ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

Organic farming or flower strips: Which is better for bees?

Posted: 21 May 2022 06:33 AM PDT

How effective environmental measures in agriculture are for biodiversity and wild bee populations depends on various factors and your perspective. This is shown by agroecologists. The research team found that when assessing the effectiveness of different measures, whether in the field (organic farming) or next to the field (flower strips in conventional farming), biodiversity benefits should be evaluated differently. Like-for-like comparisons of environmental measures could easily be misleading, according to the scientists.

Where do 'Hawaiian box jellies' come from?

Posted: 20 May 2022 03:12 PM PDT

An insightful cross-disciplinary team, working for over a decade, published a study recently revealing that a key number of hours of darkness during the lunar cycle triggers mature 'Hawaiian box jellyfish' (Alatina alata) to swim to leeward O'ahu shores to spawn.

Deciphering the biosynthetic gene cluster for potent freshwater toxin

Posted: 20 May 2022 11:47 AM PDT

Scientists discover the enzymes responsible for the production of one of the most toxic and fast-acting neurotoxins associated with freshwater harmful algal blooms in lakes and ponds. The discovery revealed that guanitoxin-producing cyanobacteria are more prevalent than originally known in the United States, opening the possibility for new molecular diagnostic testing to better inform and protect the public from this natural freshwater toxin.

PFAS chemicals do not last forever

Posted: 20 May 2022 11:47 AM PDT

Once dubbed 'forever chemicals,' per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, might be in the market for a new nickname. Adding iodide to a water treatment reactor that uses ultraviolet (UV) light and sulfite destroys up to 90% of carbon-fluorine atoms in PFAS forever chemicals in just a few hours, reports a new study led by environmental engineers. The addition of iodide accelerates the speed of the reaction up to four times, saving energy and chemicals.

Haywire T cells attack protein in 'bad' cholesterol

Posted: 20 May 2022 11:47 AM PDT

Detecting these T cells may lead to diagnostics to better detect heart disease--and disease severity--through a blood sample. The knowledge also brings researchers closer to developing a vaccine that dampens this dangerous immune cell activity to prevent atherosclerosis.

Light pollution can disorient monarch butterflies

Posted: 20 May 2022 11:46 AM PDT

Biologists say nighttime light pollution can interfere with the remarkable navigational abilities of monarchs, which travel as far as Canada to Mexico and back during their multi-generational migration. Researchers found that butterflies roosting at night near artificial illumination such as a porch or streetlight can become disoriented the next day because the light interferes with their circadian rhythms. Artificial light can impede the molecular processes responsible for the butterfly's remarkable navigational ability and trigger the butterfly to take wing when it should be resting.

Scientists smash lethal bacteria that acts like a hammer

Posted: 20 May 2022 11:46 AM PDT

New research could lead to better treatment options for a rare but very lethal type of bacterial infection.

Neuromorphic memory device simulates neurons and synapses

Posted: 20 May 2022 10:29 AM PDT

Researchers have reported a nano-sized neuromorphic memory device that emulates neurons and synapses simultaneously in a unit cell, another step toward completing the goal of neuromorphic computing designed to rigorously mimic the human brain with semiconductor devices.

Climate change likely to reduce the amount of sleep that people get per year

Posted: 20 May 2022 10:28 AM PDT

Most research looking at the impact of climate change on human life has focused on how extreme weather events affect economic and societal health outcomes on a broad scale. Yet climate change may also have a strong influence on fundamental daily human activities -- including a host of behavioral, psychological, and physiological outcomes that are essential to wellbeing. Investigators now report that increasing ambient temperatures negatively impact human sleep around the globe.

Function follows form in plant immunity

Posted: 20 May 2022 10:28 AM PDT

Scientists have discovered a novel biochemical mechanism explaining how immune proteins defend plants against invading microorganisms.

Killer T vs. memory -- DNA isn't destiny for T cells

Posted: 20 May 2022 10:28 AM PDT

Scientists have uncovered how one type of T cell creates two genetically identical, but functionally different, daughter cells.

