ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

Revising the lifecycle of an important human parasite

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 02:07 PM PDT

Researchers have tracked Cryptosporidium in real time, creating a new paradigm for how the widespread parasite reproduces in a host.

Bioengineers visualize fat storage in fruit flies

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 11:07 AM PDT

A new visualization technique is being used to untangle often discussed, yet mysterious, links between diet and things like obesity, diabetes and aging.

Portable, point-of-care COVID-19 test discerns alpha variant from earlier strains

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 10:09 AM PDT

A point-of-care COVID-19 test developed by researchers can now detect and differentiate the alpha variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus from earlier strains in saliva samples.

How air pollution alters lung tissue, increasing cancer susceptibility

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 08:25 AM PDT

Scientists have identified a mechanism that explains how fine air pollution particles might cause lung cancer, according to a new study.

A new understanding of how the immune system deals with malaria

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 08:25 AM PDT

By analysing samples from patients who have been treated for malaria in Sweden, researchers can now describe how the immune system acts to protect the body after a malaria infection. The results provide knowledge that can aid in the development of more effective vaccines against the disease.

Sending out bacteria-carrying mosquitoes to protect people from dengue

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 08:25 AM PDT

Researchers developed a model to spatially distribute mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria, which reduce the transmission of the dengue virus. The researchers use real data on human and vector activity in a framework that can be analyzed from a mathematical point of view, allowing them to re-create and understand the epidemiological situation and identify those geographical areas with the greatest vulnerability, creating a ranking of areas that prioritizes those where Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes can have the strongest and most beneficial impact on the spread of the virus.

Nanoparticles prove effective against the yellow fever mosquito

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 07:32 AM PDT

Before being accidentally introduced to the New World by the 16th century slave trade, the yellow fever mosquito was a species native only to Africa. Highly adaptable, it has since become an invasive species in North America, but researchers at may have found a way to squash the pesky population in its juvenile stages.

Genes can affect our nutrient tolerance

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 07:32 AM PDT

A new study finds that minor genetic differences can affect the ability to utilize the energy of various nutrients. This work shows how nutritional planning based on genetic data could promote the development of personalized nutrition for health.

Promising drug candidates for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever identified

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 07:32 AM PDT

Researchers have identified key signalling pathways that when blocked by existing drug candidates limit reproduction of the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus. The findings offer hope for patients affected by this potentially deadly disease.

When the rust settles: Uncovering the movements of coffee leaf rust disease

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 07:32 AM PDT

Researchers have found a high incidence of coffee leaf rust (CLR) disease in Vietnam, the world's second-largest coffee producer. Potential origins and migration routes were revealed, as well as a close genetic relationship with several Central and South American rust fungus populations. These findings will help to predict future spread of CLR, and highlight the need to consider seedling sources and human activities in CLR management.

Fruit snack or edible? Study finds some cannabis products look like popular snacks

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 06:23 AM PDT

Some cannabis edibles look remarkably like popular snack foods and may be easily confused for them, finds a new study.

No glacial fertilization effect in the Antarctic Ocean

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 06:23 AM PDT

Can iron-rich dust fertilize the ocean, stimulate algae growth there, and thereby capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere? An international research team used deep-sea sediment cores from the Scotia Sea to investigate whether this hypothetical greenhouse gas sink had an effect during ice ages. Although dust input was high during ice ages, no evidence of a fertilization effect could be found in the Antarctic Ocean. Rather, the production of algae, for example, and thus carbon dioxide sequestration, was high only during warm periods when dust input was low.

The origins and ID of pancreatic endocrine cells

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 06:23 AM PDT

Scientists show that endocrine stem cells in the pancreas disappear after birth, and detail the genetic identity of the different types of pancreatic hormone-producing cells.

Pacific Northwest wildfires alter air pollution patterns across North America

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 06:18 AM PDT

Increasingly large and intense wildfires in the Pacific Northwest are altering the seasonal pattern of air pollution and causing a spike in unhealthy pollutants in August, according to new research. The smoke is undermining clean air gains, posing potential risks to the health of millions of people, according to the study.

Urgent action required to protect world's coral reefs from disappearing within three decades, warn experts

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 01:49 PM PDT

Environmental scientists have published a series of significant recommendations to protect, conserve and study the world's coral reefs -- the 'canaries in the coal mine' of climate change.

Scientists resurrect ancient enzymes to improve photosynthesis

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 01:49 PM PDT

A new study describes a breakthrough in the quest to improve photosynthesis in certain crops, a step toward adapting plants to rapid climate changes and increasing yields to feed a projected 9 billion people by 2050.

