ScienceDaily Environment Headlines
for Wednesday, June 22, 2011
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How dense is a cell? Combining ancient principle with new technology, researchers devise new way to answer question (June 22, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a way to measure the density of a single cell. The new method involves measuring the buoyant mass of each cell in two fluids of different densities. Measuring cell density could allow researchers to gain biophysical insight into fundamental cellular processes such as adaptations for survival, and might also be useful for identifying diseased cells. ... > full story
Strawberries boost red blood cells, study finds (June 22, 2011) -- A group of volunteers ate half a kilo of strawberries every day for two weeks to demonstrate that eating this fruit improves the antioxidant capacity of blood. The study, carried out by Italian and Spanish researchers, showed that strawberries boost red blood cells' response to oxidative stress, an imbalance that is associated with various diseases. ... > full story
Where will grizzly bears roam? Conservation value of roadless public land in Montana's Crown of the Continent Ecosystem (June 22, 2011) -- A new report highlights the critical importance of 1.3 million acres of roadless, public lands in Montana's spectacular Crown of the Continent Ecosystem. The report recommends that most of these lands be preserved to protect wolverines, bighorn sheep, westslope cutthroat and bull trout, grizzly bears and other vulnerable species in the face of climate change and other threats. ... > full story
'Lover's lane' for birds found in Arctic (June 22, 2011) -- A new study reveals the critical importance of western Arctic Alaska's Teshekpuk Lake region to tens of thousands of birds that breed in the area during the brief, but productive arctic summers, and makes clearer the case for permanent protection of the area. ... > full story
Yeast genomes: Genetic codes for species of yeasts identified and compared (June 22, 2011) -- A team of US researchers has identified and compared the genetic codes for all known species of yeasts closely related to bakers' and brewers' yeast (the former used in pizza dough, the latter in beer), which lays the foundation for future understanding of mutation and disease, as studies of yeasts often identify key genes and mechanisms of disease. ... > full story
Multiple ocean stresses threaten 'globally significant' marine extinction, experts warn (June 21, 2011) -- An international panel of marine experts warns in a new report that the world's ocean is at high risk of entering a phase of extinction of marine species unprecedented in human history. The preliminary report arises from the first ever interdisciplinary international workshop to consider the cumulative impact of all stressors affecting the ocean. Considering the latest research across all areas of marine science, the workshop examined the combined effects of pollution, acidification, ocean warming, overfishing and hypoxia (deoxygenation). ... > full story
Forklift trucks that run on a green charge (June 21, 2011) -- The first forklift trucks in Europe that will run on fuel cells and with hydrogen in their tanks are on the way to the market. No fewer than 30 demonstration units are to be tested, and Norway is among the countries potentially involved in the trials. ... > full story
Survival of the weakest? Bacteria develop restraint for survival in a rock-paper-scissors community (June 21, 2011) -- New research shows that in some structured communities, organisms increase their chances of survival if they evolve some level of restraint that allows competitors to survive as well, a sort of "survival of the weakest." ... > full story
Earliest art in the Americas: Ice Age image of mammoth or mastodon found in Florida (June 21, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a bone fragment, approximately 13,000 years old, in Florida with an incised image of a mammoth or mastodon. This engraving is the oldest and only known example of Ice Age art to depict a proboscidean (the order of animals with trunks) in the Americas. ... > full story
Blueberries help lab rats build strong bones (June 21, 2011) -- Compounds in blueberries might turn out to have a powerful effect on formation of strong, healthy bones, if results from studies with laboratory rats turn out to hold true for humans. ... > full story
Adulterated cocaine causing serious skin reactions; With up to 70 percent contaminated, doctors warn of potential public health epidemic (June 21, 2011) -- Doctors warn of a potential public health epidemic in a recent report on patients who developed serious skin reactions after smoking or snorting cocaine believed to be contaminated with a veterinary medication. ... > full story
