Τρίτη 4 Φεβρουαρίου 2014

ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

New technique could be used to search space dust for life's ingredients

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 04:18 PM PST

While the origin of life remains mysterious, scientists are finding more and more evidence that material created in space and delivered to Earth by comet and meteor impacts could have given a boost to the start of life. Some meteorites supply molecules that can be used as building blocks to make certain kinds of larger molecules that are critical for life.

Finding a target for tumor suppression: protein discovered that blocks scaffolding during cell division

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 04:18 PM PST

Biochemists found a protein that is suspected as a potential tumor suppressor and found how it could block the production of the material used as scaffolding during cell division.

Hot weather deaths projected to rise 257 percent in UK by 2050s, experts warn

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 04:18 PM PST

The number of annual excess deaths caused by hot weather in England and Wales is projected to surge by 257 percent by the middle of the century, as a result of climate change and population growth, concludes research published.

Pesticides increase risk for Parkinson's disease: Certain people may be more susceptible

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 01:34 PM PST

Previous studies have shown the certain pesticides can increase the risk for developing Parkinson's disease. Now, researchers have now found that the strength of that risk depends on an individual's genetic makeup, which in the most pesticide-exposed populations could increase the chances of developing the debilitating disease by two- to six-fold.

Mosquito sperm have 'sense of smell,' make sperm swim harder

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 12:49 PM PST

Biologists have discovered that mosquito sperm have a "sense of smell" and that some of same chemicals that the mosquito can smell cause the sperm to swim harder.

Fiery-red coral species discovered in the Peruvian Pacific

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 10:36 AM PST

A new coral species, Psammogorgia hookeri, has been collected by scuba divers from rocky ledges at depths to 25 meters in Peru's Paracas National Reserve.

New technique makes 'biogasoline' from plant waste

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 10:36 AM PST

Gasoline-like fuels can be made from cellulosic materials such as farm and forestry waste using a new process. The process could open up new markets for plant-based fuels, beyond existing diesel substitutes.

Finding Israel's first camels: Archaeologists pinpoint the date when domesticated camels arrived in Israel

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 10:15 AM PST

Using radiocarbon dating, archaeologists can pinpoint the moment when domesticated camels arrived in the southern Levant. Their findings further emphasize the disagreements between Biblical texts and verifiable history, and define a turning point in Israel's engagement with the rest of the world.

Genetic function of tumor suppressor gene discovered; could offer new avenue to cancer therapies

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 09:28 AM PST

Researchers have discovered a genetic function that helps one of the most important "tumor suppressor" genes to do its job and prevent cancer. Finding ways to maintain or increase the effectiveness of this gene could offer an important new avenue for human cancer therapies.

Macrosystems ecology: New scientific field looks at the big picture

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 09:28 AM PST

Big data is changing the field of ecology. The shift is dramatic enough to warrant the creation of an entirely new field: macrosystems ecology. "Ecologists can no longer sample and study just one or even a handful of ecosystems," said author and macrosystems ecology pioneer.

Dramatic thinning of Arctic lake ice cuts winter ice season by 24 days compared to 1950

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 09:28 AM PST

Arctic lakes have been freezing up later in the year and thawing earlier, creating a winter ice season about 24 days shorter than it was in 1950, a new study has found.

How does radioactive waste interact with soil and sediments?

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 09:25 AM PST

Scientists are developing computer models that show how radioactive waste interacts with soil and sediments, shedding light on waste disposal and how to keep contamination away from drinking water.

Communities prepared to be resettled for sake of conserving tigers

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 08:35 AM PST

Research has revealed that people in the western Terai Arc Landscape, India, are prepared to relocate their homes and families to help conserve tigers.

Satellites show 'total' California water storage at near decade low

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 08:35 AM PST

Updates to satellite data show that California's Sacramento and San Joaquin River basins are at near decade-low water storage levels.

Arctic cod inspire new way to help hospitals keep blood on ice

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 08:21 AM PST

Antifreeze proteins from fish living in icy seas have inspired a new way to freeze blood which could one day increase the precious stocks available for medical procedures.

How smartphones help find avalanche victims

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 08:21 AM PST

Not a winter goes by without an avalanche incident. In the search for those buried beneath the snow, every second counts. Now smartphones equipped with functions of an avalanche transceiver should help locate the victims quickly.

