ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Monday, June 27, 2011 ~ Technology

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Monday, June 27, 2011

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Ocean currents speed melting of Antarctic ice: A major glacier is undermined from below (June 27, 2011) -- Stronger ocean currents beneath West Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier Ice Shelf are eroding the ice from below, speeding the melting of the glacier as a whole, according to a new study. ... > full story

Scientists expose cancer cells' universal 'dark matter'; Findings reveal chaos in biochemical alterations of cancer cells (June 27, 2011) -- Using the latest gene sequencing tools to examine so-called epigenetic influences on the DNA makeup of colon cancer, a team of researchers says its results suggest cancer treatment might eventually be more tolerable and successful if therapies could focus on helping cancer cells get back to normal in addition to strategies for killing them. ... > full story

What top predators can tell us about ocean ecosystems (June 27, 2011) -- It just takes a pinch. But from a sample of animal fat, a researcher can determine what predators at the top of the food chain are eating, and by extension, how their diet has changed due to changes in ecosystems. ... > full story

Generating 'green' electricity: Waste heat converted to electricity using new alloy (June 27, 2011) -- Engineering researchers have recently discovered a new alloy material that converts heat directly into electricity. This revolutionary energy conversion method is in the early stages of development, but it could have wide-sweeping impact on creating environmentally friendly electricity from waste heat sources. ... > full story

Studies track protein relevant to stem cells, cancer (June 27, 2011) -- Scientists have taken a broad look at the Tet 1 protein's location in the mouse genome, and found a surprising dual function. They are offering the first genome-wide location of the protein and its product, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine -- dubbed the "sixth base" of DNA. ... > full story

New data reveals how storms are triggered in the Sahel (June 27, 2011) -- In the Sahel, the frequency of storms increases when soil moisture varies over a few kilometers. Such contrasts cause air circulation between dry and humid areas, contributing to the development of storms. For the first time, these contrasts have been studied on a small scale. The new data that should help researchers to address the issue of drought in the Sahel. ... > full story

More than 300 new species discovered in the Philippines (June 26, 2011) -- This spring, scientists conducted the most comprehensive scientific survey effort ever conducted in the Philippines, documenting both terrestrial and marine life forms from the tops of the highest mountains to the depths of the sea. The scientists discovered more than 300 likely new species, including dozens of new insects and spiders, deep-sea armored corals, bizarre new sea urchins, a shrimp-eating swell shark, and over 50 colorful new sea slugs. ... > full story

Are the French becoming bored with wine? (June 26, 2011) -- One of the most familiar aspects of French culture -- its love of wine -- might be lost as successive generations abandon the imaginative representations of wine linked to national identity, according to a new study. The findings suggest that the transmission of French wine heritage to future generations is in terminal decline. ... > full story

Ancient species of mayfly had short, tragic life (June 26, 2011) -- A tiny mayfly that died 100 million years ago, but was preserved for perpetuity in amber, is helping to shed light on ancient ecosystems. ... > full story

Sand drift in Norway caused by sea-level changes and human activity (June 26, 2011) -- The sand along the south-western coastal rim of Norway has drifted for more than 9000 calendar years. This was triggered by sea-level changes and human activities, new research has found. ... > full story

Modern fish communities live fast and die young (June 25, 2011) -- Fish communities in the 21st century live fast and die young. That's the main finding of a recent study that compared fish recently caught in coastal Kenya with the bones of fish contained in ancient Swahili refuse heaps. ... > full story

Chemist solves riddle of killer diseases (June 25, 2011) -- Using the tools of synthetic chemistry, a Copenhagen chemist has copied the endotoxin of bacteria causing diseases such as anthrax. This paves the way for new and efficient antibiotics. ... > full story

'Orca ears' inspire researchers to develop ultrasensitive undersea microphone (June 25, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a microphone that can be used at any depth in the ocean, even under crushing pressure, and is sensitive to a wide range of sounds, from a whisper in a library to an explosion of TNT. They modeled their device after the extraordinarily acute hearing of orcas. ... > full story

Lowering the color of crystals in sugar factories (June 25, 2011) -- Like diamonds, sugar crystals ideally are very pure and low in color. Now studies have provided a better understanding of the source of undesirable color in factory sugar. ... > full story

Pollinators make critical contribution to healthy diets (June 25, 2011) -- Fruits and vegetables that provide the highest levels of vitamins and minerals to the human diet globally depend heavily on bees and other pollinating animals, according to a new study. ... > full story

Exposure to parental stress increases pollution-related lung damage in children (June 25, 2011) -- Psychosocial stress appears to enhance the lung-damaging effects of traffic-related pollution in children, according to new research. ... > full story

Biologist discovers key regulators for biofilm development (June 25, 2011) -- Biologists have discovered that a complex cascade of enhancer binding proteins is responsible for turning on genes that initiate the formation of a biofilm in bacteria. ... > full story

Hidden lives of Baltimore's Irish immigrants unearthed for first time (June 25, 2011) -- Archaeologists are unearthing a unique picture of early Irish immigrants in the Baltimore area -- of city children taught at home to read and write before widespread public education or child labor laws, and insular rural communities defying assimilation. ... > full story

