The Science Daily: ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Tuesday, December 14, 2010

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Tuesday, December 14, 2010

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Hot with decades of drought: Expectations for southwestern United States (December 14, 2010) -- A 60-year drought like that of the 12th Century could be in our future. An unprecedented combination of heat plus decades of drought could be in store for the Southwest sometime this century, suggests new research. By figuring out when and for how long drought and warm temperatures coincided in the past, the team identified plausible worst-case scenarios for the future. Such scenarios can help water and other resource managers plan for the future, the team wrote. ... > full story

More details of plant cell-wall construction revealed (December 14, 2010) -- Scientists are unraveling details of how plant cells' structural supports - their cell walls -- are made, with the hope of finding ways to change their composition for more efficient biofuel production. ... > full story

Bioengineers discover how particles self-assemble in flowing fluids (December 14, 2010) -- Bioengineers have been exploring a unique phenomenon whereby randomly dispersed microparticles will self-assemble into a highly organized structure during flow through micro-scale channels. ... > full story

Tracking down particulates (December 14, 2010) -- Wood-burning stoves are enjoying a surge in popularity. But burning biomass releases fine dust particles that are hazardous to health. Consequently, new legal limits for particulate emissions from such stoves were introduced in some areas last March. Researchers have now developed a measuring device that determines precise levels of dust emissions. ... > full story

Oldest fossils found in Cordillera Bética mountain range (December 14, 2010) -- Researchers have found fossils of Ordovician conodonts dating to between 446 and 444 million years ago for the first time in the western Mediterranean. The discovery of these very primitive marine vertebrates has helped scientists to reconstruct the palaeogeography of the Cordillera Bética mountain range. Their study shows that the mountain system in the south of the Iberian Peninsula was located alongside the Alps at that time. ... > full story

Bering Sea was ice-free and full of life during last warm period, study finds (December 13, 2010) -- Deep sediment cores retrieved from the Bering Sea floor indicate that the region was ice-free all year and biological productivity was high during the last major warm period in Earth's climate history. ... > full story

When it comes to selecting a mate, the eyes have it (December 13, 2010) -- For the first time ever, scientists have found a difference in the way males and females of the same species of vertebrate see things -- and that sexes likely use that difference to select their mates. The research team also discovered that the fish have five different photoreceptor cones in their eyes, the most ever found in a vertebrate. ... > full story

Right or left handling at birth: What impact does it have on development? (December 13, 2010) -- Certain events experienced at the moment of birth have consequences on the emotional reactions of animals at an adult age. Researchers have tested the effects of unilateral tactile stimulation on newborn foals. Their results show that animals handled on their right side at birth avoid contact with humans more often than those stimulated on their left side or not at all. This work raises questions on the organization of neonatal care in animals and humans. ... > full story

Large uncertainty in carbon footprint calculating (December 13, 2010) -- The calculation of carbon footprints for products if often riddled with large uncertainties, particularly related to electronic goods. ... > full story

Children who don’t like fruit and vegetables are 13 times more likely to be constipated (December 13, 2010) -- Primary school children who don’t like eating fruit and vegetables are 13 times more likely to develop functional constipation than children who do. Drinking less than 400ml of fluid a day also significantly increases the risk. ... > full story

More fruits and vegetables unlikely to protect against cancer, study suggests (December 13, 2010) -- There is no convincing evidence that eating more fruit and vegetables can reduce chances of developing cancer, although they are important for maintaining a healthy diet, according to a new study that looked at a decade of research in this area. ... > full story

Assessing the seismic hazard of the central eastern United States (December 13, 2010) -- As the US policymakers renew emphasis on the use of nuclear energy in their efforts to reduce the country's oil dependence, other factors come into play. One concern of paramount importance is the seismic hazard at the site where nuclear reactors are located. ... > full story

Whey supplements lower blood pressure: Low-cost protein gets big results in people with elevated blood pressure (December 13, 2010) -- Beverages supplemented by whey-based protein can significantly reduce elevated blood pressure, reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease, a new study has found. ... > full story

