ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Friday, August 29, 2008
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Explosives Go 'Green' ... And Get More Precise (August 29, 2008) -- Certain explosives may soon get a little greener and a little more precise. Researchers have added unique green solvents (ionic liquids) to an explosive called TATB (1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene) and improved the crystal quality and chemical purity of the material. ... > full story
Researchers Provide Solution To World’s Worst Mass Poisoning Case (August 29, 2008) -- A solution to the world's worst case of ongoing mass poisoning, linked to rising cancer rates in Southern Asia, has been developed by researchers from Queen's University Belfast. They have created new low-cost technology to provide arsenic-free water to millions of people in South Asia currently exposed to high levels of the poison in groundwater. ... > full story
Fishing For Profits On World Caviar Market (August 29, 2008) -- As sturgeon populations decline in the Caspian Sea, scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have a found way for Israel to cash in on the world's growing demand for caviar. ... > full story
Arctic Ice On Verge Of Another All-time Low (August 28, 2008) -- Following last summer's record minimum ice cover in the Arctic, current observations from ESA's Envisat satellite suggest that the extent of polar sea-ice may again shrink to a level very close to that of last year. ... > full story
Cluster Watches Earth's Leaky Atmosphere (August 28, 2008) -- Oxygen is constantly leaking out of Earth's atmosphere and into space. Now, ESA's formation-flying quartet of satellites, Cluster, has discovered the physical mechanism that is driving the escape. It turns out that the Earth's own magnetic field is accelerating the oxygen away. ... > full story
Student-designed Device To Help Poor East Africans Coax Oil From Coconuts (August 28, 2008) -- Student engineers designed an innovative and cost-effective apparatus that enables poor East African women to turn abundant coconuts into valuable coconut oil. ... > full story
New Report Card Shows Campuses Going Greener (August 28, 2008) -- Is your alma mater among those stepping up to green their campuses? Are our colleges preparing students for a greener future? You can find out in National Wildlife Federation's just-released Campus Environment 2008 Report Card, a comprehensive look at nationwide trends in sustainability among America's institutions of higher learning. The report compares findings with the previous study conducted in 2001. ... > full story
Jamaican Lizards' Shows Of Strength Mark Territory At Dawn, Dusk (August 28, 2008) -- What does Jack LaLanne have in common with a Jamaican lizard? Like the ageless fitness guru, the lizards greet each new day with vigorous push-ups. That's according to a new study showing that male Anolis lizards engage in impressive displays of reptilian strength -- push-ups, head bobs, and threatening extension of a colorful neck flap called a dewlap -- to defend their territory at dawn and dusk. ... > full story
Protection Zones In The Wrong Place To Prevent Coral Reef Collapse (August 28, 2008) -- Conservation zones are in the wrong place to protect vulnerable coral reefs from the effects of global warming, an international team of scientists warned today. Now the team say that urgent action is needed to prevent the collapse of this important marine ecosystem. ... > full story
Proteins Have Controlled Motions, Researcher Shows (August 28, 2008) -- Iowa State University researcher Robert Jernigan believes that his research shows proteins have controlled motions. Most biochemists traditionally believe proteins have many random, uncontrolled movements. ... > full story
Olive Leaf Extract Can Help Tackle High Blood Pressure And Cholesterol (August 28, 2008) -- Taking 1000 mg of a specific olive leaf extract (EFLA 943) can lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure in patients with mild hypertension (high blood pressure). These findings came from a "Twins" trial, in which different treatments were given to identical twins. By doing this, researchers could increase the power of their data by eliminating some of the uncertainties caused by genetic variations between individual people. ... > full story
