ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

Caribbean coral reefs have been warming for at least 100 years

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 11:09 AM PST

A new analysis outlines 150 years of sea-surface temperature history throughout the Greater Caribbean region, highlighting significant warming trends that have disrupted coral reef ecosystems.

Office buildings with infrequent water use may have poor water quality

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 11:08 AM PST

Low-consumption office buildings with infrequent water use could have chemical and microbiological safety issues, according to a new study. The research could have implications for office buildings used less frequently during pandemic lockdowns, and suggests that regular water testing in commercial buildings may be needed.

Giant impact crater in Greenland occurred a few million years after dinosaurs went extinct

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 11:08 AM PST

Danish and Swedish researchers have dated the enormous Hiawatha impact crater, a 31 km-wide meteorite crater buried under a kilometer of Greenlandic ice. The dating ends speculation that the meteorite impacted after the appearance of humans and opens up a new understanding of Earth's evolution in the post-dinosaur era.

New twist on an 80-year-old biochemical pathway

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 10:18 AM PST

With the resurgence of interest in cancer metabolism, researchers are coming to realize that there is more to a cell's biochemistry than once thought.

Stalagmites trace climate history and impact from volcanic eruptions

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 10:18 AM PST

The soils and vegetation of Patagonia's fjord regions form a unique and highly sensitive ecosystem that is closely linked to marine ecosystems, sediment deposition and carbon storage in the ocean. A research team has been working on reconstructing the climate history of this region in this extremely wet, rainy and inaccessible fjord and island zone of the Patagonian Andes in southern Chile. Due to its location, the area is a key region for understanding the history of the southern westerly wind belt within the global climate system.

How the transition to agriculture affects populations in the present day

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 08:11 AM PST

The transition of human societies from hunter-gatherers to farmers and pastoralists is a more nuanced process than generally thought, according to a new study of peoples living in the highlands of southwest Ethiopia.

Forget mammoths: These researchers are exploring bringing back the extinct Christmas Island rat

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 08:10 AM PST

Dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago, mammoths 4,000 years ago, and the Christmas Island Rat 119 years ago. Since becoming a popular concept in the 1990s, de-extinction efforts have focused on grand animals with mythical stature, but now a team of paleogeneticists has turned their attention to Rattus macleari, and their findings provide insights into the limitations of de-extinction across all species.

X-ray view of subducting tectonic plates

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 08:10 AM PST

Earth's thin crust softens considerably when it dives down into the Earth attached to a tectonic plate. That is demonstrated by X-ray studies carried out on a mineral which occurs in large quantities in basaltic crust. This softening can even cause the crust to peel away from the underlying plate. The delaminated crust has different physical properties from the rest of the mantle, which may explain anomalies in the speed with which seismic waves propagate through the mantle.

Large mammals can help climate change mitigation and adaptation

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 07:45 AM PST

A new study investigates whether protecting and restoring large animal wildlife can help to support climate change goals.

Global warming combined with other changes in the environment presents 'double whammy' for birds

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 07:45 AM PST

A new study rolls back the curtain on half a century of evidence detailing the impact of climate change on more than 60 different bird species.  It found that half of all changes to key physical and behavioral bird characteristics since the 1960s can be linked to climate change.

A nanoscale look at coronavirus infection

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 07:45 AM PST

Using super-resolution microscopy, scientists uncovered new details about the location of viral molecules in a cell after coronavirus infection.

Following rain, desert microbes exhale potent greenhouse gas

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PST

New research shows how, after it rains, microbes in desert soil convert one form of pollution into another -- laughing gas.

Physics and biology explore together the mechanisms of life

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PST

Each of our cells contains about 40 million proteins that together perform all the tasks the cell needs to survive. For a smooth action, the right proteins must be concentrated in specific amounts, at a specific time and at a specific location. However, establishing such a delicate distribution requires an extremely precise process, happening at tiny spatial resolutions that standard cell biology tools are often unable to detect. To understand how this mechanism works, researchers have developed a new approach combining genetics and cell biology experiments with physical modelling. Using specific algorithms, they simulated the formation of protein gradients in 3D and throughout time and were able to explain these complex mechanisms. Moreover, their innovative model can be adapted to other biology systems to investigate protein dynamics.

New study sheds light on early human hair evolution

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PST

Researchers have examined what factors drive hair variation in a wild population of lemurs known as Indriidae. Specifically, the researchers aimed to assess the impacts of climate, body size and color vision on hair evolution.

Innovative solution for thermal energy storage

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 07:44 AM PST

A new research article features one major challenge overcome through a remarkably simple idea, opening the door to expanded use of PCMs for energy-efficient heating and cooling.

Nature-based solutions in mountains can reduce climate change impact on drought

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 07:37 AM PST

New research has shown how catchment restoration -- through the management of alien tree infestation in the mountains of the southwestern Cape -- could have lessened the impact of climate change on low river flows during the Cape Town 'Day Zero' drought.

Study Confirms SARS-CoV-2 Related Coronaviruses in Trade-Confiscated Pangolins in Viet Nam

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 06:07 AM PST

A new study confirms that pangolins confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade in Viet Nam host SARS-CoV-2 related coronaviruses.

