ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Friday, November 14, 2008
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Marine Plankton Found In Amber (November 14, 2008) -- Marine microorganisms have been found in amber dating from the middle of the Cretaceous period. The fossils were collected in Charente, in France. This completely unexpected discovery will deepen our understanding of these lost marine species as well as providing precious data about the coastal environment of Western France during the Cretaceous. ... > full story
Small Islands Given Short Shrift In Assembling Archaeological Record (November 14, 2008) -- Small islands dwarf large ones in archaeological importance, says a University of Florida researcher, who found that people who settled the Caribbean before Christopher Columbus preferred more minute pieces of land because they relied heavily on the sea. ... > full story
Fire Risk: Close-up On Habitat–forest Interfaces (November 14, 2008) -- In the French Mediterranean region, scattered habitations are gradually gaining on the forest, increasing the risk of fire start-ups and creating new elements that need protection. In Aix-en-Provence, Cemagref has developed a quasi-automatic method to map habitat–forest interfaces. This tool is of primary interest to land use managers and the actors involved in the fight against forest fires to prevent risk as well as to protect populations and property in case of fire. ... > full story
Satellites Helping Aid Workers In Honduras (November 14, 2008) -- Humanitarian aid workers responding to devastating flooding in Honduras have received assistance from space, with satellite images of affected areas provided rapidly following activation of the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters. ... > full story
Species Diversity Of Enigmatic 'Flying Lemurs' Doubled By New Study (November 13, 2008) -- Colugos, the closest living relatives of primates most notable for their ability to glide from tree to tree over considerable distances, are more diverse than had previously been believed, according to a new report in Current Biology. ... > full story
Dalmatian Bladder Stones Caused By Gene That Regulates Uric Acid In Humans (November 13, 2008) -- A gene mutation that causes high levels of uric acid in all Dalmatian dogs and bladder stones in some Dalmatians, has been identified. The discovery equips dog breeders with the tools to eliminate that trait from the Dalmatian breed and yields clues to the cause of similar problems in humans. ... > full story
Pond Snail Programmed To Be Left Or Right 'Handed' (November 13, 2008) -- Just like humans, the pond snail is genetically programmed to use the left- or right-handed side of its brain to perform different tasks, new research reveals. ... > full story
Epstein-Barr Virus Associated With Inflammatory Diseases Of The Mouth (November 13, 2008) -- Researchers have found that a significant percentage of dental patients with the inflammatory diseases irreversible pulpitis and apical periodontitis also have the Epstein-Barr virus. The Epstein-Barr virus is an important human pathogen found in more than 90 percent of the world population. It is associated with many diseases, including infectious mononucleosis, malignant lymphomas and naspharyngeal carcinoma. ... > full story
Liquid Or Solid? Charged Nanoparticles In Lipid Membrane Decide (November 13, 2008) -- Patchiness in phospholipid membranes is fundamental to their use as biomolecules and biosensors. Using charged nanoparticles, researchers at the University of Illinois have found a new way to stimulate patchiness in phospholipid membranes. ... > full story
U.S. 'Super Bugs' Invading South America (November 13, 2008) -- Two clones of highly antibiotic-resistant organism strains, which previously had only been identified in the United States, are now causing serious sickness and death in several Colombian cities including the capital Bogotá, according to an article in the New England Journal of Medicine. ... > full story
Environmentally Friendly Acrylic Glass Made Of Sugar: New Enzyme Could Revolutionize Production Of Plastics (November 13, 2008) -- Acrylic glass could be made from natural raw materials such as sugars, alcohols or fatty acids, according to new research. Compared with the previous chemical production process, a biotechnological process is far more environmentally friendly. ... > full story
Plants Can Accumulate Nanoparticles In Tissues (November 13, 2008) -- Plants can take up nanoparticles and accumulate them in their tissues, according to new research. The laboratory study, which involved pumpkin plants, indicates a possible pathway for nanoparticles to enter the food chain. The research also reveals a new experimental approach for studying nanoparticles and their potential impacts. ... > full story
