ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

Gene-editing used to create single sex mice litters, 100% efficiency

Posted: 03 Dec 2021 05:15 AM PST

Scientists have used gene editing technology to create female-only and male-only mice litters with 100% efficiency.

Combined heat and power as a platform for clean energy systems

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 04:11 PM PST

The state of Georgia could dramatically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, while creating new jobs and a healthier public, if more of its energy-intensive industries and commercial buildings were to utilize combined heat and power (CHP), according to the latest research.

Wild blue wonder: X-ray beam explores food color protein

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 04:11 PM PST

A natural food colorant called phycocyanin provides a fun, vivid blue in soft drinks, but it is unstable on grocery shelves. A synchrotron is helping to steady it.

Most dog breeds highly inbred

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 01:21 PM PST

The majority of dog breeds are highly inbred, contributing to an increase in disease and health care costs throughout their lifespan, according to new research.

Researchers attacking menacing ‘superbug’

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 01:21 PM PST

Scientists around the world have been working in earnest to improve understanding of an increasingly virulent superbug, Clostridium difficile. The highly contagious hospital-acquired pathogen, designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as one of the five most urgent threats to the U.S. healthcare system, causes more than 500,000 infections and 29,000 deaths each year at a total societal cost exceeding $5 billion.

Forty percent of North Atlantic right whale population using Gulf of Saint Lawrence as seasonal habitat

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 12:39 PM PST

A new study confirms that the Gulf of St. Lawrence is an important habitat for a large proportion of the endangered North Atlantic right whale population.

Novel 3D printing technique to engineer biofilms

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 11:16 AM PST

Biologists are studying how engineered biofilms closely mimic natural ones. Their research may aid in developing drugs to fight the negative effects of these microorganisms that adhere to surfaces.

Stemming the tide of invasive weeds with herbicide capsules

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 11:15 AM PST

An innovative herbicide delivery system could revolutionize the way agricultural and environmental managers battle invasive weeds.

Host and resident bacteria join forces to control fungi in plant roots

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 11:15 AM PST

Researchers have discovered that diverse root-colonizing fungi can benefit plants, but only when they are kept in check by the host innate immune system and the bacteria residing in roots.

Air quality models can improve the accuracy of forecasts of daily solar power production in the future

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 11:15 AM PST

The expansion of renewable energies is placing increasing demands on the power grids. Precise forecasts of the amount of solar power that will be fed into the grid is key to effective energy management. In addition to clouds, aerosol particles also strongly influence the amount of electricity generated by photovoltaic systems. Current air quality models are a good basis for estimating the production of solar electricity, but they could be further improved.

Harnessing the organization of the cell surface

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 11:15 AM PST

Scientists have developed a new method to determine how proteins are organized on the surface of cells. Insights gained with the technology could lead to the development of novel drugs to fight cancer.

Light-powered soft robots could suck up oil spills

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 11:15 AM PST

A floating, robotic film could be trained to hoover oil spills at sea or remove contaminants from drinking water.

Exploring carbon storage deep beneath the seabed

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 11:15 AM PST

A new study sheds light on the way salty water acts in deep-sea aquifers, paving the way for further research into carbon storage deep beneath the seabed.

Aircraft reveal a surprisingly strong Southern Ocean carbon sink

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 11:15 AM PST

The Southern Ocean is indeed a significant carbon sink -- absorbing a large amount of the excess carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by human activities -- according to a new study.

Plant pathogen evades immune system by targeting the microbiome

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 09:30 AM PST

Biologists have discovered how a pathogenic fungus can bypass the immune system of plants. By releasing an 'effector' molecule, it avoids elimination at a critical stage in its reproduction cycle.

Two-photon microscope provides unprecedented brain-imaging ability

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 09:30 AM PST

Advancing our understanding of the human brain will require new insights into how neural circuitry works in mammals, including laboratory mice. These investigations require monitoring brain activity with a microscope that provides resolution high enough to see individual neurons and their neighbors.

Growing carbon footprint for plastics

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 08:35 AM PST

After analyzing the global plastics supply chain, researchers found that the impact of plastics on the climate and health is greater than thought due to the increased use of coal for process heat, electricity and as a raw material in production.

