ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

In the absence of genetic variation, asexual invasive species find new methods of adapting to their environment

Posted: 30 Jul 2021 01:54 PM PDT

New research has found that two types of weevils, common yet invasive beetles in many parts of the world, have been using epigenetic changes to adapt and respond to different toxins in the plants they eat. The findings have implications for how we consider asexual invaders and how successful they can be because of gene regulation.

The environment for permafrost in Daisetsu Mountains in Japan is projected to decrease significantly

Posted: 30 Jul 2021 01:54 PM PDT

Areas with climatic conditions suitable for sustaining permafrost in the Daisetsu Mountains are projected. The size of the area in the Daisetsu Mountains where climatic conditions were suitable for permafrost were estimated to be approximately 150 km2 in 2010. Under the business-as-usual scenario, this area is projected to disappear by around 2070. Under the low-carbon scenario consistent with Paris target scenario, the area is projected to decrease to approximately 13% of 2010 by 2100.

'Greening' biomaterials and scaffolds used in regenerative medicine

Posted: 30 Jul 2021 01:54 PM PDT

In the biomaterials industry, electrospinning is a ubiquitous fabrication method used to produce nano- to microscale fibrous meshes that closely resemble native tissue architecture. Alas, the process has traditionally used solvents that not only are environmentally hazardous but also a significant barrier to industrial scale-up, clinical translation, and widespread use. But now, researchers report that they have developed a 'green electrospinning' process that addresses those challenges, from managing environmental risks of volatile solvent storage and disposal at large volumes to meeting health and safety standards during both fabrication and implementation.

Bird brains left other dinosaurs behind

Posted: 30 Jul 2021 01:54 PM PDT

Research on a newly discovered bird fossil found that a unique brain shape may be why the ancestors of living birds survived the mass extinction that claimed all other known dinosaurs.

Some birds steal hair from living mammals, study finds

Posted: 30 Jul 2021 07:43 AM PDT

A new paper documents an unusual behavior among tufted titmice and their closest bird kin. A bird will land on an unsuspecting mammal and, cautiously and stealthily, pluck out some of its hair.

Solar-powered microbes to feed the world?

Posted: 30 Jul 2021 07:43 AM PDT

An international research team has shown that using solar-panels to produce microbial protein -- which is rich not just in proteins but also in other nutrients -- is more sustainable, efficient and environmentally friendly than growing conventional crops. This method uses solar energy, land, nutrients, and carbon dioxide from the air.

World Trade Center responders with the greatest exposure to toxic dust have a higher likelihood of liver disease, study finds

Posted: 30 Jul 2021 07:42 AM PDT

Researchers have found evidence that World Trade Center responders had a higher likelihood of developing liver disease if they arrived at the site right after the attacks as opposed to working at Ground Zero later in the rescue and recovery efforts.

‘Digging’ into early medieval Europe with big data

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 07:09 PM PDT

A study involving over 26,000 individual graves in England, France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands explores the changes to burial practices and use of 'grave goods' between the 6th-8th centuries CE. Although clear regional distinctions and preferences are present, some communities were able to make highly individual choices about the way to bury their dead.

Buffer zones, better regulation needed to prevent agricultural pollution in rivers, streams, review finds

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 03:36 PM PDT

Greater buffer zones around bodies of water and more consistent enforcement of water protection regulations are needed to reduce agriculture-based pollution in the Western U.S., a recent review has found.

Differentiating strong antibiotic producers from weaker ones

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 03:36 PM PDT

Biologists are using comparative metabologenomics to try to uncover what may be 'silencing' Streptomyces and preventing it from producing desirable compounds encoded by its genes.

Artificial light disrupts dung beetles’ sense of direction

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 03:36 PM PDT

New research shows that city lights limit the ability of nocturnal animals to navigate by natural light in the night sky. Instead, they are forced to use streetlamps, neon light or floodlights to orient themselves.

