ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Monday, September 6, 2010
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Mothers matter! High social status and maternal support play an important role in mating success of male bonobos (September 5, 2010) -- The higher up a male bonobo is placed in the social hierarchy, the greater his mating success is with female bonobos, researchers have found. But even males who are not so highly placed still have a chance of impressing females. A new study finds evidence of direct support from mothers to their sons in agonistic conflicts over access to estrous females. ... > full story
Did Viking Mars landers find life's building blocks? Missing piece inspires new look at puzzle (September 5, 2010) -- Experiments prompted by a 2008 surprise from NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander suggest that soil examined by NASA's Viking Mars landers in 1976 may have contained carbon-based chemical building blocks of life. ... > full story
New bee species discovered in downtown Toronto (September 5, 2010) -- A doctoral student who discovered a new species of bee in Toronto has completed a study of 84 species of sweat bees in Canada. Nineteen of these species are new to science -- never before identified -- including the new Toronto bee, which is actually quite common in eastern Canada and the US. The new research will help scientists track bee diversity, and understand pollination biology and insect social behavior. ... > full story
Mosquitoes: Genetic structure of first animal to show evolutionary response to climate change determined (September 5, 2010) -- Scientists have determined the fine-scale genetic structure of the first animal to show an evolutionary response to rapid climate change. ... > full story
Starvation keeps sleep-deprived fly brain sharp (September 5, 2010) -- As anyone who has ever struggled to keep his or her eyes open after a big meal knows, eating can induce sleepiness. New research in fruit flies suggests that, conversely, being hungry may provide a way to stay awake without feeling groggy or mentally challenged. ... > full story
Global warming's silver lining? Northern countries will thrive and grow, researcher predicts (September 5, 2010) -- Move over, Sunbelt. The New North is coming through, a geographer predicts in a new book. As worldwide population increases by 40 percent over the next 40 years, sparsely populated Canada, Scandinavia, Russia and the northern United States will become formidable economic powers and migration magnets, Laurence C. Smith writes. ... > full story
Novel nanotechnology collaboration leads to breakthrough in cancer research (September 4, 2010) -- A multidisciplinary group of researchers has produced a 3.6-angstrom resolution structure of the human adenovirus. Scientists are working with adenovirus as a vector for gene therapy, but have needed better structural information. ... > full story
Helping corn-based plastics take more heat (September 4, 2010) -- A team of agricultural scientists are working to make corn-derived plastics more heat tolerant -- research that may broaden the range of applications for which these plastics could be used as an alternative to petroleum-based plastics. ... > full story
Next step in evolution? A technical life form that passes on knowledge and experience (September 4, 2010) -- Dutch biologist Gerard Jagers op Akkerhuis has developed the ‘operator hierarchy’ -- a system based on the complexity of particles and of organisms, which can predict the next step in evolution: a technical life form, that can pass on its knowledge and experience to the next generation. ... > full story
Most new farmland in tropics comes from slashing forests, research shows (September 4, 2010) -- A new study shows that more than 80 percent of the new farmland created in the tropics between 1980 and 2000 came from felling forests, which sends carbon into the atmosphere and drives global warming. But the research team also noted that big agribusiness has largely replaced small farmers in doing most of the tree cutting in Brazil and Indonesia, which may make it easier to rein in the trend. ... > full story
Why fish oils work swimmingly against inflammation and diabetes (September 4, 2010) -- Researchers have identified the molecular mechanism that makes omega-3 fatty acids so effective in reducing chronic inflammation and insulin resistance. ... > full story
Many urban streams harmful to aquatic life following winter pavement deicing (September 4, 2010) -- The use of salt to deice pavement can leave urban streams toxic to aquatic life, according to a new study on the influence of winter runoff in northern US cities, with a special focus on eastern Wisconsin and Milwaukee. ... > full story
Ants take on Goliath role in protecting trees in the savanna from elephants (September 3, 2010) -- Ants are not out of their weight class when defending trees from the appetite of nature's heavyweight, the African elephant, a new study finds. Columns of angered ants will crawl up into elephant trunks to repel the ravenous beasts from devouring tree cover throughout drought-plagued East African savannas, playing a potentially important role in regulating carbon sequestration in these ecosystems. ... > full story
Mechanisms and function of a type of mysterious immune cell discovered (September 3, 2010) -- In two closely related studies, two teams of scientists have discovered the underlying mechanisms that activate a type of immune cell in the skin and other organs. The findings may lead to the development of new therapies to treat inflammation, wounds, asthma and malignant tumors. ... > full story
Giant Greenland iceberg -- largest in the northern hemisphere -- enters Nares Strait (September 3, 2010) -- The European Space Agency's Envisat satellite has been tracking the progression of the giant iceberg that calved from Greenland's Petermann glacier on 4 August 2010. A new animation shows that the iceberg, the largest in the northern hemisphere, is now entering Nares Strait -- a stretch of water that connects the Lincoln Sea and Arctic Ocean with Baffin Bay. ... > full story
Brainy worms: Scientists uncover counterpart of cerebral cortex in marine worms (September 3, 2010) -- Unexpectedly, scientists have now discovered a true counterpart of the cerebral cortex in an invertebrate, a marine worm. Their findings give an idea of what the most ancient higher brain centers looked like, and what our distant ancestors used them for. ... > full story