Shipwrecks no more: Recycling old boats (June 21, 2011) -- Nearly 5,000 recreational boats are retired and disposed of every year in Norway -- either sunk to the bottom of the sea or burned in a bonfire. Now, researchers have developed a new method for recycling these vessels. ... > full story
Can humans sense Earth's magnetism? Human retina protein can function as light-sensitive magnetic sensor (June 21, 2011) -- New research shows that a protein expressed in the human retina can sense magnetic fields when implanted into Drosophila, reopening an area of sensory biology in humans for further exploration. ... > full story
Resveratrol studies confirms potential health boost (June 21, 2011) -- A review of research finds the polyphenol compound known as resveratrol found in red wine, grapes and other fruits may not prevent old age, but it might make it more tolerable. ... > full story
Causes of melting tropical glaciers over past 10,000 years identified (June 21, 2011) -- The causes of melting of tropical glaciers over the past 10,000 years have at last been revealed. Researchers have shown that the retreat of the Telata glacier in Bolivia over that period is mainly linked to a 3°C rise in air temperature and to the warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean. ... > full story
Seven new species of mammals discovered in Philippines (June 21, 2011) -- Biologists have discovered seven previously unknown species of mammals in the Philippines, increasing the number of native mammals known from Luzon Island (excluding bats) from 42 to 49 (17 percent). All of the species are forest mice, and each species lives only in a small part of Luzon. ... > full story
Fastest sea-level rise in 2,000 years linked to increasing global temperatures (June 21, 2011) -- The rate of sea level rise along the U.S. Atlantic coast is greater now than at any time in the past 2,000 years -- and has shown a consistent link between changes in global mean surface temperature and sea level. ... > full story
Fighting massive declines in frog populations with bacteria and fungicides (June 21, 2011) -- A microscopic chytrid fungus is causing massive declines in frog populations all over the world and even the extinction of certain species. Researchers have now developed methods for combating the chytrid fungus with bacteria and fungicides. The possibility of vaccinating frogs is also being considered. ... > full story
Madagascar marine resources plundered by international seafood markets (June 21, 2011) -- Fish catches in Madagascar over the last half-century are double the official reports, and much of that fish is being caught by unregulated traditional fishers or accessed cheaply by foreign fishing vessels. Seafood exports from Madagascar often end up in a European recipe, but are a recipe for political unrest at home, where two-thirds of the population face hunger. ... > full story
Unexpected function of dyslexia-linked gene: Controlling cilia of cells (June 21, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered that a gene linked to dyslexia has a surprising biological function: it controls cilia, the antenna-like projections that cells use to communicate. ... > full story
Mimicking nature at the nanoscale: Selective transport across a biomimetic nanopore (June 21, 2011) -- Researchers have established a biomimetic nanopore that provides a unique test and measurement platform for the way that proteins move into a cell's nucleus. In a new study, they report an artificial nanopore that is functionalized with key proteins which mimics the natural nuclear pore. ... > full story
How the immune system responds to hepatitis A virus (June 21, 2011) -- A surprising finding in a study comparing hepatitis C virus (HCV) with hepatitis A virus (HAV) infections in chimpanzees sheds new light on the nature of the body's immune response to these viruses. ... > full story
Horse blind date could lead to loss of foal (June 20, 2011) -- Fetal loss is a common phenomenon in domestic horses after away-mating, according to researchers. When mares return home after mating with a foreign stallion, they either engage in promiscuous mating with the home males to confuse paternity, or, failing that, the mares abort the foal to avoid the likely future infanticide by the dominant home male. ... > full story
Production of mustard oils: On the origin of an enzyme (June 20, 2011) -- In the evolutionary arms race, small changes can be sufficient to gain advantage. Scientists found that the ancestor of a gene involved in making chemical defenses in plants of the mustard family, such as rapeseed, originally had a completely different function, playing a part in the formation of leucine, an amino acid. Small changes in the enzyme structure enabled it to take over new tasks that could increase the survival advantage of the plants. ... > full story