Facades: A Source Of Water Pollution (August 28, 2008) -- For many years, fingers have been pointed at agriculture whenever pesticides are detected in rivers and streams. Studies now show that built-up areas also account for a considerable proportion of such inputs. For example, substances can be leached out of facade renders and paints by rainwater and enter the environment, where they may have toxic effects on organisms. ... > full story
New LIDAR System Sees The Sky In 3D (August 28, 2008) -- A new LIDAR measurement system -- unique in the world -- will provide continuous data on atmospheric humidity for Western Switzerland's weather forecasting headquarters. ... > full story
Genetic Underpinnings Of Sheep Traits May Yield Clues To Greater Productivity (August 28, 2008) -- Keeping America's sheep healthy and productive while expanding the market for wool and lamb is the goal of scientists who are matching the animals' physical traits to the genes that underpin their expression. ... > full story
Why Is Greenland Covered In Ice? Changes In Carbon Dioxide Levels Explain Transition (August 28, 2008) -- A fall in levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, close to that of pre-industrial times, explains the transition from a mostly ice-free Greenland of three million years ago to the ice-covered region we see today. ... > full story
Sweet Potato Out-Yields Corn In Ethanol Production Study (August 28, 2008) -- In experiments, sweet potatoes grown in Maryland and Alabama yielded two to three times as much carbohydrate for fuel ethanol production as field corn grown in those states, scientists report. The same was true of tropical cassava in Alabama. ... > full story
Protein Misprediction Uncovered By New Technique (August 28, 2008) -- A new bioinformatics tool is capable of identifying and correcting abnormal, incomplete and mispredicted protein annotations in public databases. The MisPred tool currently uses five principles to identify suspect proteins that are likely to be abnormal or mispredicted. ... > full story
Yellowstone's Ancient Supervolcano: Molten Plume Of Material Cooler Than Expected (August 28, 2008) -- The geysers of Yellowstone National Park owe their existence to the "Yellowstone hotspot" -- a region of molten rock buried deep beneath Yellowstone, geologists have found. ... > full story
Nonviable Seeds May Contain Research-Quality DNA (August 28, 2008) -- Agricultural Research Service scientists have ways of making seeds talk. They have demonstrated that seeds can reveal genetic information even after they've lost viability, which is the ability to germinate. The research has significant implications for seed bank management. ... > full story
Heavy Metal Link To Mutations, Low Growth And Fertility Among Crustaceans In Sydney Harbor Tributary (August 28, 2008) -- Heavy metal pollutants are linked to genetic mutations, stunted growth and declining fertility among small crustaceans in the Parramatta River, the main tributary of Sydney Harbor, new research shows. The finding adds to mounting evidence that toxic sediments and seaweeds in Sydney Harbor are a deadly diet for many sea creatures. ... > full story
Profiling Protective Proteins In Dairy Cows (August 27, 2008) -- Agricultural Research Service molecular biologist John Lippolis is delving into the dynamics of the dairy cow immune system. His work is resulting in the first close-up look at how immune system proteins help protect the cows, and how bacterial proteins fight back. ... > full story
Consumption Of Nuts, Corn Or Popcorn Not Associated With Increased Risk Of Diverticulosis In Men (August 27, 2008) -- Contrary to a common recommendation to avoid eating popcorn, nuts and corn to prevent diverticular complications, a large prospective study of men indicates that the consumption of these foods does not increase the risk of diverticulosis or diverticular complications. ... > full story
Wireless Sensors Learn From Life (August 27, 2008) -- European and Indian researchers are applying principles learned from living organisms to design self-organising networks of wireless sensors suitable for a wide range of environmental monitoring purposes. ... > full story
Researching Impact Of Global Warming On Corals (August 27, 2008) -- Scientists are collecting the spawn of elkhorn corals as part of a research and education project to grow the newborn juvenile corals for distribution to aquaria and to the wild. The goals of the project are to learn how corals will respond to global warming and also to teach aquarium professionals how they can protect corals by using laboratory-raised specimens rather than removing corals from the ocean. ... > full story