New moisture-buffering plaster 'sucks up' water vapor

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 08:21 AM PST

Water vapor generated by cooking, taking a shower or drying damp clothes can condense on cold walls, encouraging the growth of mildew and microbes. Scientists have now developed a special wall plaster to deal with this problem. Its ability to absorb moisture from the air is significantly better than that of conventional lime plaster and even that of clay rendering.

Greenland's fastest glacier reaches record speeds

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 07:10 AM PST

Jakobshavn Isbræ (Jakobshavn Glacier) is moving ice from the Greenland ice sheet into the ocean at a speed that appears to be the fastest ever recorded. Researchers measured the dramatic speeds of the fast-flowing glacier in 2012 and 2013.

Researchers Advance Findings on Key Gene Related to Cancer Metastasis

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 07:10 AM PST

Researchers report that the disabling of two key genes, SSeCKS/AKAP12 and Rb, led to early development of prostate cancer and was also associated with high rates of metastasis to nearby lymph nodes.

As the temperature drops, risk of fracture rises

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 07:10 AM PST

Record-setting winter weather in the U.S. has led to lots of road condition advisories, but could there also be a slip and fall alert?

Critically endangered leatherback turtles tracked to reveal danger zones from industrial fishing

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 07:10 AM PST

One of the biggest threats to critically endangered leatherback turtles is bycatch from industrial fishing in the open oceans. Now, a team of researchers has satellite-tracked 135 leatherbacks with transmitters to determine the turtles' patterns of movement in the Pacific Ocean. Combined with fisheries data, the researchers entered the information into a computer model to predict bycatch hotspots in the Pacific.

Greenhouse 'time machine' sheds light on corn domestication

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 06:38 AM PST

A grass called teosinte is thought to be the ancestor of corn, but it doesn't look much like corn at all. Scientists were surprised to find that teosinte planted in growth chambers under climate conditions that simulate the environment 10,000 to 12,000 years ago looks more like corn. This may help to explain why early farmers chose to cultivate teosinte and lends support to the idea that teosinte was domesticated to become one of the most important staple crops in the world.

Capturing ultrasharp images of multiple cell components at once

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 06:38 AM PST

A new microscopy method could enable scientists to generate snapshots of dozens of different biomolecules at once in a single human cell. Such images could shed light on complex cellular pathways and potentially lead to new ways to diagnose disease, track its prognosis, or monitor the effectiveness of therapies at a cellular level.

Two papers unraveled the mystery of sex determination and benthic adaptation of the flatfish

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 06:38 AM PST

Researchers have successfully decoded the first genome of a flatfish -- half-smooth tongue sole, providing insights into ZW sex chromosome evolution and adaptation to a benthic lifestyle.

Finnish agriculture increasingly steered by market forces

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 06:35 AM PST

Agriculture in Finland is becoming more market driven. EU and national support systems will continue to protect production, but the risks due to fluctuating prices will increase. It is anticipated that the major structural changes in agriculture will continue, and the number of livestock farms in particular will decrease steadily.

Beneficial insects, nematodes not harmed by genetically modified, insect-resistant crops, studies show

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:46 AM PST

Two new studies show that genetically modified Bt crops have no negative effects on two beneficial insect predators or on a beneficial, entomopathogenic nematode.

First African study on biodiversity in genetically modified maize finds insects abundant

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:46 AM PST

A new study from South Africa shows that the biodiversity of insects and related arthropods in genetically modified crop fields is essentially the same as that among conventional crops.

Liver tumors found in mice exposed to BPA

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:45 AM PST

In one of the first studies to show a significant association between BPA and cancer development, researchers have found liver tumors in mice exposed to the chemical via their mothers during gestation and nursing.

White silk wrappings key to female spider's heart

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:40 AM PST

South American spider females pick their mates according to how well the nuptial gift is wrapped. It's not only what's inside the nuptial gift that a potential suitor brings to a female Paratrechalea ornata spider that counts. It's the whole package, white silk wrappings and all, that can give one male spider the edge over another.

Rat islands 'a laboratory of future evolution': Rats predicted to fill in Earth's emptying ecospace

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:40 AM PST

New research predicts that rats will continue to grow and fill a 'significant chunk' of Earth's emptying ecospace. Their global influence is likely to grow in the future as larger mammals continue to become extinct.

Vulnerability to future phosphorus shortage: Key ingredient to modern farming

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:38 AM PST

The world was given a shock when global phosphorus prices were raised by 800% in 2008. At a stroke, it became clear how dependent we are on phosphorus for our food supply. Phosphorus is an ingredient in artificial fertilizers and is indispensable in modern farming.