Capsaicin can act as co-carcinogen, study finds; Chili pepper component linked to skin cancer (September 3, 2010) -- New research links capsaicin, a component of chili peppers, to skin cancer. While the molecular mechanisms of the cancer-promoting effects of capsaicin are not clear and remain controversial, the new research has shown a definite connection to formation of skin cancer through various laboratory studies. ... > full story
Cranberry juice shows promise blocking Staph infections (September 3, 2010) -- Expanding their scope of study on the mechanisms of bacterial infection, researchers have reported the surprise finding from a small clinical study that cranberry juice cocktail blocked a strain of Staphylococcus aureus from beginning the process of infection. ... > full story
Science's policy clout diminished, but oil risk looms large, study finds (September 3, 2010) -- More people are likely to believe scientific studies claiming that oil drilling is riskier, not safer, than was previously thought, according to a new study of attitudes in California. What's more the findings show that scientists' efforts to influence public opinion have a limited effect. ... > full story
Miniature auto differential helps tiny aerial robots stay aloft (September 3, 2010) -- Engineers have created a millionth-scale automobile differential to govern the flight of minuscule aerial robots that could someday be used to probe environmental hazards, forest fires, and other places too perilous for people. Their new approach is the first to passively balance the aerodynamic forces encountered by these miniature flying devices, letting their wings flap asymmetrically in response to gusts of wind, wing damage, and other real-world impediments. ... > full story
Chemists develop simple technique to visualize atomic-scale structures (September 3, 2010) -- Researchers have devised a new technique -- using a sheet of carbon just one atom thick -- to visualize the structure of molecules. The technique, which was used to obtain the first direct images of how water coats surfaces at room temperature, can also be used to image a potentially unlimited number of other molecules, including antibodies and other biomolecules. ... > full story
Cigarette smoke may contribute to lung inflammation through a new chemical pathway (September 3, 2010) -- Cigarette smoke shuts off a key enzyme in airways that regulates the body's response to inflammation, according to new findings. Researchers say smoke inhibits the enzyme, called Leukotriene A4 Hydrolase (LTA4H), causing it to fail in its job of shutting down white blood cells following a successful response to inflammation. ... > full story
Scientists listen to faint sounds inside insects using atomic force microscopy (September 3, 2010) -- Scientists are using atomic force microscopy to record sounds emanating from inside living insects like flies, mosquitoes and ladybugs. ... > full story
Serendipity contributes to MRSA susceptibility findings (September 3, 2010) -- Researchers have found two genes in mice which might help identify why some people are more susceptible than others to potentially deadly staph infections. ... > full story
Molecules involved in 'touch' identified: Could lead to new treatments for pain, deafness and cardiac function (September 3, 2010) -- Scientists have identified two proteins with potential to be important targets for research into a wide range of health problems, including pain, deafness, and cardiac and kidney dysfunction. ... > full story
How do organisms make dietary choices? (September 3, 2010) -- When given a choice, organisms will choose a diet that maintains a nutritional balance in tune with their needs. That choice, studied in fruit flies for the first time, is regulated by activity in a molecular pathway involved in aging, cancer and diabetes. Humans share the same molecular pathway. The study, the first to be done in a genetically tractable lab animal, could lead to treatments that would "reboot" metabolic pathways in individuals who are obese or suffer from diabetes. ... > full story
Model for implantable artificial kidney to replace dialysis unveiled (September 3, 2010) -- Researchers have unveiled a prototype model of the first implantable artificial kidney, in a development that one day could eliminate the need for dialysis. ... > full story
New type of anti-malarial compound discovered (September 3, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a promising new drug candidate that represents a new class of drug to treat malaria. Clinical trials for the compound are planned for later this year. ... > full story
Cuckoo chicks in Zebra finches: Eggs from other females can be found in every fifth nest (September 3, 2010) -- Some female zebra finches foist a part of their eggs on their neighbors. Scientists in Germany have discovered that in every fifth nest there is one egg that is not produced by its social parents. The female birds act in a very well-targeted way: eggs are being placed in “foster-care” shortly before the hosts commence their own egg laying. ... > full story
Scientists develop new method to identify glycosylated proteins (September 3, 2010) -- Various processes in our body are controlled by subsequent changes of proteins. Therefore, the identification of such modifications is essential for the further exploration of the human organism. Now, scientists in Germany have made a crucial contribution to this: Using a new method, they have been able to identify more than 6,000 glycosylated protein sites in different tissues and have thus established an important basis for the better understanding of all life processes. ... > full story
Edible nanostructures: Compounds made from renewable materials could be used for gas storage, food technologies (September 3, 2010) -- Sugar, salt, alcohol and a little serendipity led researchers to discover a new class of nanostructures that could be used for gas storage and food and medical technologies. And the compounds are edible. The porous crystals are the first known all-natural metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that are simple to make. Most other MOFs are made from petroleum-based ingredients, but the new MOFs you can pop into your mouth and eat, and the researchers have. ... > full story