First Prehistoric Pregnant Turtle And Nest Of Eggs Discovered In Southern Alberta (August 27, 2008) -- A 75-million-year-old fossil of a pregnant turtle and a nest of fossilized eggs that were discovered in the badlands of southeastern Alberta are yielding new ideas on the evolution of egg-laying and reproduction in turtles and tortoises. ... > full story
Racing Cane Toads Reveals They Get Cold Feet On Southern Australia Invasion (August 27, 2008) -- Cane toads weren't allowed to compete in the Olympics, but scientists have raced cane toads in the laboratory and calculated that they would not be able to invade Melbourne, Adelaide or Hobart and are unlikely to do well in Perth or Sydney, even with climate change. ... > full story
High Levels Of Toxic Metals Found In Herbal Medicine Products Sold Online (August 27, 2008) -- One fifth of both US-manufactured and Indian-manufactured Ayurvedic medicines purchased via the Internet contain lead, mercury or arsenic. ... > full story
Taking Earth's Temperature Via Satellite (August 27, 2008) -- Imagine adding a thermometer to Google Earth. That's the vision of Agricultural Research Service scientists Martha Anderson and Bill Kustas, who see the need for high-resolution thermal infrared imaging tools -- such as those aboard the aging Landsat satellites -- as vital to monitoring earth's health. ... > full story
Bone Parts Don't Add Up To Conclusion Of Hobbit-like Palauan Dwarfs (August 27, 2008) -- Misinterpreted fragments of leg bones, teeth and brow ridges found in Palau appear to be an archaeologist's undoing, according to researchers at three institutions. They say that the so-called dwarfs of these Micronesian islands actually were modern, normal-sized hunters and gatherers. ... > full story
Is Extinction Or Diversity On The Rise? Study Of Islands Reveals Surprising Results (August 27, 2008) -- It's no secret that humans are having a huge impact on the life cycles of plants and animals. UC Santa Barbara researchers decided to test that theory by studying the world's far-flung islands. Their research sheds surprising light on the subject of extinction rates of species on islands. ... > full story
New Oral Vaccine May Protect Against Bubonic Plague (August 27, 2008) -- Researchers have used a less virulent ancestor to the highly infectious bubonic plague to develop a potentially safe, efficient and inexpensive live oral vaccine. ... > full story
Fishing Technology Letting Turtles Off The Hook (August 27, 2008) -- Alternative fishing technology has been shown to save turtles while not affecting fish catches, according to a new report. ... > full story
Earthquake Zone Off Oregon Coast Surprisingly Active (August 27, 2008) -- Scientists have completed a new analysis of an earthquake fault line that extends some 200 miles off the southern and central Oregon coast that they say is more active than the San Andreas Fault in California. ... > full story
Hot And Cold: Circulation Of Atmosphere Affected Mediterranean Climate During Last Ice Age (August 27, 2008) -- A new study in Science reveals the circulation of the atmosphere over the Mediterranean during the last ice age, 23,000 to 19,000 years ago, and how this affected the local climate. ... > full story
Stick With Simple Antibiotics For Pneumonia To Avoid Super Bugs, Says Researcher (August 27, 2008) -- Australian hospitals should avoid prescribing expensive broad-spectrum antibiotics for pneumonia to avoid the development of more drug-resistant super bugs, according to a new study. ... > full story
DNA Barcoding In Danger Of 'Ringing Up' Wrong Species (August 27, 2008) -- DNA barcoding is a movement to catalog all life on earth by a simple standardized genetic tag, similar to stores labeling products with unique barcodes. But the approach as currently practiced churns out some results as inaccurately as a supermarket checker scanning an apple and ringing it up as an orange, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. ... > full story
Scientists Tie Chickpea Disease To Fungal Culprit (August 27, 2008) -- The fungus Sclerotinia trifoliorum plagues legume crops worldwide. But chickpeas seem to have escaped its wrath, with the exception of Australia's crop. Now, that's no longer the case, report scientists. ... > full story