Raindrop research dials in satellite forecasting accuracy

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:36 AM PST

Dialing in the accuracy of satellite weather forecasting is the goal behind basic research into raindrop size and shape now being done.

Split decision: Stem cell signal linked with cancer growth

Posted: 02 Feb 2014 10:23 AM PST

Researchers have identified a protein critical to hematopoietic stem cell function and blood formation. The finding has potential as a new target for treating leukemia because cancer stem cells rely upon the same protein to regulate and sustain their growth.

Quicker, cheaper way to detect staph in the body

Posted: 02 Feb 2014 10:23 AM PST

Watch out, infection. Researchers have crated a probe that can identify staph bacteria before symptoms appear. The probe is noninvasive and is expected to be cheaper and faster than current diagnostic techniques.

Red alert: Body kills 'spontaneous' blood cancers on a daily basis

Posted: 02 Feb 2014 10:23 AM PST

Immune cells undergo 'spontaneous' changes on a daily basis that could lead to cancers if not for the diligent surveillance of our immune system, scientists have found.

Caring for animals may correlate with positive traits in young adults

Posted: 31 Jan 2014 08:07 PM PST

Young adults who care for an animal may have stronger social relationships and connection to their communities, according to a new study.

DNA of peanut-allergic kids changes with immune therapy, study finds

Posted: 31 Jan 2014 12:02 PM PST

Treating a peanut allergy with oral immunotherapy changes the DNA of the patient's immune cells, according to a new study. The DNA change could serve as the basis for a simple blood test to monitor the long-term effectiveness of the allergy therapy.

Trees' diminished resistance to tropical cyclone winds attributed to insect invasions

Posted: 31 Jan 2014 10:07 AM PST

Researchers compared the impact of two tropical cyclones that occurred in Guam in 1997 and 2004 on the resilience and health of the native tree species Cycas micronesica. Findings revealed that 100 percent recovery followed the 1997 typhoon, but infestations of two invasive insects were responsible for 100 percent mortality of the trees during the 5 years after the 2004 typhoon. The invasive pests eliminated the species' resilience to tropical cyclone damage in less than 10 years between the two typhoons.

Can workshops on household water use impact consumer behavior?

Posted: 31 Jan 2014 10:07 AM PST

Researchers studied the effectiveness of workshops designed to focus on residential water conservation using a sample of irrigation water use data for 57 workshop participants and 43 nonparticipants. Results indicated that the 2-hour workshops were effective in reducing attendees' irrigation water use; however, the effect was short lived. Results also showed that effects of workshop attendance depended on the household sample, and found that water use increased for some low-use workshop participants.

'Nutrition facts' food labels ready for a facelift

Posted: 31 Jan 2014 10:05 AM PST

It has been twenty years since federal law made Nutrition Facts a required part of food packages. The Food and Drug Administration, which is responsible for the design and content of Nutrition Facts, says knowledge about nutrition has advanced in the past two decades, and that label changes to reflect the new information may be on the way.

Gathering 'wild' food in the city: Rethinking the role of foraging in urban ecosystem planning, management

Posted: 31 Jan 2014 06:33 AM PST

New exploratory studies point to the importance for planners, managers and scholars to understand urban green spaces as not only providers of services, but also providers of material products.

Secrets of potato blight evolution could help farmers fight back

Posted: 31 Jan 2014 05:35 AM PST

Scientists have discovered vital clues as to how the pathogen responsible for the Irish potato famine adapted to spread between different plant species by looking in unprecedented detail at how Phytophthora infestans, a pathogen that continues to blight potatoes and tomatoes today, evolved to target other plants. The findings will enable scientists to develop more resistant crops in future.

One of the major genes responsible for female differentiation discovered

Posted: 31 Jan 2014 05:34 AM PST

Researchers have just uncovered one of the major genes responsible for female differentiation: FOXL2. Not only does this gene activate differentiation in the ovary, but it also blocks the expression of male genes within the developing ovary. These results will help further understanding with regards to certain cases of infertility in female livestock and women.

New method measures mercury vapor for the first time

Posted: 31 Jan 2014 05:34 AM PST

An investigation to find out how much mercury energy-saving lamps contain has been conducted. Seventy-five commercially available lamps were tested, with encouraging results -- as far as mercury content goes they all contain less than the maximum allowed by law.
Αναρτήθηκε από στις

Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:

Δημοσίευση σχολίου

Εγγραφή σε: Σχόλια ανάρτησης (Atom)