ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

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• Arctic seafloor methane releases double previous estimates
• CSI-type study identifies snakehead
• Bad proteins branch out: Misfolded proteins are capable of forming tree-like aggregates
• Increasing cropping frequency offers opportunity to boost food supply
• Ancient minerals: Which gave rise to life?
• Swarming insect provides clues to how the brain processes smells
• The collared treerunner is more than a single species
• New kind of genetic switch can target activities of just one type of brain cell
• Chromosomes show off their shapes
• Researchers use nanoscale 'patches' to sensitize targeted cell receptors
• Archaeological discoveries confirm early date of Buddha's life
• Your first hug: How early embryo changes shape
• Two new beautiful wasp species of the rare genus Abernessia
• Scientists reveal the genomic enigma of desert poplar
• The reality behind Europe's response to climate change
• Battle against bee blood eating Acari
• A plant which acclimatizes with no exterior influence
• Different gene expression in male, female brains may help explain brain disorder differences

Arctic seafloor methane releases double previous estimates Posted: 25 Nov 2013 02:21 PM PST The seafloor off the coast of Northern Siberia is releasing more than twice the amount of methane as previously estimated, according to new research results.

CSI-type study identifies snakehead Posted: 25 Nov 2013 02:21 PM PST Biologists are breathing a collective sigh of relief after learning that a monstrous fish found in a Burnaby, B.C., pond is not a northern snakehead. But their identification of its correct identity is still a serious concern.

Bad proteins branch out: Misfolded proteins are capable of forming tree-like aggregates Posted: 25 Nov 2013 01:48 PM PST Researchers find that misfolded proteins form branched structures, which may have implications for Alzheimer's and other aggregation diseases.

Increasing cropping frequency offers opportunity to boost food supply Posted: 25 Nov 2013 01:48 PM PST Harvesting existing cropland more frequently could substantially increase global food production without clearing more land for agriculture, according to a new study.

Ancient minerals: Which gave rise to life? Posted: 25 Nov 2013 01:48 PM PST Life originated as a result of natural processes that exploited early Earth's raw materials. Scientific models of life's origins almost always look to minerals for such essential tasks as the synthesis of life's molecular building blocks or the supply of metabolic energy. But this assumes that the mineral species found on Earth today are much the same as they were during Earth's first 550 million years -- the Hadean Eon -- when life emerged. A new analysis of Hadean mineralogy challenges that assumption.

Swarming insect provides clues to how the brain processes smells Posted: 25 Nov 2013 01:42 PM PST Our sense of smell is often the first response to environmental stimuli. Odors trigger neurons in the brain that alert us to take action. However, there is often more than one odor in the environment, such as in coffee shops or grocery stores. How does our brain process multiple odors received simultaneously?

The collared treerunner is more than a single species Posted: 25 Nov 2013 09:19 AM PST The lowland tropics were once though filled with widespread species, while moderate and higher elevations were thought to contain species with more restricted distributions. That idea is turning out to be partially incorrect. A new study describes four species once considered to be the collared treerunner, a lizard known to the scientific community as Plica plica.

New kind of genetic switch can target activities of just one type of brain cell Posted: 25 Nov 2013 09:18 AM PST Mysterious brain cells called microglia are starting to reveal their secrets thanks to research conducted at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Chromosomes show off their shapes Posted: 25 Nov 2013 09:18 AM PST Researchers calculate the shape of a chromosome. The new view of our chromosomes reveals a complex picture.

Researchers use nanoscale 'patches' to sensitize targeted cell receptors Posted: 25 Nov 2013 09:17 AM PST Researchers have developed nanoscale 'patches' that can be used to sensitize targeted cell receptors, making them more responsive to signals that control cell activity. The finding holds promise for promoting healing and facilitating tissue engineering research.

Archaeological discoveries confirm early date of Buddha's life Posted: 25 Nov 2013 09:17 AM PST Archaeologists working in Nepal have uncovered evidence of a structure at the birthplace of the Buddha dating to the sixth century B.C. This is the first archaeological material linking the life of the Buddha -- and thus the first flowering of Buddhism -- to a specific century.

Your first hug: How early embryo changes shape Posted: 25 Nov 2013 07:12 AM PST In research published, Australian scientists have revealed new insights into how cells organize and form an early mammalian embryo.

Two new beautiful wasp species of the rare genus Abernessia Posted: 25 Nov 2013 07:12 AM PST Two new beautiful wasp species are added to the rare pompilid genus Abernessia. Both wasps are distinguished by the large size (almost 3cm in length) and the beautiful black coloration. This enigmatic genus is part of the spider wasp family Pompilidae, which takes its vernacular name from the preference of the representatives to parasitize spiders.

Scientists reveal the genomic enigma of desert poplar Posted: 25 Nov 2013 07:11 AM PST Scientists have succeeded in unraveling the whole genome sequence of desert poplar, Populus euphratica, and the genetic bases underlying poplar to against salt stress. This work provides new insights for understanding the genetic basis of tree adaptation to salt stress and facilitating the genetic breeding of cultivated poplars for saline fields.

The reality behind Europe's response to climate change Posted: 25 Nov 2013 07:11 AM PST British cities – unlike their counterparts on the mainland - are taking the lead in making plans to curb and handle the impact of climate change. A new study analyzed the relevant strategic policies and planning documents of 200 urban areas in eleven European countries. They found that one in every three European cities has no plans on the table to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while seven in every ten urban areas have no formal adaptation plans in place.

Battle against bee blood eating Acari Posted: 25 Nov 2013 06:13 AM PST Mexico is one of the top five bee producing countries worldwide and the second in exportation. However, the beekeepers can see their production affected by the attack of a parasite, the Varroa acari, which feeds on hemolymph of the bees.

A plant which acclimatizes with no exterior influence Posted: 25 Nov 2013 06:13 AM PST Plants have a love-hate relationship with sunlight. While some wavelengths are indispensable to them for performing photosynthesis, others, such as UV-B, are deleterious. Therefore, plants are equipped to detect these highly toxic rays and mount their defenses. Biologists have now generated a transgenic plant which acclimatizes constitutively, regardless of the level of UV-B. This plant possesses a constantly active receptor, which endows it with a higher UV resistance, associated with increased flavonoid production, substances which function as a 'sunscreen' and as antioxidants.

Different gene expression in male, female brains may help explain brain disorder differences Posted: 22 Nov 2013 05:44 AM PST Scientists have shown that there are widespread differences in how genes, the basic building blocks of the human body, are expressed in men and women's brains.

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