Catalyst For Water Oxidation Adopted From Plants: A Means For Energy-efficient Production Of Hydrogen? (August 27, 2008) -- A team of Australian and American researchers has developed a catalyst that effectively catalyzes the photooxidation of water. The core of the catalyst is a manganese-containing complex modeled after those found in photosynthetic organisms. ... > full story
How Does Bluetongue Virus Survive Through The Winter? (August 27, 2008) -- In 2006, Bluetongue virus -- which infects livestock -- reached Northern Europe for the first time. Some people thought that the outbreak would be limited to that particular year, as winter was expected to kill off the midges that host and spread the disease, bringing the threat of infection to an end. In actuality, the disease escalated in the following year, spreading to the UK. So, how did the virus survive the winter? ... > full story
More Strawberries, More Antioxidant Absorption (August 26, 2008) -- Scientists have assessed the human body's capacity for absorbing certain antioxidant compounds in strawberries, and have found that the absorption of one key beneficial plant chemical was not "maxed out" as volunteers ate more of this popular fruit. Foods high in antioxidants may be excellent sources of healthful compounds, and researchers are striving to learn more about their ability to be absorbed and utilized within the human body. ... > full story
Oral Administration Of Lactobacillus From Breast Milk May Treat Common Infection In Lactating Mothers (August 26, 2008) -- Oral administration of lactobacillus strains found in breast milk may provide an alternative method to antibiotics for effectively treating mastitis, a common infection that occurs in lactating mothers say researchers from Spain. ... > full story
Fertilizer Technology Used Worldwide, But Few New Products Since 1970s (August 26, 2008) -- Most fertilizers used worldwide today were developed from 1950 to 1970 by the Tennessee Valley Authority based in Muscle Shoals. A million investment in fertilizer research returned billion to US agriculture. Public funding for fertilizer development has dropped dramatically since the TVA fertilizer program closed in the 1990s. Research is needed to develop a new generation of energy-efficient fertilizers to help alleviate the food crisis. ... > full story
Protein Structure Discovery Opens Door For Drugs To Fight Bird Flu, Other Influenza Epidemics (August 26, 2008) -- Researchers have reported a discovery that could help scientists develop drugs to fight the much-feared bird flu and other virulent strains of influenza. They have determined the three-dimensional structure of a site on an influenza A virus protein that binds to one of its human protein targets, thereby suppressing a person's natural defenses to the infection and paving the way for the virus to replicate efficiently. ... > full story
New Virus Threatens High Plains Wheat Crop (August 26, 2008) -- Triticum mosaic virus poses a new threat to Texas wheat, according to Texas AgriLife Research scientists in Amarillo. Researchers are working on a variety of studies to determine how big of a role it plays in the disease pressure put on area wheat. ... > full story
Polar Bears Found Swimming Miles From Alaskan Coast (August 26, 2008) -- An aerial survey by government scientists in Alaska's Chukchi Sea this week found at least nine polar bears swimming in open water -- with one at least 60 miles from shore -- raising concern among wildlife experts about their survival. ... > full story
Intensity Of Human Environmental Impact May Lessen As Incomes Rise, Analysis Suggests (August 26, 2008) -- The richer you are, the more of the world's resources you can afford to consume. But in many parts of the world, rising incomes are not having the proportionate effect on energy consumption, croplands and deforestation that one might expect, a new 25-year study shows. ... > full story
Undergrads' Amazon Trip Yields A Treasure Trove Of Diversity (August 26, 2008) -- Yale undergraduates have discovered dozens of potentially beneficial bioactive microorganisms within plants they collected in the Amazon rain forest, including several so genetically distinct that they may be the first members of new taxonomical genera. ... > full story
Hydrogen-Producing Bacteria Provide Clean Energy (August 26, 2008) -- A new "green" technology developed cooperatively by scientists with the Agricultural Research Service and North Carolina State University could lead to production of hydrogen from nitrogen-fixing bacteria. ... > full story
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