Pomegranate juice components could stop cancer from spreading, research suggests (December 13, 2010) -- Researchers have identified components in pomegranate juice that both inhibit the movement of cancer cells and weaken their attraction to a chemical signal that promotes the metastasis of prostate cancer to the bone. The research could lead to new therapies for preventing cancer metastasis. ... > full story

Moderate drinking benefits kidney transplant recipients, study suggests (December 13, 2010) -- Moderate alcohol consumption reduces one's risk for diabetes and premature death in the general population. To find if the same were true for stable kidney transplant recipients, researchers studied 600 renal transplant recipients who had their transplant more than one prior and followed them for several years post-transplant. During an average follow-up of seven years, moderate alcohol drinkers were 44% less likely to die than other types of drinkers/nondrinkers. ... > full story

Carbon fluxes in the oceans: The strange behavior of small particles at density interfaces (December 13, 2010) -- Researchers have found a remarkable effect while studying how marine particles sink, which could affect the way scientists assess global carbon fluxes. Their question: How fast does organic material and debris clumped together forming porous particles settle to the sea floor? Microbes colonizing these particles degrade the organic matter and release carbon dioxide back to the water. The downward velocity of the particles determines the amount of carbon exported to the deep sea. ... > full story

Shoo, fly! Catnip oil repels bloodsucking flies (December 13, 2010) -- Catnip, the plant that attracts domestic cats like an irresistible force, has proven 99 percent effective in repelling the blood-sucking flies that attack horses and cows, causing billion in annual loses to the cattle industry. ... > full story

Shrubby crops can help fuel Africa's green revolution (December 13, 2010) -- Crop diversification with shrubby legumes mixed with soybean and peanuts could be the key to sustaining the green revolution in Africa, according to a new study. The study states that diversifying crops would boost production of nutrient-enriched grain by 12 percent to 23 percent. ... > full story

Fire disaster in Israel is a typical example of expected climate change effects in the Mediterranean (December 13, 2010) -- The fire disaster in the Carmel Mountains near Haifa is a typical example of climate change effect and a taste of the future, says a researcher. Ten years ago he had warned of expected climatic fluctuations, heat events, decreased rainfall and delayed late winter rainfall, all of which would lead to increased risk of intense forest fires. ... > full story

Cellular protein hobbles HIV-1 (December 13, 2010) -- A cellular protein called BST-2 had already been known to interfere with the spread of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), by inhibiting the release of its progeny particles from infected cells. Now scientists show that in addition, each progeny virion's ability to cause infection is severely impaired. ... > full story

How natural drug, abscisic acid, fights inflammation (December 12, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered how abscisic acid, a natural plant hormone with known beneficial properties for the treatment of disease, helps fight inflammation. ... > full story

Tigers and polar bears are highly vulnerable to environmental change (December 12, 2010) -- Large predators are much more vulnerable than smaller species to environmental changes, such as over-hunting and habitat change, because they have to work so hard to find their next meal, according to a new study. ... > full story

Synchrotron study shows how nitric oxide kills (December 12, 2010) -- Nitric oxide is a toxic pollutant, but the human body also creates it and uses it to attack invading microbes and parasites. A new study by researchers in the U.S. and the Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute shows how nitric oxide, attacks an important group of proteins critical to cell survival. ... > full story

Tiny protozoa may hold key to world water safety (December 12, 2010) -- Biologists have developed a sensor that employs one-celled protozoa to detect toxins in water sources. The new technique works by introducing protozoa into small chambers with water samples taken from municipal, industrial, or military water sources and comparing them to control samples. Any alteration of the protozoa's swimming mechanics is a sign that water conditions have changed and chemical or biological contaminants -- pesticides, industrial chemicals, or biological warfare agents -- may be present. ... > full story

