ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

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• Light pollution impairs rainforest regeneration: Seed-dispersing bats avoid feeding in light polluted areas
• New light shed on changing Greenland ice
• Impersonating poisonous prey: Evolution of interspecific communication
• Natural selection has altered the appearance of Europeans over the past 5,000 years
• Small biomass power plants could help rural economies, stabilize national power grid
• National U.S. study reveals how urban lawn care habits vary
• Turing's theory of chemical morphogenesis validated 60 years after his death
• Mongol Empire rode wave of mild climate, but warming now may be tipping region into unparalleled drought
• Volcanoes helped species survive ice ages
• A shocking diet: Researchers describe microbe that 'eats' electricity
• West Virginia spill activates engineers to determine effects of chemicals
• Predation on invertebrates by woodland salamanders increases carbon capture
• Synthetic biologists shine light on genetic circuit analysis
• Emotional expressions in ancient funerary art served as therapy for the bereaved
• Scents and sustainability: Renewable sources for artificial scents and flavors
• Alaska the Last Frontier ... not for long
• Can the solution to climate change help eliminate poverty?
• Microwave radar monitors sliding slopes: Geodesists research in the Alps
• Dropped your toast? Five-second food rule exists, new research suggests
• After the saffron spice DNA
• Aerosols from human activities tend to weaken hurricanes and cyclones
• Biomolecular tweezers facilitate study of mechanical force effects on cells and proteins
• Salmon louse delay salmon returning to spawn
• Tuscany's 'badlands' acutely endangered
• 'Super bacteria' clean up after oil spills
• Combination of sensory signals draw mosquitoes in for a bite
• 'Tree of life' distances are no shortcut to conservation
• Spread of antibiotic resistance understood by unravelling bacterial secretion system
• Stem cell study opens door to undiscovered world of biology
• New tool to unravel mysteries of metastasis created
• Research on 3-D scaffolds sets new bar in lung regeneration
• New study of proteins in space could yield better understanding, new drug development

Light pollution impairs rainforest regeneration: Seed-dispersing bats avoid feeding in light polluted areas Posted: 10 Mar 2014 06:06 PM PDT Increasing light pollution in tropical habitats could be hampering regeneration of rainforests because of its impact on nocturnal seed-dispersers. These new findings show that seed-dispersing bats avoid feeding in light-polluted areas.

New light shed on changing Greenland ice Posted: 10 Mar 2014 03:28 PM PDT Research using NASA data is giving new insight into one of the processes causing Greenland's ice sheet to lose mass. A team of scientists used satellite observations and ice thickness measurements gathered by NASA's Operation IceBridge to calculate the rate at which ice flows through Greenland's glaciers into the ocean. The findings of this research give a clearer picture of how glacier flow affects the Greenland Ice Sheet and shows that this dynamic process is dominated by a small number of glaciers. Over the past few years, Operation IceBridge measured the thickness of many of Greenland's glaciers, which allowed researchers to make a more accurate calculation of ice discharge rates. In a new study, researchers calculated ice discharge rates for 178 Greenland glaciers more than one kilometer (0.62 miles) wide.

Impersonating poisonous prey: Evolution of interspecific communication Posted: 10 Mar 2014 03:28 PM PDT Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery -- especially in the predator/prey/poison cycle. In nature, bright colors are basically neon signs that scream, 'Don't eat me!' But how did prey evolve these characteristics? When did predators translate the meaning?

Natural selection has altered the appearance of Europeans over the past 5,000 years Posted: 10 Mar 2014 03:27 PM PDT There has been much research into the factors that have influenced the human genome since the end of the last Ice Age. Anthropologists, geneticists and archaeologists have analyzed ancient DNA from skeletons and found that selection has had a significant effect on the human genome even in the past 5,000 years, resulting in sustained changes to the appearance of people.

Small biomass power plants could help rural economies, stabilize national power grid Posted: 10 Mar 2014 01:15 PM PDT Researchers have found that creating a bioenergy grid with these small plants could benefit people in rural areas of the country as well as provide relief to an overworked national power grid.

National U.S. study reveals how urban lawn care habits vary Posted: 10 Mar 2014 12:22 PM PDT What do people living in Boston, Baltimore, Miami, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Phoenix, and Los Angeles have in common? From coast to coast, prairie to desert -- residential lawns reign. But, according to a new study, beneath this sea of green lie unexpected differences in fertilization and irrigation practices.

Turing's theory of chemical morphogenesis validated 60 years after his death Posted: 10 Mar 2014 12:21 PM PDT Sixty years after Alan Turing's death, researchers have provided the first experimental evidence that validates Turing's theory of chemical morphogenesis in cell-like structures. This research could impact not only the study of biological development, and how similar patterns form in nature, but materials science as well. Turing's model could help grow soft robots with certain patterns and shapes.

