ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Monday, November 10, 2008
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Global Warming Predicted To Hasten Carbon Release From Peat Bogs (November 10, 2008) -- Billions of tons of carbon sequestered in the world's peat bogs could be released into the atmosphere in the coming decades as a result of global warming, according to a new analysis of the interplay between peat bogs, water tables, and climate change. ... > full story
DNA Provides 'Smoking Gun' In The Case Of The Missing Songbirds (November 10, 2008) -- DNA evidence shows conclusively that males from a North American warbler species interbred with females from a related species and took over a large part of the other species' range. ... > full story
XDR-TB: Deadlier And More Mysterious Than Ever (November 10, 2008) -- New research has found that extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis is increasingly common and more deadly than previously known. Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis is a growing public health threat that is only just beginning to be understood by medical and public health officials. ... > full story
Plant Virus Spreads By Making Life Easy For Crop Pests (November 10, 2008) -- In 752, Japanese Empress Koken wrote a short poem about the summertime yellowing of a field in what is thought to be the first account of a viral plant disease. More than 1,250 years later, scientists concluded that the virus Koken described was part of the particularly insidious geminivirus family that continues to decimate tomato, tobacco and cotton crops worldwide. ... > full story
How Evolution Learns From Past Environments To Adapt To New Environments (November 10, 2008) -- The evolution of novel characteristics within organisms can be enhanced when environments change in a systematic manner, according to a new study. Researchers suggest that in environments that vary over time in a non-random way, evolution can learn the rules of the environment and develop organisms that can readily generate novel useful traits with only a few mutations. ... > full story
Project Virtually Rebuilds Lost Architecture Of The Shakers (November 10, 2008) -- The Shakers, a religious group that built 19 communities in the United States during the 1800s, had a prolific and distinct architectural construction and design style. Much of that architecture has been lost; however, a new research project aims to rebuild it -- virtually. ... > full story
When It Comes To Sea Level Changing Glaciers, New NASA Technique Measures Up (November 10, 2008) -- Scientists have used satellite data to make the most precise measurements to date of changes in the mass of mountain glaciers in the Gulf of Alaska, a region expected to be a significant contributor to global sea level rise over the next 50-100 years. ... > full story
Research Sheds Light On Key Trigger Of Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation (November 10, 2008) -- Clusters of mouse embryonic stem cells called embryoid bodies more closely approximate true embryos in organization and structure than previously thought, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. ... > full story
New Hybrid Plants Could Prompt More Prodigious Pepper Production In Southwest (November 10, 2008) -- To help Southwestern US pepper producers perk up pepper production, scientists and agriculture experts are developing several new adapted pepper plant hybrids. ... > full story
Polarized Light Guides Cholera-carrying Midges That Contaminate Water Supplies (November 10, 2008) -- Midges harbor the lethal Vibrio cholerae bacteria that spreads cholera, contaminating water supplies with the infection when they lay their eggs. What guides the midges to select particular watercourses when laying their eggs? Scientists have found that the midges are attracted by polarized light reflections from water and suggest that polarized light could be used to control cholera transmission and reduce midge numbers. ... > full story
Emerging Carbon Finance Market Will Play Critical Role In Addressing Climate Change, Experts Say (November 10, 2008) -- Climate change is an unprecedented global problem and an emerging carbon finance market will play a critical role in addressing it, asserts a newly published Yale report. ... > full story
Red-eyed Treefrog Embryos Actively Avoid Asphyxiation Inside Their Eggs (November 9, 2008) -- Red-eyed treefrog embryos react to environmental oxygen concentration before they have blood or muscular movement. These initial responses to the environment may be critical to the frogs' long-term survival. ... > full story
Smaller Mosquitoes Are More Likely To Be Infected With Viruses Causing Human Diseases (November 9, 2008) -- An entomologist says smaller mosquitoes are more likely to be infected with viruses that cause diseases in humans. ... > full story