Researchers film human viruses in liquid droplets at near-atomic detail

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 03:36 PM PDT

Researchers have used advanced electron microscopy (EM) technology to see how human viruses move in high resolution in a near-native environment. The visualization technique could lead to improved understanding of how vaccine candidates and treatments behave and function as they interact with target cells.

eDNA effective in the calculation of marine biodiversity

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 03:35 PM PDT

For almost 20 years, researchers have conducted detailed censuses of the majestic kelp forests off Santa Barbara. By counting fish species and placing them in the context of their environmental conditions, coastal marine ecologists can look at the effects of human activity and natural drivers on kelp and its ability to maintain the kelp forest communities.

La Niña increases carbon export from Amazon River

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 03:35 PM PDT

When La Niña brings unusually warm waters and abnormal air pressure to the Pacific Ocean, the resulting weather patterns create an increase in the carbon export from the Amazon River, new research has found.

Chasing the light from elusive ‘milky seas’: Unraveling mysteries of the ocean from space

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 03:35 PM PDT

Using nearly a decade of satellite data, researchers have uncovered "milky seas" in a way they've never been seen before -- a rare and fascinating oceanic bioluminescent phenomenon detected by a highly sensitive spaceborne low-light sensor.

How cells draw on memories of past inflammation to respond to new threats

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 03:35 PM PDT

A new study uncovers a near-universal mechanism behind this phenomenon, known as inflammatory memory.

Mapping the cellular circuits behind spitting in C. elegans

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 11:35 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered the mechanism that underlies spitting in the roundworm C. elegans -- expanding our understanding of how neurons control muscle cells to shape behavior.

'Green' synthesis of plastics from CO2

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 11:34 AM PDT

Using a CeO2 catalyst, researchers develop an effective catalytic process for the direct synthesis of polycarbonate diols without the need for dehydrating agents. The high yield, high selective process has CO2 blown at atmospheric pressure to evaporate excess water by-product allowing for a catalytic process that can be used with any substrate with a boiling point higher than water.

In plant cells, a conserved mechanism for perceiving mechanical force resides in unexpected location

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 11:34 AM PDT

Minuscule tunnels through the cell membrane help cells to perceive and respond to mechanical forces, such as pressure or touch. A new study directly investigates what PIEZO channels are doing in the tip-growing cells in moss and pollen tubes of flowering plants, and how.

Marine ecologists reveal mangroves might be threatened by low functional diversity of invertebrates

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 11:34 AM PDT

Researchers compiled a dataset of 209 crustacean and 155 mollusk species from 16 mangrove forests around the world. They found that mangroves, when compared with other ecosystems, are among those with the lowest functional redundancy among resident fauna recorded to date, which suggests that these coastal vegetations are among the most precarious ecosystems in the world.

Mice treated with this cytokine lose weight by ‘sweating’ fat

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 11:34 AM PDT

Treating obese mice with the cytokine known as TSLP led to significant abdominal fat and weight loss compared to controls. The animal model findings support the possibility that increasing sebum production via the immune system could be a strategy for treating obesity in people.

How to make up your mind when the glass seems half empty?

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:22 AM PDT

Neuroscientists have connected some of the dots to reveal the brain networks that give anxiety influence over decisions. The group has published a review that synthesizes results from years of brain measurements in rats and primates and relates these findings to the human brain.

Adding color to your plate may lower risk of cognitive decline

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:22 AM PDT

A new study shows that people who eat a diet that includes at least half a serving per day of foods high in flavonoids like strawberries, oranges, peppers and apples may have a 20% lower risk of cognitive decline. The study looked at several types of flavonoids, and found that flavones and anthocyanins may have the most protective effect.

Fruit compound may have potential to prevent and treat Parkinson's disease

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:22 AM PDT

Researchers say they have added to evidence that the compound farnesol, found naturally in herbs, and berries and other fruits, prevents and reverses brain damage linked to Parkinson's disease in mouse studies.

Understanding past climate change 'tipping points' can help us prepare for the future

Posted: 29 Jul 2021 08:18 AM PDT

Of all the creatures on Earth, humans manipulate their environments the most. But, how far can we push it before something drastic happens? Scientists are calling for a better understanding of past extreme climate change events in an attempt to anticipate future changes.