Earth's core: Unexpected flow behavior in liquid metals

Posted: 20 May 2022 07:13 AM PDT

Some metals are in liquid form, the prime example being mercury. But there are also enormous quantities of liquid metal in the Earth's core, where temperatures are so high that part of the iron is molten and undergoes complex flows. A team has now simulated a similar process in the laboratory and made a surprising discovery: Under certain circumstances, the flow of liquid metal is far more turbulent than expected -- and this has a significant impact on heat transport.

Satellites and drones can help save pollinators

Posted: 20 May 2022 04:31 AM PDT

Satellites and drones can provide key information to protect pollinators. A new study examines new ways of using these technologies to track the availability of flowers, and says this could be combined with behavioral studies to see the world through the eyes of insects.

'Moth highways' could help resist climate change impact

Posted: 20 May 2022 04:31 AM PDT

Real data gathered by volunteers was combined with new computer models for the first time to reveal which UK moth species are struggling to expand into new regions and the landscape barriers restricting their movement. Farmland and suburban moths were found to be struggling most, with hills or regions with variable temperatures acting as barriers. This has implications for British wildlife being forced to move to adapt to climate change, and habitat restoration in challenging areas could help wildlife movement.

Snake trade in Indonesia is not sustainable enough -- but it could be

Posted: 20 May 2022 04:31 AM PDT

A substantial part of the trade in blood pythons in Indonesia is illegal and underreported, a new study has found. The study found no convincing evidence that the harvest of blood pythons in the area is sustainable. Even though the harvest and trade of the species are regulated by a quota system, misdeclared, underreported and illegal trade remain a serious challenge to its sustainable exploitation.

'Traffic calming' boosts breeding on coral reefs

Posted: 20 May 2022 04:31 AM PDT

Coral reef fish breed more successfully if motorboat noise is reduced, new research shows.

Two pathogens linked to salmon health and survival

Posted: 19 May 2022 05:45 PM PDT

Many wild salmon populations in B.C. have experienced substantial declines over the last three decades. New research can help chart a course towards better protection of wild salmon.

Prehistoric feces reveal parasites from feasting at Stonehenge

Posted: 19 May 2022 05:45 PM PDT

Study of ancient faeces found at a settlement thought to have housed builders of the famous stone monument suggests that parasites got consumed via badly-cooked cow offal during epic winter feasts.

Dietary cholesterol worsens inflammation, sickness in mice with influenza

Posted: 19 May 2022 01:48 PM PDT

New research suggests high levels of dietary cholesterol make mice sicker when infected with influenza. This study links cholesterol in the diet with exacerbation of a viral infection.

New breathable gas sensors may improve monitoring of health, environment

Posted: 19 May 2022 01:19 PM PDT

Newly developed flexible, porous and highly sensitive nitrogen dioxide sensors that can be applied to skin and clothing have potential applications in health care, environmental health monitoring and military use, according to researchers.

Lost or extinct? Study finds the existence of more than 500 animal species remains uncertain

Posted: 19 May 2022 12:01 PM PDT

An international study provides the first global evaluation of all terrestrial vertebrate species that have not been declared extinct and identifies more than 500 species considered to be 'lost'--those that haven't been seen by anyone in more than 50 years.

Scientists reveal how seascapes of the ancient world shaped genetic structure of European populations

Posted: 19 May 2022 11:10 AM PDT

Scientists have explored the importance of sea travel in prehistory by examining the genomes of ancient Maltese humans and comparing these with the genomes of this period from across Europe. Previous findings from the archaeological team had suggested that towards the end of the third millennium BC the use of the Maltese temples declined. Now, using genetic data from ancient Maltese individuals the current interdisciplinary research team has suggested a potential contributing cause. Researchers found that these ancient humans lacked some of the signatures of genetic changes that swept across Europe in this period, because of their island separation. Scientists concluded that physical topography, in particular seascapes played a central role as barriers to genetic exchange.