Genetics affects functions of gut microbiome

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 09:29 AM PDT

Scientists are exploring how human genetics impacts functions of the gut microbiome, and are expanding awareness of the role human genetics plays in shaping the microbiome.

Recreational marijuana access reduces demand for prescription drugs

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 09:29 AM PDT

Legalization of recreational marijuana reduces demand for costly prescription drugs through state Medicaid programs, according to a new analysis.

Scientists record case of harmful bacteria in ubiquitous weed throughout US

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 09:04 AM PDT

Scientists have recorded the first North American case of a harmful phytoplasma disease known for its threat to fruit, vegetable and ornamental crops in South America and the Middle East. To make matters worse, scientists confirmed the host for the disease to be one of the most noxious and rapidly spreading weeds commonly found in a wide range of environments throughout the United States and into Canada.

Bacterial soundtracks revealed by graphene membrane

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 09:04 AM PDT

Have you ever wondered if bacteria make distinctive sounds? If we could listen to bacteria, we would be able to know whether they are alive or not. When bacteria are killed using an antibiotic, those sounds would stop -- unless of course the bacteria are resistant to the antibiotic. This is exactly what a team of researchers have now have managed to do: they captured low-level noise of a single bacterium using graphene.

Extract from a common kitchen spice could be key to greener, more efficient fuel cells

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 07:49 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered a novel way to combine curcumin -- the substance in turmeric -- and gold nanoparticles to create an electrode that requires 100 times less energy to efficiently convert ethanol into electricity.

A single allele deletion in gene encoding Zbtb38 leads to early embryonic death

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 06:40 AM PDT

Researchers have found that heterozygous loss of the methyl-CpG binding protein Zbtb38 downregulated the expression of the transcription factors Nanog and Sox2, as well as genes involved in epiblast proliferation, differentiation, and viability. This finding highlights the methyl-CpG binding protein's physiological significance throughout embryonic development.

New insights into fermentation enzyme will lower the chemical industry's carbon footprint

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 06:40 AM PDT

Researchers have determined the atom-by-atom structure of the fermentation enzyme phosphoketolase by cryogenic electron microscopy. They identified details that were mistakenly characterized by X-ray crystallography yet are essential for correlating enzyme structure with enzyme function. These findings will help researchers produce chemical feedstocks in an environmentally sustainable manner, and thus lower the carbon footprint of the chemical industry.

Neural network model helps predict site-specific impacts of earthquakes

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 06:40 AM PDT

In disaster mitigation planning for future large earthquakes, seismic ground motion predictions are a crucial part of early warning systems. The way the ground moves depends on how the soil layers amplify the seismic waves (described in a mathematical site 'amplification factor'). However, geophysical explorations to understand soil conditions are costly, limiting characterization of site amplification factors to date. Using data on microtremors in Japan, a neural network model can estimate site-specific responses to earthquakes based on subsurface soil conditions.

Taylor Swift, the millipede: Scientists name a new species after the singer

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 06:39 AM PDT

Taylor Swift, an American singer known for her musical talents, has earned a new accolade. She now has a new species of millipede named after her. The new species of twisted-claw millipede was discovered in the mountains of Tennessee. Scientists described a total of 17 new species from the Appalachian Mountains.

Tumors partially destroyed with sound don't come back

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 06:39 AM PDT

Noninvasive sound technology breaks down liver tumors in rats, kills cancer cells and spurs the immune system to prevent further spread -- an advance that could lead to improved cancer outcomes in humans.

AF2Complex: Researchers leverage deep learning to predict physical interactions of protein complexes

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 06:39 AM PDT

Proteins are the molecular machinery that makes life possible, and researchers have long been interested in a key trait of protein function: their three-dimensional structure. A new study details a computational tool able to predict the structure protein complexes -- and lends new insights into the biomolecular mechanisms of their function.

With dwindling water supplies, the timing of rainfall matters

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 05:56 AM PDT

A new study shows it's not how much extra water you give your plants, but when you give it that counts. Researchers observed that in summer, plants grow more when given extra water, in addition to any natural rainfall. However, the same is not true in winter.

Unlocking complex workings of the biological clock

Posted: 15 Apr 2022 01:37 PM PDT

Scientists want to increase their understanding of circadian rhythms, those internal 24-hour biological clock cycles of sleeping and waking that occur in organisms, ranging from humans to plants to fungi to bacteria. Researchers have examined the complex workings of cyanobacteria and can now better comprehend what drives its circadian clock.