Vest Monitors Show Air Pollution Is Dangerous Indoors And Out (November 13, 2008) -- Personal and community exposure to air pollution have significant, although differing adverse effects on heart health. A novel study included pollution-monitoring vests to measure personal levels of pollution exposure. Personal pollution exposure was linked with increased blood pressure and impaired blood vessel function within two days. Globally, air pollution is the 13th leading cause of death. ... > full story
Octopus Family Tree Traced Using New Molecular Evidence (November 13, 2008) -- Many of the world's deep-sea octopuses evolved from species that lived in the Southern Ocean, according to new molecular evidence reported by researchers. ... > full story
Rare Hebrew Seal From First Temple Period Discovered In Archaeological Excavations In Jerusalem's Western Wall Plaza (November 13, 2008) -- A rare and impressive Hebrew seal was discovered that dates to the latter part of the First Temple period. The seal was found in a building that is currently being uncovered, which dates to the seventh century BCE -- to the time when the kings Manasseh and Josiah reigned. ... > full story
Drought Tolerant Plants? New Technique Enables Assessment Of Drought Performance (November 13, 2008) -- Measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence is an effective way of determining how well plants can cope with low-water conditions. The technique allows a quantitative and precise determination of viability in intact, drought-stressed plants. ... > full story
Simulation Shows What Would Happen If Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake Hit California (November 13, 2008) -- What would happen in California was hit by the Big One? New 3-D animations of a magnitude 7.8 earthquake scenario are now available to the public. ... > full story
Global Warming Link To Amphibian Declines In Doubt (November 13, 2008) -- Evidence that global warming is causing the worldwide declines of amphibians may not be as conclusive as previously thought, according to biologists. The findings, which contradict two widely held views, could help reveal what is killing the frogs and toads and aid in their conservation. ... > full story
How A Well-known Protein Repairs Broken DNA Ends (November 13, 2008) -- During the life cycle of our cells, a minefield of environmental and biological assaults can lead to double-stranded DNA breaks, the most lethal and dangerous form of DNA damage. Now scientists reveal that when these breaks occur, a protein called 53BP1 helps repair them by mobilizing their dangly DNA ends -- findings that uncover a previously unknown aspect of how double-stranded breaks can get fixed. ... > full story
Sedimentary Records Link Himalayan Erosion Rates And Monsoon Intensity Through Time (November 12, 2008) -- Throughout history, the changing fortunes of human societies in Asia have been linked to variations in the precipitation resulting from seasonal monsoons. Research suggests that variations in monsoon climate over longer time scales also influenced the evolution of the world's highest mountain chain, the Himalaya. ... > full story
Electronic Heat Trap Grips Deep Earth: Current Models Of Mantle Dynamics Challenged (November 12, 2008) -- The key to understanding Earth's evolution, including our atmosphere and how volcanoes and earthquakes form, is to look into the lower mantle, a region some 400 to 1,800 miles below the surface. Researchers simulated conditions at these depths and discovered that the concentration of highly oxidized iron in the two major mantle minerals is key to moving heat in that region and affects material movement throughout the planet. ... > full story
Molecule That Stops SARS Invented (November 12, 2008) -- A newly created compound prevents the replication of the virus that causes SARS and could lead to a treatment for the disease. In addition to its ability to block the SARS virus, the molecular compound that inhibits the virus provides new insights into a group of proteins found in a range of diseases including childhood croup, herpes and cancer. ... > full story
New Path Found To Antibiotics In Dirt (November 12, 2008) -- A teaspoon of dirt contains an estimated 10,000 species of bacteria, but it's only one percent of these microbial bugs -- the ones that can be grown easily in a lab -- that have brought us antibiotics, anticancer agents and other useful drugs. ... > full story
Stem Cells From Monkey Teeth Can Stimulate Growth And Generation Of Brain Cells (November 12, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered dental pulp stem cells can stimulate growth and generation of several types of neural cells. Findings suggest dental pulp stem cells show promise for use in cell therapy and regenerative medicine, particularly therapies associated with the central nervous system. ... > full story