Repurposed antibiotic may be an effective therapeutic in COVID-19 infected mice

Posted: 19 May 2022 11:10 AM PDT

Repurposed drugs may have a speedier path to clinical use because they have already been shown to be safe in people. A new study suggests clofoctol may be an effective treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infections in mice.

Past events reveal how future warming could harm cold-water corals

Posted: 19 May 2022 11:10 AM PDT

How will future warming of the planet impact cold-water corals? A new analysis of ancient evidence from the last major global warming event identifies food and oxygen supply as key environmental factors that influence the vitality of cold-water corals in the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

Discovery of 'ghost' fossils reveals plankton resilience to past global warming events

Posted: 19 May 2022 11:10 AM PDT

The 'ghost' fossils are imprints of single-celled plankton called coccolithophores and their discovery is changing our understanding of how plankton in the oceans are affected by climate change.

Genetic underpinnings of severe staph infections

Posted: 19 May 2022 11:09 AM PDT

Scientists identified a mutated gene common to many patients with life-threatening infections, and found that people living with 5p- syndrome may be at similar risk.

Environment scientists close in on 'golden spike' to define Anthropocene

Posted: 19 May 2022 11:09 AM PDT

Researchers searching for a 'golden spike' to formally define humanity's current geological period -- and acknowledge human impact on our planet -- have announced a major step in their analysis.

Avian influenza: How it's spreading and what to know about this outbreak

Posted: 19 May 2022 11:04 AM PDT

A new study takes a data-driven look at influenza viruses circulating among different groups of birds and characterizes which types of birds are involved in spreading the virus. This paper publishes at a time when a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza has been spreading across North America.

Increasing urban greenery could have prevented at least 34,000 US deaths over two decades

Posted: 19 May 2022 10:27 AM PDT

A US nationwide study found that increasing green vegetation in large, metropolitan areas could have prevented between 34,000-38,000 deaths, based on data from 2000-2019. The study also showed that overall greenness in metro areas has increased in the past 20 years, by nearly 3 percent between 2000-2010 and 11 percent between 2010-2019.

Male pheromones improve health of females' eggs

Posted: 19 May 2022 10:27 AM PDT

New study on roundworms finds that exposure to male pheromones slows down aging of female eggs. Pheromone exposure decreased offspring death and chromosomal abnormalities by twofold.

Poll the audience: Using data from citizen science to keep wild birds in flight

Posted: 19 May 2022 10:27 AM PDT

New research examines the accuracy of information produced by citizen science apps for monitoring bird populations and found that it could actually offer a lot of utility for researchers, with some caveats.

Researchers find another layer to the code of life

Posted: 19 May 2022 09:57 AM PDT

A new examination of the way different tissues read information from genes has discovered that the brain and testes appear to be extraordinarily open to the use of rare codons to produce a given protein. Testes of both fruit flies and humans seem to be enriched in protein products of these rarely-used pieces of genetic code, suggesting another layer of control in the genome.

Research confirms eastern Wyoming Paleoindian site as Americas' oldest mine

Posted: 19 May 2022 09:57 AM PDT

The Powars II site at Sunrise in Wyoming's Platte County the oldest documented red ocher mine -- and likely the oldest known mine of any sort -- in all of North and South America.

How a cognitive bias is blocking the rise of electric cars

Posted: 19 May 2022 09:56 AM PDT

What are the barriers to the adoption of electric cars? Although the main financial and technological obstacles have been removed, their market share still needs to increase. In a recent study, a team investigated the cognitive factors that still dissuade many people from switching to electric cars. They found that car owners systematically underestimate the capacity of electric driving ranges to meet their daily needs.

Diet plays key role in ADHD symptoms in children

Posted: 19 May 2022 08:53 AM PDT

Here's another good reason for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to eat their fruits and vegetables: It may help reduce inattention issues, a new study suggests.

how one of the X chromosomes in female embryonic stem cells is silenced

Posted: 19 May 2022 08:53 AM PDT

In most mammals, females have two X chromosomes and males have one X and one Y chromosome in each of their cells. To avoid a double dose of X-linked genes in females, one of the Xs is silenced early in the developmental process. This silencing is critical, yet how it happens has been relatively mysterious. Two new studies reveal more about this silencing process and insights that could improve stem cell research.