How the male common snipe 'flies the flag' to get the girl (September 3, 2010) -- A new study -- using high speed video and feathers bought on eBay -- shows that when the male snipe sticks out his outer tail feathers, they flutter like flags in the wind, producing a highly seductive drumming sound. The winged Lothario also dives to increase the speed and therefore raise the pitch of the call in a bid to impress the female of the species. ... > full story
‘Green wall’ technology could double the plant diversity of the River Thames through London (September 3, 2010) -- Only half the number of plant species that could blossom along the walls of the River Thames finds a suitable place to grow, yet this could potentially double with the introduction of ‘green wall’ technology, according to new research. ... > full story
Natural disasters do not necessarily create peace, research finds (September 3, 2010) -- A devastating tsunami hit southern Asia in December 2004. After the tsunami, both politicians and journalists believed that the natural disaster could help to bring peace to Sri Lanka and the Aceh province of Indonesia. But did it? ... > full story
Britain leads world for environmentally friendly burials (September 3, 2010) -- Britain is leading the world in green burials as more and more people decide to be laid to rest in woodlands, meadows, farmlands and other habitats which are rich in wildlife – and there are no laws preventing it as there are in many other countries. New research shows that people choose green burials because of sustainability, to be in a pleasant, peaceful place which means something to them, or because local cemeteries are full. ... > full story
Borderland Russians (September 3, 2010) -- A new study looks at how living close to the border affects people, and whether borderland people are different from other people. The case in point is the Russians on the Kola Peninsula: Living in the high north, hailing from the south, and with Scandinavian neighbours within throwing distance across an increasingly permeable border. How do they view themselves? ... > full story
Cows prefer red clover, boost milk production (September 3, 2010) -- Cows prefer silage containing red clover, which also boosts their milk production. New research conducted in Finland also discovered that silage made from grass in late summer is no comparison for the same silage made in early summer. ... > full story
Water in Earth's mantle key to survival of oldest continents (September 2, 2010) -- Earth today is one of the most active planets in the Solar System, and was probably even more so during the early stages of its life. Thanks to the plate tectonics that continue to shape our planet's surface, remnants of crust from Earth's formative years are rare, but not impossible to find. A new paper examines how some ancient rocks have resisted being recycled into Earth's convecting interior. ... > full story
Antibacterial peptide could aid in treating soldiers' burn wound infections (September 2, 2010) -- An antibacterial peptide looks to be a highly effective therapy against infections in burn or blast wounds suffered by soldiers. ... > full story
New app shows 2-D structure of thousands of RNA molecules (September 2, 2010) -- For the first time, it's possible to experimentally capture a global snapshot of the conformation of thousands of RNA molecules in a cell. The finding is important because this scrappy little sister of DNA has recently been shown to be much more complex than previously thought. ... > full story
Ozone depletion: Paving the way for identification of rogue CFC release (September 2, 2010) -- A new discovery could make it possible in future to identify the source of banned CFCs that are probably still being released into the atmosphere. They have also discovered the largest chlorine isotope enrichment ever found in nature. ... > full story
Scientists unwrap DNA packaging to gain insight into cells (September 2, 2010) -- Scientists have built a clearer picture of how lengthy strands of DNA are concertinaed when our cells grow and divide, in a discovery could help explain how cell renewal can go wrong. ... > full story
Deepwater Horizon spill: New method successfully predicted how oil would spread (September 2, 2010) -- Prompted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, a scientist has come up with a new way of predicting how contaminants like oil will spread. He was able to forecast several days in advance that oil from that spill would wash ashore in particular parts of the Gulf of Mexico. ... > full story
Ancient brew masters tapped antibiotic secrets (September 2, 2010) -- A chemical analysis of the bones of ancient Nubians shows that they were regularly consuming tetracycline, most likely in their beer. The finding is the strongest evidence yet that the art of making antibiotics, which officially dates to the discovery of penicillin in 1928, was common practice nearly 2,000 years ago. The study finds that it's likely this prehistoric population was using empirical evidence to develop therapeutic agents. ... > full story
Mineral physicists find new scenery at Earth's core-mantle boundary (September 2, 2010) -- Using a diamond-anvil cell to recreate the high pressures deep within the earth, researchers have found unusual properties in an iron-rich magnesium- and iron-oxide mineral that may explain the existence of several ultra-low velocity zones at the core--mantle boundary. ... > full story
Getting a tail up on conservation? New method for measuring lizard weight from size (September 2, 2010) -- A researcher in Israel has developed an improved tool for translating lizard body lengths to weights. The new equations calculate this valuable morphological feature to estimate the weight of a lizard species in a variety of different ecosystems. ... > full story
Too much aluminum in infant formulas, UK researchers find (September 2, 2010) -- The aluminum content of a range of the most popular brands of infant formulas remains high, researchers in the UK have found. ... > full story
Decrease in global carbon dioxide emissions; CO<sub>2</sub> from China, India on the rise (September 2, 2010) -- Global carbon dioxide emissions decreased in 2009, the first decrease recorded this decade. However, in China and India the emissions increased by 9 and 6 percent. ... > full story
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