Scientists pinpoint protein’s role in critical gene expression

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 08:34 AM PST

New research has implications for cancer research because it explains part of the paradox for how cells can transcribe genes in the absence of high-energy sources, a situation that unfolds in cancer and has puzzled researchers for years.

How does the climate crisis affect the Antarctic fur seal?

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 08:34 AM PST

The climate crisis is limiting the availability of krill -- small crustaceans that are vital in the marine food chain -- during summer in some areas of the Antarctica. This involves a decrease in the food abundance for female Antarctic fur seals in summer and a decrease in their reproductive success. Moreover, the predation of pups by the leopard seal has also increased due to a lower abundance of penguins, the main prey of this voracious Antarctic predator. However, the impact of the climate crisis on the Antarctic fur seal in winter has been ignored to date, when the cold, wind and ice make it harder to study the Antarctic ecosystems.

Strategies to improve sales of imperfect carrots

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 08:34 AM PST

Explaining the value of misshapen vegetables -- that they are as healthful as their picture-perfect counterparts and buying them helps reduce food waste -- could help improve sales of 'ugly' produce, new research suggests.

Volcanic fertilization of the oceans drove severe mass extinction

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 08:32 AM PST

Scientists have discovered that two intense spells of volcanic activity triggered a period of global cooling and falling oxygen levels in the oceans, which caused one of the most severe mass extinctions in Earth history - the 'Late Ordovician Mass Extinction', 450 million years ago.

Climate modeling confirms historical records showing rise in hurricane activity

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 06:29 AM PST

Scientists have now used climate modeling, rather than storm records, to reconstruct the history of hurricanes and tropical cyclones around the world. The study finds that North Atlantic hurricanes have indeed increased in frequency over the last 150 years, similar to what historical records have shown.

Cannabis impacts sperm counts, motility in two generations of mice

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 06:29 AM PST

An intense but short-term exposure to cannabis vapor lowered sperm counts and slowed sperm movement, or motility, not only in the directly exposed male mice but also in their sons, according to a new study. The findings build on other human and animal research, showing that cannabis can impede male reproductive function. The current study uses more controlled circumstances than human studies, which often have to rely on surveys, and is the first known reproductive study to use vaporized whole cannabis in mice, which is the more common form humans use. Previous animal studies use other administration methods such as injections of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive component of cannabis.

Septic system waste pervasive throughout Florida’s Indian River lagoon

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 06:29 AM PST

There are more than 300,000 septic systems permitted in six counties adjacent to the 156-mile-long Indian River Lagoon (IRL) in Florida. Researchers assessed water quality and measured stable nitrogen isotopes in groundwater, surface water, and macrophyte tissue to identify nitrogen sources impacting the lagoon. Sucralose, an artificial sweetener that is not completely broken down by septic systems or wastewater treatment plants, was used as a human wastewater tracer, and fecal indicator bacteria density was used as an indicator of wastewater pollution. Results showed that nitrogen enrichment of all sub-drainage basins in this study supports that even 'properly functioning' septic systems contribute nitrogen to surficial (shallow) groundwater.

Ocean plastic is creating new communities of life on the high seas

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 06:29 AM PST

Coastal plants and animals have found a new way to survive in the open ocean -- by colonizing plastic pollution. A new commentary reports coastal species growing on trash hundreds of miles out to sea in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, more commonly known as the 'Great Pacific Garbage Patch.'

Efforts to restore Indonesian peatlands could save billions in wildfire costs

Posted: 02 Dec 2021 06:29 AM PST

Plans to restore Indonesian peatlands are a cost-effective strategy for reducing the impacts of peatland fires to the environment, climate and human health, says a new study. The study uses satellite data and models to estimate that peatland restoration could have resulted in economic savings of US $8.4 billion for 2004--2015.

Beads of glass in meteorites help scientists piece together how solar system formed

Posted: 01 Dec 2021 05:39 PM PST

Scientists have published an analysis laying out how the tiny beads of glass inside many meteorites came to be -- and what they can tell us about what happened in the early solar system.