Human actions accelerate climate-driven floods and droughts

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 06:07 AM PST

A study of more than 2,000 streams around North America found that those altered by human activity are at greater risk of flooding.

New antimicrobial air filters tested on trains rapidly kill SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 06:07 AM PST

Researchers have developed new antimicrobial technology for air filters which can in seconds kill bacteria, fungi and viruses including SARS-CoV-2 -- providing a potential solution to prevent the spread of airborne infections.

Historically 'redlined' urban areas have higher levels of air pollution

Posted: 09 Mar 2022 06:06 AM PST

In the wake of the Great Depression, the federally sponsored Home Owners' Loan Corporation drew maps of neighborhoods in U.S. cities that characterized their desirability for mortgage lending. Many neighborhoods with Black and immigrant communities received the worst grade, restricting access to federally backed loans and favorable mortgage terms. Now, researchers have found that these 'redlined' areas have higher levels of air pollution 80 years later.

Fundamental growth limitations in Antarctic fish

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 05:22 PM PST

Antarctic fish have adapted over millennia to survive in the freezing temperatures of the Southern Ocean. However, in doing so, they have lost their ability to grow at rates seen in their warmer water cousins, even when they are now held at the same water temperature, a new study suggests.

Physical activity may protect your brain as you age

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 12:56 PM PST

We all know we should exercise and eat healthy foods. But doing that isn't just good for maintaining your figure as you age. New research shows that physical activity could help protect your cognitive abilities as you age. And it doesn't have to be intense exercise to make an impact.

Student researchers discover genes unique to humans in search for source of our evolutionary distinctiveness

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 12:56 PM PST

A team of student researchers has discovered human microRNA genes not shared with any other primate species and which may have played an important role in the unique evolution of the human species. The students found at least three families of microRNA genes on chromosome 21.

Earthquake fracture energy relates to how a quake stops

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 12:56 PM PST

By examining earthquake models from a fresh perspective, engineers now show that the earthquake fracture energy -- once thought to relate to how faults in the Earth's crust weaken -- is related to how quakes stop.

Research advances understanding of DNA repair

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 12:56 PM PST

A researcher has made a discovery that alters our understanding of how the body's DNA repair process works and may lead to new chemotherapy treatments for cancer and other disorders. Researchers discovered that base excision repair has a built-in mechanism to increase its effectiveness -- it just needs to be captured at a very precise point in the cell life cycle.

Well-preserved fossils could be consequence of past global climate change

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 10:06 AM PST

Climate change can affect life on Earth. According to new research, it can also affect the dead. A study of exceptionally preserved fossils has found that rising global temperatures and a rapidly changing climate 183 million years ago may have created fossilization conditions in the world's oceans that helped preserve the soft and delicate bodies of deceased marine animals.

Distinct biological ages across individuals’ various organs and systems

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 08:58 AM PST

It's common to say that someone looks either younger or older than their chronological age, but aging is more than skin deep. Our various organs and systems may have different ages, at least from a biological perspective. Investigators used biomarkers, statistical modeling, and other techniques to develop tools for measuring the biological ages of various organ systems. Based on their findings, the researchers report that there are multiple 'clocks' within the body that vary widely based on factors including genetics and lifestyle in each individual.

How animal swarms respond to threats

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 08:58 AM PST

With the help of microrobots, physicists decode how swarms of animals respond effectively to danger.

Hurricanes and other tropical cyclones linked to rise in U.S. deaths from several major causes

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 08:57 AM PST

Over recent decades, hurricanes and other tropical cyclones in the U.S. were associated with up to 33.4 percent higher death rates from several major causes in subsequent months. The study exemplifies how far-reaching and varied the hidden costs to life could be from climate-related disasters and climate change. Until now, there had been a critical knowledge gap about cause-specific tropical cyclone mortality risks from a large-scale study covering the entire U.S. across multiple decades.

New species of extinct vampire-squid-like cephalopod is the first of its kind with 10 functional arms

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 08:56 AM PST

New research shows that the oldest ancestors of the group of animals that includes octopuses and vampire squids had not eight but 10 arms. The study, which describes a new species of vampyropod based on a 328-million-year-old fossil that had not been previously described, pushes back the age of the group by nearly 82 million years.

Intermingling between populations may contribute to HIV spread

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 08:56 AM PST

Sexual partnerships between individuals from different communities may help explain why some community-based HIV prevention efforts were moderately effective, shows a new study.

Biologists observe a molecular 'hand-off' that plays a key role in reproduction

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:28 AM PST

Novel research on the life history of fruit fly sperm demonstrates molecular continuity between the male and female reproductive tracts.

Tiny mite triggers domino effect in the high Andes

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:28 AM PST

What happens when a disease disrupts a protected ecosystem so forcefully that cascading consequences are felt by nearly all wildlife and plants within it? A study examines how the mange outbreak among vicuñas restructured tightly linked food-chain interactions that were previously driven by pumas.