Mongol Empire rode wave of mild climate, but warming now may be tipping region into unparalleled drought Posted: 10 Mar 2014 12:21 PM PDT Researchers studying the rings of ancient trees in mountainous central Mongolia think they may have gotten at the mystery of how small bands of nomadic Mongol horsemen united to conquer much of the world within a span of decades, 800 years ago. The rise of the great leader Genghis Khan and the start of the largest contiguous empire in human history was propelled by a temporary run of nice weather.

Volcanoes helped species survive ice ages Posted: 10 Mar 2014 12:21 PM PDT Researchers have found evidence that the steam and heat from volcanoes and heated rocks allowed many species of plants and animals to survive past ice ages, helping scientists understand how species respond to climate change.

A shocking diet: Researchers describe microbe that 'eats' electricity Posted: 10 Mar 2014 11:40 AM PDT Researchers have shown that the commonly found bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris can use natural conductivity to pull electrons from minerals located remotely in soil and sediment while remaining at the surface, where they absorb the sunlight needed to produce energy.

West Virginia spill activates engineers to determine effects of chemicals Posted: 10 Mar 2014 11:39 AM PDT Engineers sprung into action when more than 10,000 gallons of a chemical mixture leaked from a storage tank near Charleston, W.Va., and entered a river upstream of a water-treatment plant in January.

Predation on invertebrates by woodland salamanders increases carbon capture Posted: 10 Mar 2014 11:11 AM PDT Woodland salamanders perform a vital ecological service in American forests by helping to mitigate the impacts of global warming. Woodland salamander predation on invertebrates indirectly affects the amount of leaf litter retained for soil-building where nutrients and carbon are captured at the litter-soil interface.

Synthetic biologists shine light on genetic circuit analysis Posted: 10 Mar 2014 08:17 AM PDT In a significant advance for the growing field of synthetic biology, bioengineers have created a toolkit of genes and hardware that uses colored lights and engineered bacteria to bring both mathematical predictability and cut-and-paste simplicity to the world of genetic circuit design.

Emotional expressions in ancient funerary art served as therapy for the bereaved Posted: 10 Mar 2014 08:17 AM PDT Emotional expressions on Greek tombstones from the Hellenistic period -- 323-31 B.C. -- help increase our understanding of social communication and cultural values. Despite the potential of the tombstones as a source for history of emotions, this has rarely been explored by researchers. Researchers now conclude that the illustrations and inscriptions reflect people's way of relating to death, and that the tombstone was a means to deal with the grief of losing a loved one.

Scents and sustainability: Renewable sources for artificial scents and flavors Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:23 AM PDT Fresh banana, a waft of flowers, blueberry: the scents in some labs are a little sweeter than most. Researchers are engineering bacteria to make esters -- molecules widely used as scents and flavorings, and also as basic feedstock for chemical processes from paints to fuels.

Alaska the Last Frontier ... not for long Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:22 AM PDT Alaska, the last great frontier, is being threatened by many proposals to mine an estimated 5.5 trillion tons of coal. Scientists comment on the struggle to keep Alaska untouched.

Can the solution to climate change help eliminate poverty? Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:22 AM PDT It is clear that climate change and poverty are two separate problems that affect all corners of the world, but can the solution to one help eliminate the other? Ecosystem-based adaptation is becoming more widely recognized as a possible solution to addressing climate change. Although this program does have its setbacks and limitations, it provides a plan to combat climate change while uplifting poverty stricken communities most vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change.

Microwave radar monitors sliding slopes: Geodesists research in the Alps Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:22 AM PDT The "Steinlehnen" slope in Northern Tyrol (Austria) started to move in 2003. Rockfalls threatened people, streets and buildings. Meanwhile, peace has returned; although the slope is merely "creeping", Steinlehnen has become an interesting research object for scientists in recent years.

Dropped your toast? Five-second food rule exists, new research suggests Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:22 AM PDT Food picked up just a few seconds after being dropped is less likely to contain bacteria than if it is left for longer periods of time, according to new research. The findings suggest there may be some scientific basis to the '5 second rule' -- the urban myth about it being fine to eat food that has only had contact with the floor for five seconds or less. The study, undertaken by final year biology students monitored the transfer of the common bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus from a variety of indoor floor types (carpet, laminate and tiled surfaces) to toast, pasta, biscuit and a sticky sweet when contact was made from 3 to 30 seconds.

After the saffron spice DNA Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:22 AM PDT Scientists have proposed a new technique that allows the detection of adulterated saffron spice. By studying the DNA of the saffron spice through the analysis of its genetic code, researchers have clarified aspects of the genetic variability of this species, which has allowed the design of a system that can discriminate and certify the authenticity of saffron spice to avoid cases of adulteration.