From corals to humans, a shared trigger for sperm to get in motion

Posted: 01 Dec 2021 01:20 PM PST

Coral sperm require a specific pH to move, which identified a signaling pathway that is shared by organisms including humans. The results have implications for how corals may fare in shifting marine conditions due to climate change.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and artificial intelligence (AI) can detect early signs of tumor cell death after novel therapy

Posted: 01 Dec 2021 12:01 PM PST

A recent study demonstrates that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to detect early signs of tumor cell death in response to a novel virus-based cancer therapy.

Engineers create perching bird-like robot

Posted: 01 Dec 2021 11:53 AM PST

With feet and legs like a peregrine falcon, engineers have created a robot that can perch and carry objects like a bird.

Unconventional T cells promote immunity to malaria

Posted: 01 Dec 2021 11:53 AM PST

Researchers have made a vital breakthrough in the understanding of a new facet of the immune response to malaria, which will help in the development of a vaccine.

Effectiveness of ointment that kills antibiotic-resistant bacteria shown

Posted: 01 Dec 2021 11:53 AM PST

New research shows that use of a topical drug, called AB569, a combination of acidified nitrite and EDTA (or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) promotes killing of antibiotic-resistant bacteria while enhancing the healing of wounds in a variety of burn injuries.

Within an Antarctic sea squirt, scientists discover a bacterial species with promising anti-melanoma properties

Posted: 01 Dec 2021 10:36 AM PST

Biologists have successfully traced a naturally-produced melanoma-fighting compound called 'palmerolide A' to its source: a microbe that resides within Synoicum adareanum, a species of ascidian common to the waters of Antarctica's Anvers Island archipelago.

Headwater refuges: Combined effect of drought and fire on stream communities

Posted: 01 Dec 2021 10:36 AM PST

Life is water, and water is life. This truism certainly applies to the Pacific coast, where streams and rivers function as the region's arteries. The water they carry fosters plant life and wildlife in Southern California's Mediterranean climate. They provide sanctuary during droughts and often serve as the nexus for recovery after fires.

Researchers identify key RNA 'gatekeeper' in gene expression, pointing to possible new drug targets

Posted: 01 Dec 2021 09:43 AM PST

Researchers have identified the first non-coding RNA that controls formation of chromosome loops, which govern gene expression. Jpx RNA was previously thought to be involved only in X chromosome inactivation, a necessary step in development of female embryos. This discovery could create new targets for drug developers.

The secret life of Tasmanian devils is hiding in their whiskers

Posted: 01 Dec 2021 08:19 AM PST

Researchers have mapped the timescale of the Tasmanian devils' whiskers, showing that their whiskers can capture seasonal dietary changes over at least nine months and potentially up to a year.

Footprints from site a at Laetoli, Tanzania, are from early humans, not bears

Posted: 01 Dec 2021 08:19 AM PST

The oldest unequivocal evidence of upright walking in the human lineage are footprints discovered at Laetoli, Tanzania in 1978, by paleontologist Mary Leakey and her team. The bipedal trackways date to 3.7 million years ago. Another set of mysterious footprints was partially excavated at nearby Site A in 1976 but dismissed as possibly being made by a bear. A recent re-excavation of the Site A footprints at Laetoli and a detailed comparative analysis reveal that the footprints were made by an early human -- a bipedal hominin.

When variations in Earth's orbit drive biological evolution

Posted: 01 Dec 2021 08:19 AM PST

Coccolithophores are microscopic algae that form tiny limestone plates, called coccoliths, around their single cells. They are responsible for half of the limestone produced in the oceans and therefore play a major role in the carbon cycle and in determining ocean chemistry. A team of scientists show that certain variations in Earth's orbit have influenced the evolution of coccolithophores.

Deep learning dreams up new protein structures

Posted: 01 Dec 2021 08:19 AM PST

Using artificial intelligence and deep learning, researchers have developed a neural network that 'hallucinates' the structures of new protein molecules. The scientists made up completely random protein sequences and introduced mutations into them until the neural network predicted they would fold into stable structures. The software was not guided toward a particular outcome; the proteins were just what the computer dreams up. Next step: using deep learning to try to design proteins with particular functions, such as enzymes or drugs.

