ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Thursday, August 11, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Thursday, August 11, 2011

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Engineers reverse E. coli metabolism for quick production of fuels, chemicals (August 11, 2011) -- In a biotechnological tour de force, engineering researchers have now unveiled a new method for converting simple glucose into biofuels and petrochemical substitutes that is up to 10 times faster than previously reported methods. Researchers have reversed one of the most efficient of all metabolic pathways -- the beta oxidation cycle -- to engineer bacteria that make biofuel at a breakneck pace. ... > full story

How an antibiotic-producing organism controls resistance to its own antibiotic (August 11, 2011) -- Working out the structure of a complex formed when a protein binds to DNA has proved to be key in understanding how an antibiotic-producing organism controls resistance to its own antibiotic, and may be an example of how other antibiotic producers regulate export to prevent self-toxicity. ... > full story

Did global methane level-off because of less dependency on oil or new farming practices? (August 11, 2011) -- Two new articles reach markedly different conclusions about why methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas, unexpectedly leveled off near the end of the 20th century. ... > full story

Poultry farms that go organic have significantly fewer antibiotic-resistant bacteria (August 11, 2011) -- Poultry farms that have transitioned from conventional to organic practices and ceased using antibiotics have significantly lower levels of drug-resistant enterococci bacteria. The findings suggest that removing antibiotic use from large-scale US poultry farms can result in immediate and significant reductions in antibiotic resistance for some bacteria. ... > full story

Working towards replacing platinum in fuel cells: Performance of iron-based catalysts improved (August 11, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new and improved iron-based catalyst capable of generating even more electric power in fuel cells for transportation applications. Previously, only platinum-based catalysts could produce similar performance. ... > full story

Bird song-sharing like verbal sparring (August 10, 2011) -- While singing the same songs as your neighbors may sound harmonious, new research suggests that song-sharing amongst song sparrow populations is actually an aggressive behavior, akin to flinging insults back and forth. ... > full story

Deep recycling in Earth faster than thought (August 10, 2011) -- The recycling of Earth's crust in volcanoes happens much faster than scientists have previously assumed. Rock of the oceanic crust, which sinks deep into the earth due to the movement of tectonic plates, reemerges through volcanic eruptions after around 500 million years. ... > full story

Is this how simple life got complicated? (August 10, 2011) -- A new study has created an analog of what researchers think the first multicellular cooperation might have looked like, showing that yeast cells -- in an environment that requires them to work for their food -- grow and reproduce better in multicellular clumps than singly. ... > full story

High energy output found from algae-based fuel, but 'no silver bullet' (August 10, 2011) -- Algae-based fuel is one of many options among the array of possible future energy sources. New research shows that while algae-based transportation fuels produce high energy output with minimal land use, their production could come with significant environmental burdens. ... > full story

Study builds on plausible scenario for origin of life on Earth (August 10, 2011) -- A relatively simple combination of naturally occurring sugars and amino acids offers a plausible route to the building blocks of life, according to a new article. The study shows how the precursors to RNA could have formed on Earth before any life existed. ... > full story

Prenatal pet exposure, delivery mode, race are key factors in early allergy risk, study finds (August 10, 2011) -- Prenatal pet exposure, a mother's delivery mode and race are influential factors in a child's risk of developing allergies by age 2, according to a new study. Researchers found that babies who have indoor prenatal pet exposure have a pattern of lower levels of the antibody Immunoglobulin E, or IgE, between birth and age 2. IgE is linked to the development of allergies and asthma. ... > full story

New eruption discovered at undersea volcano, after successfully forecasting the event (August 10, 2011) -- Scientists just discovered a new eruption of Axial Seamount, an undersea volcano located about 250 miles off the Oregon coast -- and one of the most active and intensely studied seamounts in the world. The event is intriguing because the scientists had forecast the eruption starting five years ago -- the first successful forecast of an undersea volcano. ... > full story

Baker's yeast protects against fatal infections (August 10, 2011) -- Injecting mice with simple baker's yeast protects against the fatal fungal infection, aspergillosis, according to new research. The work could lead to the development of a human vaccine that protects immuno-compromised people against a range of life-threatening fungal infections, for which current therapy often fails. ... > full story

New insights into the how the powerhouse of the cell works (August 10, 2011) -- Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell. They are thought to have evolved more than a billion years ago from primitive bacterium which was engulfed by an early eukaryotic cell resulting in endosymbiotic relationships between the host cell and the newly formed organelle. During evolution the vast majority of the mitochondrial genetic material left the organelle and got integrated into the nucleus of the host cell. Hence, most of the mitochondrial proteins are synthesized outside of the organelle and have to be imported into the various internal mitochondrial compartments. ... > full story

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

Divot resistance in golf course turfgrass (August 10, 2011) -- Scientists have evaluated 12 cultivars of turfgrass with the objective of determining the grasses' divot resistances. Golfers hit golf balls on each cultivar of turfgrass, and the divots created by their shots were rated visually for divot type and severity, and the volume of displaced soil was measured. ... > 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

Forests absorb one third of fossil fuel emissions, study finds (August 9, 2011) -- The world's established forests remove 2.4 billion tonnes of carbon per year from the atmosphere -- equivalent to one third of current annual fossil fuel emissions -- according to new research. ... > 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