Commercial Poultry Lack Genetic Diversity, Are Vulnerable To Avian Flu And Other Threats (November 12, 2008) -- As concerns such as avian flu, animal welfare and consumer preferences impact the poultry industry, the reduced genetic diversity of commercial bird breeds increases their vulnerability and the industry's ability to adapt, according to a genetics expert. Native birds however, might be able to restock poultry industry's genetic stock. ... > full story
New Method Provides Panoramic View Of Protein-RNA Interactions In Living Cells (November 12, 2008) -- Scientists have developed a genome-wide platform to study how specialized proteins regulate RNA in living, intact cells. The platform allows researchers to identify, in a single experiment, every sequence within every strand of RNA to which proteins bind. The result is an unbiased and unprecedented look at how differences in RNA can explain how a worm and a human can each have 25,000 genes yet be so different. ... > full story
Nature’s Own Chemical Plant (November 12, 2008) -- Crude oil is getting more and more expensive, a fact clearly felt by the chemical industry. An alternative source of carbon is biomass, for instance colza and whey, which can likewise be used to produce chemical products. ... > full story
Airport Malaria: Cause For Concern In U.S. (November 12, 2008) -- "Airport malaria" is a term coined by researchers to explain the more recent spread of malaria to areas such as the United States and Europe, which some scientists credit to warmer climate changes. ... > full story
Antibiotic Use Increases At Academic Medical Centers (November 12, 2008) -- Antibacterial drug use appears to have increased at academic medical centers between 2002 and 2006, driven primarily by greater use of broad-spectrum agents and the antibiotic vancomycin, according to a new article. ... > full story
Ice Age Beasts In Europe: Migration Of The Woolly Rhinoceros Earlier Than Assumed (November 12, 2008) -- The newly described skull of the oldest woolly rhinoceros in Europe shows that these giant creatures -- with two impressively large horns on the bridge of their noses -- once roamed across central Germany. The large shaggy mammals grazed at the foot of the Kyffhäuser range, whose unforested, rocky slopes loomed out of the broad, bleak plains of northern Thuringia 460,000 years ago. The climate at this time was icy cold and far drier than today. ... > full story
Round Gobies: Alien Fish In Swedish Waters (November 12, 2008) -- A round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) was caught in late July off the Swedish coast near Karlskrona. This is the first find of its kind in Sweden. The species, which originates from the Black Sea and probably spread to the Baltic via ballast water, has been found in the Gulf of Gdansk since 1990, in the southern Baltic. ... > full story
Evolution's New Wrinkle: Proteins With 'Cruise Control' Act Like Adaptive Machines (November 12, 2008) -- Scientists has discovered that chains of proteins found in most living organisms act like adaptive machines, possessing the ability to control their own evolution. The research, which appears to offer evidence of a hidden mechanism guiding the way biological organisms respond to the forces of natural selection, provides a new perspective on evolution, the scientists said. ... > full story
Rocket Launching To Investigate The Northern Lights (November 12, 2008) -- Airplanes that fly over the northern polar region can risk losing radio contact for several hours when the northern lights are at their most active in the skies. In the near future a professor from the University of Oslo will launch a Norwegian rocket to find the explanation for this. The aim is to set up reliable warning routines. ... > full story
Loggerhead Turtle Release To Provide Vital Information To Scientific Community (November 12, 2008) -- Biologists will release two juvenile loggerhead sea turtles raised in captivity into the Indian River Lagoon near Sebastian Inlet. Dubbed Milton and FeeBee, the turtles were part of a sex ratio study. ... > full story
Annual Plants Converted Into Perennials (November 11, 2008) -- Scientists have succeeded in converting annual plants into perennials. They discovered that the deactivation of two genes in annuals led to the formation of structures that converted the plant into a perennial. This was most likely an important mechanism in plant evolution, initiating the formation of trees. ... > full story