Paper Mill Waste May Be Just Right For Reclaiming Mineland (November 9, 2008) -- Paper mill waste can safely be applied at a rate three times higher than the typical rate in Ohio, to reclaim soils of surface-coal mined areas. ... > full story
Consumers Not Ready For Tailor-made Nutrition? (November 9, 2008) -- In the near future it will be possible to customize the food we eat to individual needs, based on the genetic profile of the individual. Researchers suggest that the consumer market is not yet ready for this so-called nutrigenomics. They conclude that many obstacles must be overcome before products based on nutrigenomics become a reality. ... > full story
Carbon Dioxide Levels Already In Danger Zone, Revised Theory Shows (November 9, 2008) -- If climate disasters are to be averted, atmospheric carbon dioxide must be reduced below the levels that already exist today, according to a new study in Open Atmospheric Science Journal. ... > full story
Record High Performance With New Solar Cells (November 9, 2008) -- Researchers in China and Switzerland are reporting the highest efficiency ever for a promising new genre of solar cells, which many scientists think offer the best hope for making the sun a mainstay source of energy in the future. The photovoltaic cells, called dye-sensitized solar cells or Grätzel cells, could expand the use of solar energy for homes, businesses, and other practical applications, the scientists say. ... > full story
How Plant Cells Synthesize Pharmaceutical Compounds (November 9, 2008) -- A Finnish researcher's work on two plants -- tobacco and Egyptian henbane -- is yielding new information about the functions of genes involved with the biosynthesis of plant secondary metabolites. The results can be used in developing production of valuable pharmaceuticals in plant cell cultures. ... > full story
New Role For Critical DNA Repair Molecule In Immune System (November 9, 2008) -- The human immune system is a brilliantly adaptable weapon against foreign invaders. But it all depends on the work of specialized cells called lymphocytes that have made a risky evolutionary gambit to mutate their own DNA. New research published in Nature shows for the first time that a molecule devoted to DNA repair plays a broader role in this genetic reshuffling -- called recombination -- than scientists had thought. ... > full story
Sea Snakes Seek Out Freshwater To Slake Thirst (November 8, 2008) -- Sea snakes may slither in saltwater, but they sip the sweet stuff. It has been the "long-standing dogma" that the roughly 60 species of venomous sea snakes worldwide satisfy their drinking needs by drinking seawater, with internal salt glands filtering and excreting the salt. Experiments with three species of captive sea kraits captured near Taiwan, however, found that the snakes refused to drink saltwater even if thirsty -- and then would drink only freshwater or heavily diluted saltwater. ... > full story
Tale Of Two Snails Reveals Secrets About The Biochemistry Of Evolution (November 8, 2008) -- Researchers in Spain are reporting deep new insights into how evolution changes the biochemistry of living things, helping them to adapt to new environments. Their study, based on an analysis of proteins produced by two populations of marine snails, reveals chemical differences that give one population a survival-of-the fittest edge for life in its cold, wave-exposed environment. ... > full story
Overfishing Threatens European Bluefin Tuna (November 8, 2008) -- Bluefin tuna disappeared from Danish waters in the 1960s. Now the species could become depleted throughout the northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean, according to new research. Bluefin tuna is a treasured delicacy, particularly as sushi. The species in the Mediterranean Sea and northeast Atlantic is caught by fishermen from many countries, particularly France, Spain and Italy. ... > full story
Paleontologists Doubt 'Dinosaur Dance Floor' (November 8, 2008) -- Potholes or tracks? A group of paleontologists visited the northern Arizona wilderness site nicknamed a "dinosaur dance floor" and concluded there were no dinosaur tracks there, only a dense collection of unusual potholes eroded in the sandstone. So the scientist who leads the University of Utah's geology department says she will team up with the skeptics for a follow-up study. ... > full story
Protein-printing Technique Gives Snapshots Of Immune System Defense (November 8, 2008) -- A new technique lets researchers, for the first time, look at single white blood cells and measure specific characteristics of the set of antibodies they produce when the body is under attack. The ability to measure antibodies from many individual immune cells may aid vaccine research and allow innovative medical tests. ... > full story
