into neurodegenerative disorders (August 8, 2011) -- A new finding points to new avenues for investigation of cell metabolism that may provide insights into diseases ranging from neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease to certain types of cancers. ... > full story

Stress protection: How blue-green algae hoard energy (August 8, 2011) -- Under normal conditions, cyanobacteria, also termed blue-green algae, build up energy reserves that allow them to survive under stress such as long periods of darkness. They do this by means of a molecular switch in an enzyme. By removing this switch, researchers now show that it is possible to use the excess energy of the bacteria for biotechnological purposes such as hydrogen production, without the bacteria suffering. ... > full story

How yeast chromosomes avoid the bad breaks (August 8, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered how yeast cells protect themselves against a novel type of chromosome fragility that occurs in repeated DNA during meiosis -- the cell division that produces spores in fungi or eggs and sperm in plants and animals. ... > full story

It's no sweat for salt marsh sparrows to beat the heat if they have a larger bill (August 8, 2011) -- Birds use their bills largely to forage and eat, and these behaviors strongly influence the bill's shape and size. But the bill can play an important role in regulating the bird's body temperature by acting as a radiator for excess heat. A team of scientists have found that because of this, high summer temperatures have been a strong influence in determining bill size in some birds, particularly species of sparrows that favor salt marshes. ... > full story

Why plant 'clones' aren't identical (August 8, 2011) -- A new study of plants that are reproduced by 'cloning' has shown why cloned plants are not identical. Scientists have known for some time that 'clonal' (regenerant) organisms are not always identical. Now researchers believe they have found out why this is the case in plants: the genomes of regenerant plants carry relatively high frequencies of new DNA sequence mutations that were not present in the genome of the donor plant. ... > full story

Human influence on the 21st century climate: One possible future for the atmosphere (August 8, 2011) -- New computer modeling work in the journal Climatic Change shows that by 2100, if society wants to limit carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to less than 40 percent higher than it is today, the lowest cost option is to use every available means of reducing emissions. This includes more nuclear and renewable energy, choosing electricity over fossil fuels, reducing emissions through technologies that capture and store carbon dioxide, and even using forests to store carbon. ... > full story

Peak oil and public health: Political common ground? (August 8, 2011) -- In a new article, a communication professor demonstrates that the impact of peak petroleum on public health may be a way to unite conservatives and liberals in an effort to move away from fossil fuels and towards alternative forms of energy. ... > full story

Meteorites: Tool kits for creating life on Earth (August 8, 2011) -- Meteorites hold a record of the chemicals that existed in the early solar system and that may have been a crucial source of the organic compounds that gave rise to life on Earth. Since the 1960s, scientists have been trying to find proof that nucleobases, the building blocks of our genetic material, came to Earth on meteorites. New research indicates that certain nucleobases do reach the Earth from extraterrestrial sources, by way of certain meteorites, and in greater diversity and quantity than previously thought. ... > full story

NASA's NPP satellite completes comprehensive testing (August 8, 2011) -- The NASA National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project has successfully completed its most comprehensive end-to-end compatibility test of the actual satellite and all five scientific instruments. NPP contains a suite of five sensors that will make measurements to continue producing key data products about Earth including, for example, measurements of cloud, vegetation, and ice cover, ocean color, and sea and land surface temperatures. ... > full story

Did past climate change encourage tree-killing fungi? (August 7, 2011) -- The Permian extinction 250 million years ago was the largest mass extinction on record, and among the losers were conifers that originally blanketed the arid interior of the supercontinent Pangaea. Now researchers say that climate change led to the proliferation of tree-killing soil fungi that helped destroy the forests -- something that could happen as a consequence of global warming today. ... > full story