Some captive chimpanzees show signs of compromised mental health, research shows (June 24, 2011) -- A new study finds that serious behavioral abnormalities, some of which could be compared to mental illness in humans, are endemic among captive chimpanzees. While most behavior of zoo-living chimpanzees is 'normal' in that it is typical of their wild counterparts, abnormal behavior is endemic in this population despite enrichment efforts such as social housing, say researchers. ... > full story

Sepsis: Leaking blood vessels may be cause of infection-spreading condition, researchers suggest (June 24, 2011) -- Researchers have put forward a new theory as to what causes sepsis, an often fatal condition that occurs when infection spreads throughout the body. Leaking blood vessels may actually be a cause of sepsis, rather than a symptom as previously thought. ... > full story

Mantis shrimp eye could improve high-definition CDs, DVDs (June 24, 2011) -- The eye of the peacock mantis shrimp has led an international team of researchers to develop a two-part waveplate that could improve CD, DVD, blu-ray and holographic technology, creating even higher definition and larger storage density. ... > full story

Deep history of coconuts decoded: Origins of cultivation, ancient trade routes, and colonization of the Americas (June 24, 2011) -- DNA analysis of more than 1,300 coconuts from around the world reveals that the coconut was brought under cultivation in two separate locations, one in the Pacific basin and the other in the Indian Ocean basin. What's more, coconut genetics also preserve a record of prehistoric trade routes and of the colonization of the Americas. ... > full story

Northern Eurasian snowpack could be a predictor of winter weather in US, team from UGA reports (June 24, 2011) -- Every winter, weather forecasters talk about the snow cover in the northern US and into Canada as a factor in how deep the deep-freeze will be in the states. A new study indicates they may be looking, at least partially, in the wrong place. ... > full story

Genes at the flick of a light switch: Human cells fitted with synthetic signaling cascade (June 24, 2011) -- Researchers from Switzerland have fitted human cells with a synthetic signaling cascade that can be used to switch on and regulate genes via blue light. This "gene light switch" makes interesting therapies possible, which could be used to treat type 2 diabetes, for instance. ... > full story

Ovenbirds eavesdrop on chipmunks to protect nests (June 24, 2011) -- Ground-nesting birds face an uphill struggle to successfully rear their young, many eggs and fledglings falling prey to predators. Now, scientists have found that some birds eavesdrop on their enemies, using this information to find safer spots to build their nests. ... > full story

Newspaper archives help to understand coastal flooding along the South of England (June 24, 2011) -- A unique study using over 70 years of information from local newspapers has helped to examine the incidence and location of coastal floods in the Solent region of southern England. ... > full story

Discovering lost salmon at sea (June 24, 2011) -- Where Atlantic salmon feed in the ocean has been a long-standing mystery, but new research shows that marine location can be recovered from the chemistry of fish scales. Surprisingly, salmon from different British rivers migrate to feed in separate places, and may respond differently to environmental change. ... > full story

Protein unique to avian retina contributes to visual acuity by helping eyes 'breathe' (June 24, 2011) -- Say what you will about bird brains, but our feathered friends sure have us -- and all the other animals on the planet -- beat in the vision department, and that has a bit to do with how their brains develop. ... > full story

Physicist's discovery alters conventional understanding of sight (June 24, 2011) -- Physicists shed new light on how the visual process is initiated. For almost 50 years, scientists have believed that light signals could not be initiated unless special light-receptor molecules in the retinal cells first changed their shape in a process called isomerization. However, researchers have now demonstrated that visual signals can be initiated in the absence of isomerization. ... > full story

Effects of stress can be inherited, and here's how (June 24, 2011) -- None of us are strangers to stress of various kinds. It turns out the effects of all those stresses can change the fate of future generation, influencing our very DNA without any change to the underlying sequence of As, Gs, Ts and Cs. Now, researchers have new evidence that helps to explain just how these epigenetic changes really happen. ... > full story

Scientists uncover an unhealthy herds hypothesis (June 24, 2011) -- Biologists worldwide subscribe to the healthy herds hypothesis, but could it be that predators can also make prey populations more susceptible to other predators or even parasites? Biologists have now discovered at least one animal whose defenses against a predator make it a good target for one opportunistic parasite. ... > full story

Birds 'flap run' instead if flying over obstacles to save energy (June 24, 2011) -- Birds don't always fly over obstacles; sometimes they run over while flapping their wings. Intrigued by this behavior, scientists measured how much energy flap running birds use compared to their flying counterparts and found that it is less than 10 percent. They suspect that chicks could flap run to build up muscles before their maiden flight and that flap running could have been a key stage in evolution of flight. ... > full story

Social amoebae rely on genetic 'lock and key' to identify kin (June 24, 2011) -- Scientists have identified the genetic "lock and key" that enable the amoeba to tell kin from non-kin. Just as the uniforms of armies enable soldiers to differentiate foe from friend, these amoebae use the protruding proteins as a kind of flag. In this case, the flag that protruded differs among strains of the Dictyostelium. These differences are critical to the kin/non-kin discrimination. ... > full story