Unraveling Lion's Natural History Using Host And Virus Population Genomics (November 7, 2008) -- The lion is one of the world's most charismatic carnivores. In a new study, researchers provide insights into the genetic structure and history of lion populations. Their work refutes the hypothesis that African lions consist of a single, randomly breeding population. It also indicates the importance of preserving populations in decline as opposed to prioritizing larger-scale conservation efforts. ... > full story
Sunlight Has More Powerful Influence On Ocean Circulation And Climate Than North American Ice Sheets (November 7, 2008) -- A study reported in Nature disputes a longstanding picture of how ice sheets influence ocean circulation during glacial periods. ... > full story
Drivers Beware: Wildlife Specialist Offers Hints For Avoiding Deer-vehicle Crashes (November 7, 2008) -- In November, when it comes to avoiding deer collisions, it's not the one you see crossing the road that's likely to get you, according to a wildlife expert. "It's the one that's chasing her," said Dr. Billy Higginbotham, Texas AgriLife Extension Service fisheries and wildlife specialist. ... > full story
Hybrid Materials For Future Solar Cells Under Development (November 7, 2008) -- Scientists are developing composite materials based on semiconductor nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes for use in efficient light emitting diodes and photovoltaic devices. ... > full story
Without Glial Cells, Animals Lose Their Senses (November 7, 2008) -- Scientists show that while neurons play the lead role in detecting sensory information, a second type of cell, the glial cell, pulls the strings behind the scenes. The findings, point to a mechanism that may explain not only how glia are required for bringing sensory information into the brain but also how glia may influence connections between neurons deep within in it. ... > full story
Social Interactions Can Alter Gene Expression In Brain, And Vice Versa (November 7, 2008) -- Our DNA determines a lot about who we are and how we play with others, but recent studies of social animals (birds and bees, among others) show that the interaction between genes and behavior is more of a two-way street than most of us realize. ... > full story
Epic Voyage To Discover Origins And Migration Routes Of Ancestors Of Ancient Polynesians And Their Animals (November 7, 2008) -- Scientists are embarking on a 6000-kilometer trip following the migration route of ancient Pacific cultures. This is the first ever expedition to sail in two traditional Polynesian boats -- ethnic double canoes -- which attempts to re-trace the genuine migration route of the ancient Austronesians. The researchers will also be examining the local wildlife. ... > full story
Reducing Pollution: Green Future For Scrap Iron (November 7, 2008) -- Engineers have shown that the biological treatment of industrial wastewater can be dramatically enhanced by pretreating the waste with non-oxidized iron. Researchers use zero valent iron to detoxify pollutants in industrial wastewater. ... > full story
Ancient China: Lack Of Rainfall Could Have Contributed To Social Upheaval And Fall Of Dynasties (November 7, 2008) -- Chinese history is replete with the rise and fall of dynasties, but researchers now have identified a natural phenomenon that may have been the last straw for some of them: a weakening of the summer Asian Monsoons. A lack of rainfall could have contributed to social upheaval and the fall of dynasties. Such weakening accompanied the fall of three dynasties and now could be lessening precipitation in northern China. ... > full story
Bacteria Manage Perfume Oil Production From Grass (November 7, 2008) -- Scientists in Italy have found bacteria in the root of a tropical grass whose oils have been used in the cosmetic and perfumery industries. ... > full story
'Unprecedented' Warming Drives Dramatic Ecosystem Shifts In North Atlantic, Study Finds (November 7, 2008) -- While Earth has experienced numerous changes in climate over the past 65 million years, recent decades have experienced the most significant climate change since the beginning of human civilized societies about 5,000 years ago, says a new Cornell University study. ... > full story
Protecting Soils And Producing Biofuel With Corn Stover (November 7, 2008) -- Those lonely cornstalks--called corn stover--left behind in the fields after the grain harvest is complete could someday become valuable raw material for the production of cellulosic ethanol. In the meantime, ) soil scientists are determining which portion of the plant would work best for cellulosic ethanol production. ... > full story