Watch dolphins line up to self-medicate skin ailments at coral 'clinics'

Posted: 19 May 2022 08:53 AM PDT

If a human comes down with a rash, they might go to the doctor and come away with some ointment to put on it. Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins get skin conditions, too, but they come about their medication by queuing up nose-to-tail to rub themselves against corals. Researchers now show that these corals have medicinal properties, suggesting that the dolphins are using the marine invertebrates to medicate skin conditions.

How ice clouds develop: Asian monsoon influences large parts of the Northern Hemisphere

Posted: 19 May 2022 07:38 AM PDT

Atmospheric researchers have discovered a mechanism that allows nuclei for ice clouds to form and rapidly grow in the upper troposphere. Although the conditions for nucleus formation are only fulfilled in the Asian monsoon region, the mechanism is expected to have an impact on ice cloud formation across large parts of the Northern Hemisphere.

Cooperation rewards water utilities

Posted: 19 May 2022 07:38 AM PDT

Inter-utility water agreements can help mitigate risks, in research that used supercomputer simulations of water supply in the North Carolina Research Triangle. Findings are generalizable to any place where water providers face financial and supply challenges in allocating regional water.

Unlocking the secrets of killer whale diets and their role in climate change

Posted: 19 May 2022 07:38 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered new clues to understand how killer whales impact their environment.

Why baby leatherback marine turtles can't 'see the sea'

Posted: 19 May 2022 07:38 AM PDT

For most sea turtles, the journey to find the ocean from their nests is pretty straightforward. However, leatherback hatchlings more often crawl around in circles trying to find the ocean. Circling delays their entry into the ocean, wastes energy, and places them at greater danger from natural predators. Under different moon phases: bright light during full moon and only starlight under new moon, researchers have a better understanding of why this circling behavior happens and why it is most commonly observed in leatherbacks.

How cranberries could improve memory and ward off dementia

Posted: 19 May 2022 05:11 AM PDT

Researchers have found that eating cranberries could improve memory, ward off dementia, and reduce 'bad' cholesterol. The research team studied the benefits of consuming the equivalent of a cup of cranberries a day among 50 to 80-year-olds. They hope that their findings could have implications for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia.

Are people swapping their cats and goldfish for praying mantises?

Posted: 19 May 2022 05:11 AM PDT

Praying mantises have gained recent popularity as pets, sold at animal fairs and pet markets, but also collected in the wild by a fast-growing community of hobbyists and professional marketers. An overview of this market's dynamics reports on both problems and opportunities of the pet mantis market, like the absence of regulations, but also the potential of a stronger collaboration between hobbyists and scientists for biodiversity conservation.

Satellite monitoring of biodiversity moves within reach

Posted: 19 May 2022 05:11 AM PDT

Global biodiversity assessments require the collection of data on changes in plant biodiversity on an ongoing basis. Researchers have now shown that plant communities can be reliably monitored using imaging spectroscopy, which in the future will be possible via satellite. This paves the way for near real-time global biodiversity monitoring.

Puzzling features deep in Earth's interior illuminated

Posted: 19 May 2022 05:11 AM PDT

New research examines an unusual pocket of rock at the boundary layer with Earth's core, some three thousand kilometers beneath the surface.

New strategies to save rice, the world's most indispensable grain

Posted: 19 May 2022 05:10 AM PDT

Plants — they’re just like us, with unique techniques for handling stress. To save one of the most important crops on Earth from extreme climate swings, scientists are mapping out plants’ own stress-busting strategies. Biologists have learned what happens to the roots of rice plants when they're confronted with two types of stressful scenarios: too much water, or too little. These observations form the basis of new protective strategies.

Caesarean births not linked to increased risk of food allergy during infancy

Posted: 18 May 2022 07:17 AM PDT

Caesarean births are not linked to an increased risk of food allergy during the first year of life, according to a new study.