Fat substitutes linked to weight gain: Rats on high-fat diet gained more weight after eating low-calorie potato chips made with fat substitutes (June 20, 2011) -- Synthetic fat substitutes used in low-calorie potato chips and other foods could backfire and contribute to weight gain and obesity, a new study suggests. ... > full story
Enzymes will play a key role in development of sustainable society, expert says (June 20, 2011) -- Enzymes play a central role in the chemistry of living nature. They facilitate our digestion, for example, and often determine the difference between sick or healthy organisms. One expert now says he expects enzymes to play a key role in the development of a sustainable society. ... > full story
Atmospheric carbon dioxide buildup unlikely to spark abrupt climate change, scientists find (June 20, 2011) -- New research lends support to recent studies that suggest abrupt climate change is the result of alterations in ocean circulation uniquely associated with ice ages, not from atmospheric carbon dioxide. ... > full story
'My dishwasher is trying to kill me': New research finds harmful fungal pathogens living in dishwasher seals (June 20, 2011) -- A potentially pathogenic fungus has found a home living in extreme conditions in some of the most common household appliances, researchers have found. A new paper shows that these sites make perfect habitats for extremotolerant fungi (which includes black yeasts). Some of these are potentially dangerous to human health. ... > full story
Ancient Mycenaean fortress uncovered (June 20, 2011) -- New research in Cyprus reveals the remnants of a Late Bronze Age (1500-750 B.C.) fortress that may have functioned to protect an important urban economic center in the ancient world. ... > full story
Did climate change cause Greenland's ancient Viking community to collapse? (June 20, 2011) -- Our changing climate usually appears to be a very modern problem, yet new research from Greenland published in Boreas, suggests that the AD 1350 collapse of a centuries old colony established by Viking settlers may have been caused by declining temperatures and a rise in sea-ice. The authors suggest the collapse of the Greenland Norse presents a historical example of a society which failed to adapt to climate change. ... > full story
Could bacterial predator be harnessed to mop up biofilms? (June 20, 2011) -- Some new research on a bacterial predator that feeds on other bacteria may lead to new ammunition against biofilms. ... > full story
Cholesterol boosts antibiotic resistance in H. pylori (June 20, 2011) -- New research suggests that cholesterol boosts resistance in Helicobacter pylori both to many antibiotics and to the endogenous antimicrobial peptide, LL-37. A complete understanding of the pathway of cholesterol uptake might lead to novel strategies thwarting H. pylori by blocking that pathway. ... > full story
Surroundings matter: Researchers engineer the environment for stem cell development to control differentiation (June 20, 2011) -- New research shows that systematically controlling the local and global environments during stem cell development helps to effectively direct the process of differentiation. In the future, these findings could be used to develop manufacturing procedures for producing large quantities of stem cells for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. ... > full story
Arctic snow can harbor deadly assassin: Killer fungal strains (June 20, 2011) -- Heavy and prolonged snowfall can bring about unexpected conditions that encourage fungal growth, leading to the death of plants in the Arctic, according to experts. A new international study confirms that while snow has an insulating effect which helps plants to grow bigger, heavy and prolonged snow can, in certain circumstances, also encourage the rapid and extensive growth of killer fungal strains. ... > full story
From seawater to freshwater with a nanotechnology filter (June 20, 2011) -- In a new article, researchers describe the role that carbon nanotubes could play in the desalination of water, providing a possible solution to the problem of the world's ever-growing population demanding more and more fresh drinking water. ... > full story
Finding reserves on the electrical grid (June 20, 2011) -- The weather determines how much energy wind turbine systems provide. The same applies to power line capacity. On cold and stormy days, this capacity is higher than on days with no wind and high mid-summer temperatures. An autonomously powered sensor network monitors power lines to find the reserves in the lines. ... > full story