Blue whale-sized mouthfuls make foraging super efficient (December 12, 2010) -- How much can a blue whale eat in a single mouthful and how much energy do they burn while foraging? Researchers discovered that blue whales can swallow almost 2,000,000kJ (almost 480,000kcalories) in a single mouthful of krill, and eat 90 times as much energy as they burn during a dive. ... > full story

Drug-resistant HIV genes identified (December 12, 2010) -- New, groundbreaking research by a biomedical engineer significantly advances our understanding of HIV and how to treat it. They studied approximately 15,000 different versions of the virus -- something that has never been done before. This information has allowed them to locate the specific genes of the virus that were resistant to the drugs -- knowledge that could ultimately help researchers develop more effective treatments for HIV. ... > full story

'Green' water treatments may not kill bacteria in large building cooling systems (December 12, 2010) -- Non-chemical water treatment systems -- touted as environmentally conscious stand-ins for such chemicals as chlorine -- may allow dangerous bacteria to flourish in the cooling systems of hospitals, commercial offices and other water-cooled buildings. The study is the first to thoroughly investigate the ability of nonchemical treatment devices to control the growth of bacteria in water-based air-conditioning systems found in many large buildings. ... > full story

Thought for food: Imagining food consumption reduces actual consumption (December 11, 2010) -- A new study shows that when you imagine eating a certain food, it reduces your actual consumption of that food. This landmark discovery changes the decades-old assumption that thinking about something desirable increases cravings for it and its consumption. ... > full story

Bering Sea chill yields fatter plankton, pollock diet changes (December 11, 2010) -- Despite a 30-year warming trend, the last three years in the Bering Sea have been the coldest on record. An Alaska scientist says that the cold temperatures have helped produce larger zooplankton in the Bering Sea, which may affect the way Walleye pollock feed. ... > full story

Simulations aim to unlock nature's process of biomineralization (December 11, 2010) -- Researchers are leveraging advanced modeling and simulation resources to study the process of biomineralization, nature's ability to form complex structures, such as bones, teeth and mollusk shells. This natural phenomenon, if harnessed, could lead to the design of composite materials and devices for such applications as bone replacement, sensing systems, efficient energy generation and treatment of diseases. ... > full story

Bizarre reptile challenges notion of crocodiles as 'living fossils' (December 10, 2010) -- We all know that crocodiles are reptiles with long snouts, conical teeth, strong jaws and long tails. But, new discoveries show we don't know what we thought we knew. Rather, some crocodiles possessed a dazzling array of adaptations that resulted in unique and sometimes bizarre anatomy, including blunt, pug-nosed snouts, pudgy bodies and short tails. ... > full story

Details of microbe's extraordinary maintenance and repair system revealed (December 10, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered how a network of repair proteins enables bacteria to prioritize the repair of the most heavily used regions of the DNA molecules that carry the instructions necessary for living cells to function. ... > full story

There's a new 'officer' in the infection control army (December 10, 2010) -- Scientists have identified a previously unrecognized step in the activation of infection-fighting white blood cells, the main immunity troops in the body's war on bacteria, viruses and foreign proteins. ... > full story

35,000 new species ‘sitting in cupboards’ (December 10, 2010) -- Of the estimated 70,000 species of flowering plants yet to be described by scientists, more than half may already have been collected but are lying unknown and unrecognized in collections around the world, a new study suggests. ... > full story

Ice-age reptile extinctions provide a glimpse of likely responses to human-caused climate change (December 10, 2010) -- A wave of reptile extinctions on the Greek islands over the past 15,000 years may offer a preview of the way plants and animals will respond as the world rapidly warms due to human-caused climate change, according ecologists. ... > full story

Massive gene loss linked to pathogen's stealthy plant-dependent lifestyle (December 10, 2010) -- An international team of scientists has cracked the genetic code of a plant pathogen that causes downy mildew disease. Downy mildews are a widespread class of destructive diseases that cause major losses to crops as diverse as maize, grapes and lettuce. ... > full story