Researchers unlock biogeographical secrets of deep-sea limpets

Posted: 01 Dec 2021 08:19 AM PST

Researchers have decoded for the first time the demographic history, genetic structure, and population connectivity of a deep-sea limpet widely distributed in vent and seep ecosystems in the Northwest Pacific. This study not only enhances our knowledge of the historical population divergence and contemporary gene flow of deep-sea organisms under the intricate interactions amongst local habitats, seafloor topography, and ocean currents, but also serves as a scientific basis for better conservation of marine biodiversity and more effective environmental management.

Why cannabis smells skunky

Posted: 01 Dec 2021 05:51 AM PST

As cannabis is legalized in more areas, it has become increasingly popular as a medicinal and recreational drug. This plant produces a pungent, skunk-like odor that is pleasing to some but repulsive to others. Now, researchers have discovered a new family of prenylated volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) that give cannabis its characteristic skunky aroma. The findings open up opportunities to investigate the molecules for medicinal benefits, the researchers say.

CT uncovers bone disease in Tyrannosaurus rex jaw

Posted: 01 Dec 2021 05:51 AM PST

Researchers have identified bone disease in the fossilized jaw of a Tyrannosaurus rex using a CT-based, nondestructive imaging approach. The imaging method could have significant applications in paleontology, researchers said, as an alternative to fossil assessment methods that involve the destruction of samples.

Biosensor barcodes identify, detail ‘chatting’ among cancer cells

Posted: 30 Nov 2021 10:02 AM PST

Ever since the first barcode appeared on a pack of chewing gum in 1974, the now-ubiquitous system has enabled manufacturers, retailers and consumers to quickly and effectively identify, characterize, locate and track products and materials. Scientists now demonstrate how they can do the same thing at the molecular level, studying the ways cancer cells 'talk' with one another.

Humidity changes in dead fern fronds drives unique timing of spore dispersal in a widespread fern species

Posted: 30 Nov 2021 10:02 AM PST

Botonists reveals that the unique timing of spore dispersal in the sensitive fern, known as Onoclea sensibilis, is determined by a structural mechanism of humidity-driven movement in spore bearing leaves.

Scientists develop lead-absorbing tape to boost viability of rising star in solar power industry

Posted: 30 Nov 2021 10:02 AM PST

Scientists describe development of a cost-effective Scotch-tape-like film that can be applied to perovskite solar cells and capture 99.9% of leaked lead in the event of solar cell damage.

New review highlights cancer-crushing viruses

Posted: 30 Nov 2021 08:25 AM PST

In a recent review article researchers describe a class of viruses that act to combat rather than cause deadly disease. Such oncolytic viruses as they are known, have a remarkable ability to target and destroy cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells untouched.

Researchers discover a unique bacterial property, potential target for treating and diagnosing Lyme disease

Posted: 30 Nov 2021 08:25 AM PST

Researchers have discovered that the bacterium that causes Lyme disease has a highly unusual modification in its protective molecular bag -- its peptidoglycan, which is common to all bacteria.

Distortion: Researchers discover new strategy for antibodies to disable viruses

Posted: 30 Nov 2021 08:25 AM PST

It is widely understood that antibodies neutralize viruses by latching onto their surfaces and blocking them from infecting host cells. But new research reveals that this barrier method isn't the only way that antibodies disable viruses. An international team of researchers has discovered that antibodies also distort viruses, thereby preventing them from properly attaching to and entering cells.

Three-body interactions bring egoists into the collective comfort zone – even penguins

Posted: 30 Nov 2021 07:15 AM PST

A research team has examined the group dynamics of communicating active particles. These particles are consistently focused on self-optimization. By always endeavoring to maintain their own personal comfort, they also help the other group members. Such self-optimization is a common multi-body phenomenon which can occur for penguins and bacteria.

Diversity of the gut microbiome in gorillas

Posted: 30 Nov 2021 07:14 AM PST

A new study sheds light on the gut microbiome of gorillas, moving researchers closer to developing tools that can use the microbiome to diagnose potential health challenges for gorillas in human care. Specifically, the study found significant diversity among gorilla microbiomes, suggesting that what constitutes a 'healthy' microbiome can vary between individuals.