Grab the leash: Dog walkers more likely to reach exercise benchmarks (June 20, 2011) -- Man's best friend may provide more than just faithful companionship: A new study shows people who owned and walked their dogs were 34 percent more likely to meet federal benchmarks on physical activity. The results show that promoting dog ownership and dog walking could help many Americans -- of which fewer than half meet recommended levels of leisure-time physical activity -- become healthier. ... > full story
Salt marsh sediments help gauge climate-change-induced sea level rise (June 20, 2011) -- A newly constructed, 2,000-year history of sea level elevations will help scientists refine the models used to predict climate-change-induced sea level rise, according to an international team of climate researchers. The record also shows that the past century had the fastest recorded rate of sea level rise. ... > full story
Researchers link fastest sea-level rise in two millennia to increasing temperatures (June 20, 2011) -- An international research team has shown that the rate of sea-level rise along the US Atlantic coast is greater now than at any time in the past 2,000 years and that there is a consistent link between changes in global mean surface temperature and sea level. ... > full story
Hybrid lab combines technologies to make biorenewable fuels and products (June 20, 2011) -- The Hybrid Processing Laboratory located just inside the front door of Iowa State University's new Biorenewables Research Laboratory is increasingly busy. It's a place where researchers in biochemical and thermochemical sciences work together to develop technologies that produce biorenewable fuels and chemicals. And it's a showcase for the multidisciplinary work promoted by Iowa State's Bioeconomy Institute. ... > full story
Cave researchers explore stream-filled cavern at entrance to Jerusalem (June 19, 2011) -- Researchers have conducted an initial survey of what appears to be an important, ancient water source in a cave that was been discovered during excavation work for a new train station being constructed at the entrance to Jerusalem. ... > full story
Molecular movements could lead to new way to treat cancer (June 19, 2011) -- New research could point to a new way to treat aggressive types of cancer. Scientists have found that a molecule called Met is responsible for stimulating the growth and spread of cancer because it is relocating to the wrong part of the cell. Experiments in the lab suggest that moving Met molecules from the inside of the cell to the cell surface could halt the growth of cancer cells and even cause tumors to shrink. ... > full story
'Lost' bats found breeding on UK's Isles of Scilly (June 19, 2011) -- A biologist has discovered a "lost" species of bat breeding on the Isles of Scilly (UK). A pregnant female brown long-eared bat is the first of its species to be found on the islands for at least 40 years. ... > full story
Mimivirus isolated, genome amputated (June 19, 2011) -- In the absence of competition with other microorganisms, Mimivirus, the largest known DNA virus, loses 17% of its genome. ... > full story
More evidence vitamin D boosts immune response (June 18, 2011) -- Laboratory-grown gingival cells treated with vitamin D boosted their production of an endogenous antibiotic, and killed more bacteria than untreated cells, according to a new study. The research suggests that vitamin D can help protect the gums from bacterial infections that lead to gingivitis and periodontitis. Periodontitis affects up to 50 percent of the US population, is a major cause of tooth loss, and can also contribute to heart disease. Most Americans are deficient in vitamin D. ... > full story
New clues about protein linked to Parkinson's disease: Structural biologists measure energy difference between protein variants (June 18, 2011) -- Researchers have uncovered structural clues about the protein linked to Parkinson's disease, which ultimately could lead to finding a cure for the degenerative neurological disorder. ... > full story
Dawn of agriculture took toll on health (June 18, 2011) -- When populations around the globe started turning to agriculture around 10,000 years ago, regardless of their locations and type of crops, a similar trend occurred: the height and health of the people declined. The pattern holds up across standardized studies of whole skeletons in populations, say researchers in the first comprehensive, global review of the literature regarding stature and health during the agriculture transition. ... > full story
Ocean's harmful low-oxygen zones growing, are sensitive to small changes in climate (June 18, 2011) -- Scientists report a connection between climate fluctuations and the habitability of marine ecosystems by modeling the expansion and contraction of low-oxygen zones that are dangerous for ocean life. The team found that the size of low-oxygen ocean regions is extremely sensitive to changes in their depth caused by oscillations in climate. ... > full story
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