Aerosols from human activities tend to weaken hurricanes and cyclones Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:17 AM PDT Aerosols in the atmosphere produced from human activities do indeed directly affect a hurricane or tropical cyclone, but not in a way many scientists had previously believed. In fact, they tend to weaken such storms, according to a new study.

Biomolecular tweezers facilitate study of mechanical force effects on cells and proteins Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:16 AM PDT A new type of biomolecular tweezers could help researchers study how mechanical forces affect the biochemical activity of cells and proteins. The devices use opposing magnetic and electrophoretic forces to precisely stretch the cells and molecules.

Salmon louse delay salmon returning to spawn Posted: 10 Mar 2014 06:07 AM PDT Outbreaks of salmon louse during smolt migration reduce the survival rate of the smolt and mean that salmon spend longer at sea before returning to spawn. The mortality rate among migrating smolt as a result of salmon louse corresponds to previous findings both abroad and in Norway, including over a longer time period in the Daleelva.

Tuscany's 'badlands' acutely endangered Posted: 10 Mar 2014 06:07 AM PDT Vast fields of sunflowers, sprawling pine trees and slim cypresses, as well as vineyards as far as the eye can see -- these are typical memories of Tuscany for all those who have been there. By contrast, a group of researchers is interested in the more barren aspects of the region in Central Italy: In a new study, the researchers analyzed the condition of the soil in the region known as 'Crete Senesi' between Florence and Grosseto, whose hills are typically characterized by erosion -- for the moment at least, because the so-called badlands of Tuscany are acutely endangered.

'Super bacteria' clean up after oil spills Posted: 10 Mar 2014 06:06 AM PDT Researchers have achieved surprising results by exploiting nature's own ability to clean up after oil spills. Scientists know that marine bacteria can assist in cleaning up after oil spills. What is surprising is that given the right kind of encouragement, they can be even more effective.

Combination of sensory signals draw mosquitoes in for a bite Posted: 09 Mar 2014 02:24 PM PDT It may seem like mosquitoes will bite anything with a pulse, but they're actually quite strategic in picking their victims. A new study looked at the interaction of different sensory cues -- carbon dioxide, heat and odor -- that attract mosquitoes to humans, and found that it takes a combination of at least two of these to send the bugs biting.

'Tree of life' distances are no shortcut to conservation Posted: 09 Mar 2014 02:16 PM PDT Some conservation strategies assume that the evolutionary distances between species on a phylogenetic 'tree of life' (a branching diagram of species popularized by Charles Darwin) can be used to predict how diverse their biological features will be. These distances are then used to select which species to conserve in order to maximize interesting biological features -- such as potentially useful drug compounds and resilience to climate change. But a new analysis of data from 223 studies of animals, plants, and fungi, shows that methods based on such distances are often no better at conserving interesting biological features than picking species at random.

Spread of antibiotic resistance understood by unravelling bacterial secretion system Posted: 09 Mar 2014 12:05 PM PDT The system that allows the sharing of genetic material between bacteria -- and therefore the spread of antibiotic resistance -- has been uncovered by a team of scientists. Understanding the structure of the secretion system will help scientists uncover the mechanism by which it moves substances across the inner and outer membranes. It could eventually help scientists develop new tools for the genetic modification of human cells, as the bacteria could act as a carrier for genetic material, which could then be secreted into cells.

Stem cell study opens door to undiscovered world of biology Posted: 09 Mar 2014 12:03 PM PDT For the first time, researchers have shown that an essential biological process known as protein synthesis can be studied in adult stem cells -- something scientists have long struggled to accomplish. Many diseases, including degenerative diseases and certain types of cancers, are associated with mutations in the machinery that makes proteins. However, why this is the case has yet to be understood. Discoveries such as this raise the possibility that changes in protein synthesis are necessary for the development of those diseases.

New tool to unravel mysteries of metastasis created Posted: 09 Mar 2014 12:03 PM PDT Kinases are proteins that play vital roles in disease, but scientists have struggled to study how they interact in real time. A team of scientists has now developed a new technique to make these interactions occur and then watch them in real time to reveal some underlying causes of metastasis.

Research on 3-D scaffolds sets new bar in lung regeneration Posted: 07 Mar 2014 01:59 PM PST For the estimated 12.7 million people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, the third leading cause of death in the U.S., innovative research efforts in the field of tissue regeneration hold promise. In end-stage lung disease, transplantation is sometimes the only viable therapeutic option, but organ availability is limited and rejection presents an additional challenge. New research focuses on lung tissue bioengineering, which involves the use of a scaffold -- or framework -- of lungs from human cadavers to engineer new lungs for patients with end-stage disease.

New study of proteins in space could yield better understanding, new drug development Posted: 07 Mar 2014 11:30 AM PST Innovative methods of drug discovery don't always take place in an academic laboratory. They may start there, but they can also happen in orbit aboard the International Space Station, as protein crystallization research is about to demonstrate once again.

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