Leaks an untapped opportunity for water savings

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:28 AM PST

The first large-scale assessment of utility-level water loss in the United States found that leak reduction by utilities can be the most cost-effective tool in an urban water manager's toolkit, provided utility-specific approaches are used. California is among the first in the world to require water utilities to regulate their water losses.

New genetic-labeling method uses a single gene to reveal neuronal circuits from multiple upstream regions

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:28 AM PST

Scientists develop a method to genetically label neurons with a single gene of interest in mice by combining the anterograde transsynaptic spread of adeno-associated virus serotype 1 (AAV1) with intersectional gene expression. In two distinct circuits: the retina/primary visual cortex to the superior colliculus and the bilateral motor cortex to the dorsal striatum, injections of AAV1 expressing either Cre or Flpo recombinases and the Cre/Flpo double-dependent AAV into two upstream regions and the downstream region, respectively, were used to label postsynaptic neurons receiving inputs from the two upstream regions.

Ancient Mexican city endured for centuries without extremes in wealth and power

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:28 AM PST

An ancient Mexican city, Monte Albán, was the biggest settlement in the region and lasted for more than a thousand years. Some hypotheses for the city's success are that people were drawn to fertile farmland in the area, or were forced to move there by powerful rulers. This new study challenges those ideas by showing that the land isn't especially good for farming, and the society didn't have the highly concentrated wealth and power that would come with a powerful ruler forcing people to move there. Instead, the city had a more collective form of government that could have attracted people to the city.

New research demonstrates high value 'injurious weeds' can bring to pollinators

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:28 AM PST

New research compares the biodiversity value of plants classed as 'injurious weeds' against those stipulated by DEFRA for pollinator targeted agri-environmental options. The findings show that the abundance and diversity of pollinators visiting weed species are far higher than DEFRA recommended plants.

A new approach for bolstering the ability of T cells to fight cancer

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:28 AM PST

A collaborative study has discovered a new immune checkpoint that may be exploited for cancer therapy. The study shows that by inhibiting the protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B in T cells, the body's immune response to cancer can be mobilized, helping to repress tumor growth.

Traces of life in the Earth's deep mantle

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:28 AM PST

The rapid development of fauna 540 million years ago has permanently changed the Earth - deep into its lower mantle. A team has now found traces of this development in rocks from this zone.

Global warming projected to increase health burden from hyponatremia

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:27 AM PST

Global warming is likely to increase the number of people requiring hospitalization due to critically low sodium levels in the blood, a condition known as hyponatremia. A new study projects that a temperature rise of 2 degrees Celsius would increase the burden on hospitals from hyponatremia by almost 14 percent.

Lab-grown pig heart tissue could help replace live animals in heart disease research

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:27 AM PST

A new way to replicate what happens inside the heart after cardiac arrest could open new avenues for the study of heart regeneration whilst reducing the use of live animals in research, according to a new study.

Nordic diet lowers cholesterol and blood sugar – even if you don't lose weight

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:27 AM PST

A healthy Nordic diet can prevent a range of diseases. Until now, the health benefits attributed to a Nordic diet by researchers primarily focused on weight loss. But in a new study, researchers found clear evidence that a Nordic diet can lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels even without weight loss. In particular, they point to the composition of dietary fats as a possible explanation for the diet's positive effects.

Unusual partners aid blood vessel growth

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:27 AM PST

Insufficient oxygen to an area like the heart or legs, called hypoxia, is a cue to our bodies to make more blood vessels, and scientists have found some unusual partners are key to making that happen. They've found that two receptors on the surface of those cells come together then dive inside to enable the new growth, called angiogenesis, scientists report.

Stunning new-to-science fairy wrasse is first-ever fish described by a Maldivian scientist

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:27 AM PST

The Rose-Veiled Fairy Wrasse, a stunning new addition to the tree of life, is the first-ever Maldivian fish to be described by a local scientist.

Natural gas flares likely source of respiratory illness spike

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:27 AM PST

Flaring of natural gas from oil wells appeared to cause an increase of around 11,000 hospital visits for respiratory reasons in North Dakota, US, up to 60 miles away from oil drilling sites.

Study of rare disease reveals insights on immune system response process

Posted: 08 Mar 2022 07:27 AM PST

In laboratory experiments involving a class of mutations in people with a rare collection of immune system disorders, researchers say they have uncovered new details about how immune system cells respond to disease-causing bacteria, fungi and viruses such as SARS-CoV-2.

For tadpoles, what’s in their gut may be key to enduring climate change

Posted: 07 Mar 2022 08:31 AM PST

A new study shows that climate change could deliver a one-two punch to amphibians by creating hotter environments home to less-diverse microbe.

Protect against aging and age-related disease with the MondoA protein

Posted: 07 Mar 2022 08:31 AM PST

Researchers have shown that a protein called MondoA can activate the important health-linked process of autophagy, whereby cells are broken down and their components are recycled. MondoA both inhibited a protein called Rubicon and regulated the Prdx3 protein, which maintains the stability of energy-producing mitochondria within cells. Activation of MondoA protected against aging and age-associated kidney injury, indicating its potential as a target for the treatment of aging and age-related diseases.