Cholera strain in Haiti matches bacteria from south Asia (December 10, 2010) -- Researchers have determined that the strain of cholera erupting in Haiti matches bacterial samples from South Asia and not those from Latin America. The scientists conclude that the bacteria introduced into Haiti most likely came from an infected human, contaminated food or other item from outside of Latin America. ... > full story

Bioengineers develop bacterial strain to increase ethanol biofuel production (December 10, 2010) -- Bioengineers have modified a strain of bacteria to increase its ability to produce ethanol. The research reveals how adaptation and metabolic engineering can be combined for strain improvement, a positive development for the biofuel industry. ... > full story

Cloud 'feedback' affects global climate and warming (December 10, 2010) -- Changes in clouds will amplify the warming of the planet due to human activities, according to a breakthrough study that shows that warming due to increases in greenhouse gases will cause clouds to trap more heat, which will lead to additional warming. ... > full story

Genome of barley disease reveals surprises (December 10, 2010) -- Scientists have sequenced the genome of a major fungal disease that affects barley and other cereal crops, a breakthrough that could lead to significant advances in our understanding of how plant diseases evolve. The research suggests that parasites within the genome of the fungus help the disease to adapt and overcome the plant's defenses. ... > full story

New insights into formation of Earth, the Moon, and Mars (December 10, 2010) -- New research reveals that the abundance of so-called highly siderophile, or metal-loving, elements like gold and platinum found in the mantles of Earth, the moon and Mars were delivered by massive impactors during the final phase of planet formation over 4.5 billion years ago. The predicted sizes of the projectiles, which hit within tens of millions of years of the giant impact that produced our moon, are consistent with current planet formation models. They predict that the largest of the late impactors on Earth -- at 1,500 to 2,000 miles in diameter -- potentially modified Earth's obliquity by approximately 10 degrees, while those for the Moon, at approximately 150-200 miles, may have delivered water to its mantle. ... > full story

Gene hunters tackle crop diseases (December 10, 2010) -- Scientists are on the trail of some of the most economically damaging organisms that infect crops worldwide. Their latest targets are the parasitic water fungus that causes powdery mildew and the water molds that cause late blight in potatoes and tomatoes and downy mildew in cruciferous vegetables and other crops. ... > full story

Stricter testing for federal ground beef program may not lead to safer meat (December 9, 2010) -- A new National Research Council report finds no scientific basis that more stringent testing of meat purchased through the government's ground beef purchase program and distributed to various federal food and nutrition programs -- including the National School Lunch Program -- would lead to safer meat. ... > full story

Double-edged sword of dominance: Top chimps tend to suffer from more parasites (December 9, 2010) -- A study of chimpanzees has revealed that dominant animals with higher testosterone levels tend to suffer from an increased burden of parasites. Researchers observed the primates' behavior and studied their droppings to draw the link between dominance and infection status. ... > full story

Viable female and male mice from two fathers produced using stem cell technology (December 9, 2010) -- Researchers report that they have used stem cell technology to produce mice from two fathers, an achievement that may open new opportunities in reproductive science, including the intriguing possibility of same-sex couples having their own genetic offspring. ... > full story

Greenland ice sheet flow driven by short-term weather extremes, not gradual warming, research reveals (December 9, 2010) -- Sudden changes in the volume of meltwater contribute more to the acceleration -- and eventual loss -- of the Greenland ice sheet than the gradual increase of temperature, according to a new study. ... > full story

Influenza virus strains show increasing drug resistance and ability to spread (December 9, 2010) -- Two new studies raise public health concerns about increasing antiviral resistance among certain influenza viruses, their ability to spread, and a lack of alternative antiviral treatment options. ... > full story

Fleshing out the life histories of dead whales (December 9, 2010) -- Dead whales that sink down to the seafloor provide a feast for deep-sea animals that can last for years. Previous research suggested that such "whale falls" hosted unique animals that lived nowhere else. However, after sinking five whale carcasses in Monterey Canyon, researchers found that most of the animals at these sites were not unique to whale falls, but were common in other deep-sea environments as well. ... > full story

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