Earthworm Activity Can Alter Forests' Carbon-carrying Capabilities (November 6, 2008) -- Earthworms can change the chemical nature of the carbon in North American forest litter and soils, potentially affecting the amount of carbon stored in forests. Scientists want to determine the earthworms' effect on forest chemistry by comparing carbon composition in forests that vary in earthworm activity. ... > full story
New Regulatory Mechanism Discovered For Cell Identity And Behavior In Forming Organs (November 6, 2008) -- Two proteins interact in a previously unknown molecular mechanism that may have broad implications in future studies looking for the causes of defective organs in fetuses, metastatic cancers and other diseases, according to new researcher, Reporting their work in Genes & Development, the researchers said the mechanism coordinates cell identity and behavior in the forming organs of embryos. ... > full story
Conclusive Proof That Polar Warming Is Being Caused By Humans (November 6, 2008) -- New research by the University of East Anglia has demonstrated for the first time that human activity is responsible for significant warming in both polar regions. ... > full story
Coping And Copulation Behavior May Help Calculate Diabetes Risk, Mouse Study Suggests (November 6, 2008) -- Researchers use two species of deer mice to study diabetes, and find that males of a calmer and more monogamous species regulate blood sugar better than males of a less calm and less monogamous species when subject to stress. ... > full story
Looming Ecological Credit Crunch? (November 6, 2008) -- The world is heading for an ecological credit crunch as human demands on the world's natural capital reach nearly a third more than earth can sustain. That is the stark warning contained in the latest edition of WWF's Living Planet Report, the leading statement of the planet's health. In addition global natural wealth and diversity continues to decline, and more and more countries are slipping into a state of permanent or seasonal water stress. ... > full story
Rocks Could Be Harnessed To Sponge Vast Amounts Of Carbon Dioxide From Air (November 6, 2008) -- Scientists say that a type of rock found in the Mideast nation of Oman and other areas around the world could be harnessed to soak up huge quantities of globe-warming carbon dioxide. Their studies show that the rock, known as peridotite, reacts naturally at surprisingly high rates with CO2 and that the process could be speeded a million times with simple drilling and injection methods. ... > full story
How Tuberculosis Might Be Thwarting Immune System: Proteomics Study Yields Clues (November 6, 2008) -- A link between the immune system and the self-cleaning system by which biological cells rid themselves of obsolete or toxic parts may one day yield new weapons in the fight against tuberculosis and other deadly infectious diseases. Berkeley Lab researchers have discovered proteins residing in both systems that point to "cross-talk" between them. ... > full story
2008 Sees Fifth Largest Ozone Hole (November 6, 2008) -- The ozone hole over Antarctica, which fluctuates in response to temperature and sunlight, grew to the size of North America in a one-day maximum in September that was the fifth largest on record, since NOAA satellite records began in 1979. ... > full story
Molecule Stops DNA Replication In Its Tracks (November 6, 2008) -- When a dividing cell duplicates its genetic material, a molecular machine called a sliding clamp travels along the DNA double helix, tethering the proteins that perform the replication. Researchers have discovered a small molecule that stops the sliding clamp in its tracks. ... > full story
Being Unique Has Advantages: 'Rareness' Key To Some Insects Being Favored By Evolution (November 6, 2008) -- As the saying goes -- blondes have more fun, but in the world of insects it may actually be the rare "redheads" that have the last laugh ... at least in terms of evolution. A new study has discovered that genetic variation in an asexual insect -- insects that reproduce by cloning themselves -- is maintained by rare clones being chosen for the next generation, a phenomenon known as frequency-dependent selection. ... > full story
Giant Simulation Could Solve Mystery Of 'Dark Matter' (November 6, 2008) -- The search for a mysterious substance which makes up most of the universe could soon be at an end, according to new research. ... > full story
Nighttime Tornadoes Are Worst Nightmare: Twisters That Occur From Midnight To Dawn Are 2.5 Times More Likely To Kill (November 6, 2008) -- A new study underscores the danger of nighttime tornadoes and suggests that warning systems that have led to overall declines in tornado death rates might not be adequate for overnight events, which occur most frequently in the nation's mid-South region. ... > full story
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