No two strands are alike: New mechanism for elongation of viral genome termini (June 24, 2011) -- Like bacteria, viruses have their own genome. The ends or termini of a viral RNA are especially interesting for virologists because they play an important role in reproduction and in the reaction of the innate immune system to the virus. The genetic information is reproduced when a strand of the genome is transcribed into a complementary strand of the so-called antigenome. This strand then serves as the model or template for the synthesis of a new genome. ... > full story

Even in flies, enriched learning drives need for sleep, study finds (June 24, 2011) -- Just like human teenagers, fruit flies that spend a day buzzing around the "fly mall" with their companions need more sleep. That's because the environment makes their brain circuits grow dense new synapses and they need sleep to dial back the energy needs of their stimulated brains, according to a new study by sleep researchers. ... > full story

Study of phytoremediation benefits of 86 indoor plants published; Japanese royal fern tops list for formaldehyde removal effectiveness (June 24, 2011) -- Scientists determined the formaldehyde removal efficiency of a diverse cross-section of 86 indoor plant species. Ferns had the highest formaldehyde removal efficiency of the five classes of plants used in the experiments. Osmunda japonica (Japanese royal fern) was the most effective at removing formaldehyde of the species tested, proving 50 times more effective than the least-efficient species. All plants in the study were classified as excellent, intermediate, and poor based on formaldehyde removal efficiency. ... > full story

Biodiversity in a changing Middle East (June 24, 2011) -- Biologists emphasize the importance of biodiversity and conservation in the Middle East. A recent article highlights the importance of the future of conservation in the region and biodiversity of the largest island of Arabia, Socotra. ... > full story

Marine turtle movements tracked (June 23, 2011) -- Biologists have monitored the movements of an entire sub-population of marine turtle for the first time. The study confirms that through satellite tracking we can closely observe the day-to-day lives of marine turtles, accurately predicting their migrations and helping direct conservation efforts. ... > full story

Sleep switch found in fruit flies (June 23, 2011) -- Rather than count sheep, drink warm milk or listen to soothing music, many insomniacs probably wish for a switch they could flick to put themselves to sleep. Scientists have discovered such a switch in the brains of fruit flies. ... > full story

Large numbers of birth defects seen near mountaintop mining operations (June 23, 2011) -- Birth defects are significantly more common in areas of mountaintop coal mining and are on the rise as the practice becomes more common, according to a new study. ... > full story

Body temperatures of dinosaurs measured for first time: Some dinosaurs were as warm as most modern mammals (June 23, 2011) -- Were dinosaurs slow and lumbering, or quick and agile? It depends largely on whether they were cold or warm blooded. Now, a team of researchers has developed a new approach to take body temperatures of dinosaurs for the first time, providing new insights into whether dinosaurs were cold or warm blooded. ... > full story

Hybrid Leishmania parasites on the loose (June 23, 2011) -- What we anxiously fear in the influenza virus – a cross between two strains, resulting in a new variant we have no resistance against – has occurred in another pathogen, the Leishmania parasite. The new hybrid species might not be more dangerous than their parents, but it’s too early to know. ... > full story

Model helps pinpoint cyanobacterial genes that capture the sun's energy (June 23, 2011) -- A new model of the single-celled marine cyanobacterium Cyanothece could help researchers use blue-green algae to make renewable energy by predicting which of its genes are central to capturing energy from sunlight. ... > full story

Cautionary tale for people with diabetes: Dog consumed part of a sleeping patient's toe (June 23, 2011) -- In a case study that illustrates the need for people with diabetes to be cautious of foot injuries and to protect themselves from pets, a woman with numbness in her feet caused by diabetic neuropathy slept through a traumatic episode in which her Jack Russell terrier chewed off part of her slightly infected big toe, according to a new article. ... > full story

Birds' eye view is far more colorful than our own (June 23, 2011) -- The brilliant colors of birds have inspired poets and nature lovers, but researchers say these existing hues represent only a fraction of what birds are capable of seeing. ... > full story

Current strategy for medicating patients may be giving many drug-resistant diseases a big competitive advantage (June 23, 2011) -- In the war between drugs and drug-resistant diseases, the current strategy for medicating patients may be giving many drug-resistant diseases a big competitive advantage, according to a new article. The paper argues for new research efforts to discover effective ways for managing the evolution and slowing the spread of drug-resistant disease organisms. ... > full story

Stiff sediments made 2004 Sumatra earthquake deadliest in history (June 23, 2011) -- Geoscientists have discovered an unusual geological formation that helps explain how an undersea earthquake off the coast of Sumatra in December 2004 spawned the deadliest tsunami in recorded history. ... > full story

Evolution to the rescue: Species may adapt quickly to rapid environmental change, yeast study shows (June 23, 2011) -- Evolution is usually thought to be a slow process, something that happens over generations, thanks to adaptive mutations. But environmental change is happening very fast. So, according to a biology professor, the question arises, "Can evolution happen quickly enough to help a species survive?" The answer, according to his most recent study, is a resounding yes. ... > full story