ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

Giving metal to microbes could reduce greenhouse gas

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 04:21 PM PDT

Collaborative research finds a lack of available metals may be responsible for more nitrous oxide than previously thought.

Dog-assisted interventions lead to lower stress levels in children

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 11:21 AM PDT

Dog-assisted interventions can lead to significantly lower stress in children both with and without special needs, according to a new study using salivary cortisol levels.

New perspective on RNA function: RNA regulates proteins and thereby can control cell growth, study shows

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 10:08 AM PDT

Scientists gained new insights into RNA-mediated regulation of proteins (riboregulation) and its role in controlling cell growth, and most importantly how undifferentiated cells (embryonic stem cells) transform into specialised cells (e.g., liver cells). They discovered this while studying how mRNA molecules bind to and regulate ENO1, an enzyme involved in glucose metabolism. This contrasts to most previous studies, which focused on how proteins regulate RNA, this one shows that an RNA regulates a protein. This new perspective on riboregulation may represent a more widespread and meaningful principle of biological control.

AI reveals scale of eelgrass vulnerability to warming, disease

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 10:08 AM PDT

A combination of ecological field methods and cutting-edge artificial intelligence has helped an interdisciplinary research group detect eelgrass wasting disease at nearly three dozen sites along a 1,700-mile stretch of the West Coast, from San Diego to southern Alaska.

Researchers discover crocodile species that likely preyed on human ancestors

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 10:08 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered two new species of crocodiles that roamed parts of Africa between 18 million and 15 million years ago and preyed on human ancestors. The giant dwarf crocodile species, called Kinyang, mysteriously disappeared, possibly due to changes in the climate.

Preadolescents exposed to high levels of air pollution in their first years of life display changes in brain connectivity

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 08:32 AM PDT

Higher exposure to air pollution is associated with higher functional brain connectivity among several brain regions in preadolescents, while exposure to traffic noise was not, according to a study. The findings also identify the first years of life as the most sensitive period of exposure to air pollution.

Origins of the Black Death identified

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 08:32 AM PDT

The Black Death, the biggest pandemic of our history, was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and lasted in Europe between the years 1346 and 1353. Despite the pandemic's immense demographic and societal impacts, its origins have long been elusive. Now, scientists have obtained and studied ancient Y. pestis genomes that trace the pandemic's origins to Central Asia.

Lager beer, whether it contains alcohol or not, could help men's gut microbes

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 07:29 AM PDT

Like wine, beer can have health benefits when consumed in moderation. Non-alcoholic beers have become wildly popular recently, but are these drinks also healthful? In a pilot study, researchers report that compared to their pre-trial microbiome, men who drank either one alcoholic or non-alcoholic lager daily had a more diverse set of gut microbes, which can reduce the risk for some diseases.

Moth wing-inspired sound absorbing wallpaper in sight after breakthrough

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 07:29 AM PDT

Experts at the University of Bristol have discovered that the scales on moth wings act as excellent sound absorbers even when placed on an artificial surface.

Australian bee helps illuminate social evolution: Bridge between flying solo or as a colony

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 07:29 AM PDT

Studying the unusual social behavior of an Australian native bee has enabled researchers to obtain a clear understanding of the earliest stages of social evolution. Evidence of how individuals that live a solitary lifestyle can transition to colonial life unlocks a key biological question about evolution, they say.

Genetic discovery could spell mosquitoes' death knell

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 07:28 AM PDT

A genetic discovery could turn disease-carrying mosquitoes into insect Peter Pans, preventing them from ever maturing or multiplying.

Parasitic worms reveal new insights into the evolution of sex and sex chromosomes

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 07:28 AM PDT

Studying two highly divergent phyla of worms that contain numerous parasites that cause human and livestock diseases, new research sheds light on how sexual reproduction and subsequent great diversity of sex chromosomes might have evolved.

A large predator from the Pyrenees

Posted: 15 Jun 2022 07:28 AM PDT

A fossilized lower jaw has led an international team of palaeontologists to discover a new species of predator that once lived in Europe. These large predators belong to a group of carnivores colloquially known as 'bear dogs'. They could weigh around 320 kilograms, appeared 36 million years ago before becoming extinct around 7.5 million years ago.