Southern Wall Of Jerusalem That Dates To Time Of Hasmonean Dynasty Discovered On Mount Zion (November 11, 2008) -- An exciting discovery in Jerusalem constituting extraordinary remains of the wall of the city from the time of the Second Temple (second century BCE-70 CE) that was built by the Hasmonean kings and was destroyed during the Great Revolt, and also the remains of a city wall from the Byzantine period (324-640 CE) which was built on top of it, were uncovered in an extensive excavation that is currently underway on Mount Zion. ... > full story
Scientific Community Called Upon To Resolve Debate On ‘Net Energy’ Once And For All (November 11, 2008) -- “Net energy is a (mostly) irrelevant, misleading and dangerous metric,” says the editor-in-chief of Biofuels, Bioresources and Biorefining. ... > full story
Top Scientific Meeting Urges Coordinated Response To Economic And Environmental Crises (November 11, 2008) -- A fix for the economy must address ecological threats, a top international scientific meeting here has urged. Human society is moving dangerously beyond the planet's natural limits in a striking parallel to the financial debt crisis. "We're running the planet like a subprime loan," Dr. Johan Rockstrom of the Stockholm Resilience Center said. A coordinated response would reduce the risks of both kinds of crises in the future. ... > full story
Gold Earring 2,000 Years Old Discovered In Excavations In Jerusalem (November 11, 2008) -- A 2,000 year old gold earring inlaid with pearls and precious stones was discovered in excavations that the Israel Antiquities Authority is conducting in the Giv'ati car park at the City of David, in the "Walls around Jerusalem National Park". The earring, which is made of a coiled gold hoop, has a large inlaid pearl in its center. ... > full story
Without Enzyme, Biological Reaction Essential To Life Takes 2.3 Billion Years (November 11, 2008) -- All biological reactions within human cells depend on enzymes. Their power as catalysts enables biological reactions to occur usually in milliseconds. But how slowly would these reactions proceed spontaneously, in the absence of enzymes -- minutes, hours, days? And why even pose the question? ... > full story
Forced Evolution: Can We Mutate Viruses To Death? (November 11, 2008) -- Can scientists create a designer drug that forces viruses to mutate themselves out of existence? A new study by bioengineers could help make it happen. The study offers the most comprehensive mathematical analysis to date of the mechanisms that drive evolution in viruses and bacteria, and it could help scientists who are looking to add "lethal mutagenesis" to medicine's disease-fighting arsenal. ... > full story
New Approach In Tsunami-early Warning System (November 11, 2008) -- The newly implemented Tsunami Early Warning System for the Indian Ocean, German Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System, goes into operation November 10 and with this, the system enters its final phase of optimization. ... > full story
'Superbugs' On The Rise In Canadian Hospitals, New Study Shows (November 11, 2008) -- Although infection control has been substantially ramped up in Canadian hospitals since the SARS crisis of 2003, the number of resistant bacterial infections post-SARS have multiplied even faster, a new study shows. ... > full story
Limb Loss In Lizards: Evidence For Rapid Evolution (November 11, 2008) -- Small skink lizards, Lerista, demonstrate extensive changes in body shape over geologically brief periods. New research shows that several species of these skinks have rapidly evolved an elongate, limbless body form. ... > full story
Web-spinning Spiders And 'Wannabe Butterflies' Head To Space Shuttle (November 11, 2008) -- A NASA space shuttle mission carrying a payload of web-spinning spiders and wannabe butterflies will be closely monitored by hundreds of K-12 students from Colorado's Front Range after Endeavour launches from Florida for the International Space Station Nov. 14. ... > full story
Protein 'Tubules' Free Avian Flu Virus From Immune Recognition (November 11, 2008) -- A protein found in the virulent avian influenza virus strain called H5N1 forms tiny tubules in which it "hides" the pieces of double-stranded RNA formed during viral infection, which otherwise would prompt an antiviral immune response from infected cells, researchers report. ... > full story
Revegetation Of Native Flora More Successful If Genetically Diverse Seed Added (November 11, 2008) -- The answer to successful revegetation of native flora is in sourcing genetically diverse seed not necessarily relying on remnant local native vegetation to provide seed. ... > full story
In The Absence Of Sexual Prospects, Parasitic Male Worms Go Spermless (November 11, 2008) -- When females aren't around, one species of parasitic nematode worm doesn't even bother to make any sperm, reveals a new report. ... > full story
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