River belt discovery helps scientists understand ancient rivers

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 03:41 PM PDT

A researcher has come up with a rule that connects channel belts to river patterns, finding that, in general, the more channels a river has, the narrower its channel belt. Since the physics shaping rivers is the same over time and place, the rule should hold for ancient rivers and rivers on other planets, too.

Hidden in plain sight: Biologists say southern right whale habitat choice is key to keeping young calves safe

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 01:44 PM PDT

While researchers have speculated that the up to 50-foot-long whales choose shallow, coastal locations for lack of predators and warmer and calmer waters, a team of biologists recently uncovered a new potential motive.

A warming climate decreases microbial diversity

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 01:44 PM PDT

Researchers conducted an eight-year experiment that found that climate warming played a predominant role in shaping microbial biodiversity, with significant negative effect.

Rural areas near coast will bear the brunt of U.S. sea-level rise

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 12:37 PM PDT

A new analysis using highly detailed elevation maps of the Chesapeake Bay suggests that North America's extensive areas of low-lying rural land will allow coastal marshes to persist or even expand as salty water creeps upward into what are now forests and farmland.

A biological super glue from mistletoe berries?

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 11:16 AM PDT

Researchers suggests that mistletoe viscin's ultra-stiff flexible fibers, which adhere to both skin and cartilage as well as to various synthetic materials, could have a range of applications -- both biomedical and beyond.

Research clarifies hazards posed by harmful algal blooms

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 11:15 AM PDT

Research has shed new light on the hazards associated with harmful algal blooms such as one four years ago that fouled drinking water in Oregon's capital city of Salem.

Gravity-defying spike waves rewrite the rule book

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 11:15 AM PDT

Researchers studying wave breaking have found that axisymmetric 'spike waves' can far exceed limits that were previously thought to dictate the maximum height of ocean waves.

Opioid analgesic fentanyl may cause autism-like behavior in young mice, study finds

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 11:15 AM PDT

A new study reveals that opioid analgesic fentanyl may induce autism-like behaviors in young male and female mice. The findings indicate that reduced expression of the gene Grin2b in the anterior cingulate cortex of the brain following fentanyl treatment accounts for the autism-like behavior in the mice. However, there is no current evidence that fentanyl is associated with a similar effect in humans. The outcomes of the animal study are not an indication to avoid fentanyl in clinical use.

Companies’ use of renewable energy certificates masks inaction on carbon emissions

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 11:15 AM PDT

A new study argues that renewable energy certificates -- a market-based tool that certifies the bearer owns one megawatt hour of electricity produced from renewable energy sources -- generally do not reduce emissions and firms using them are overstating their climate mitigation claims. In one calculation, the researchers show how a sample of 115 companies between 2015 and 2019 reported a 31 per cent reduction in emissions. A closer analysis of that claim reveals that without including the purchase of ineffective RECs, the actual drop in emissions was roughly 10 per cent.

Study explores uncertainties in flood risk estimates

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 11:15 AM PDT

Flood frequency analysis is a technique used to estimate flood risk, providing statistics such as the '100-year flood' or '500-year flood' that are critical to infrastructure design, dam safety analysis, and flood mapping in flood-prone areas. But the method used to calculate these flood frequencies is due for an update, according to a new study.

Earliest record of wildfires provide insights to Earth's past vegetation and oxygen levels

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 09:27 AM PDT

While wildfires over recent years have raged across much of the western United States and pose significant hazards to wildlife and local populations, wildfires have been a long-standing part of Earth's systems without the influence of humans for hundreds of millions of years.

Right whales' survival rates plummet after severe injury from fishing gear

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 09:27 AM PDT

Most North Atlantic right whales that are severely injured in fishing gear entanglements die within three years, a study finds. Severely injured whales were up to eight times more likely to die than those with minor injuries, and only 44% of males and 33% of females with severe injuries survived longer than 36 months. Females that did survive had low birth rates and longer intervals between calving.

Double-layered catalyst generates more hydrogen

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 09:27 AM PDT

Engineers have developed a catalyst by adding a flat platinum interface to NiFe-layered double hydroxide (LDH). The new catalyst increases hydrogen production efficiency and displays 11.2 times higher activity than conventional catalysts.

Stem cells unraveled: We're one step closer to making organs in a dish

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 09:27 AM PDT

Using a mouse model, researchers have deciphered an alternative route that certain cells take to make organs and used that knowledge to exploit a new type of stem cells as a potential source of organs in a dish.

Panthers now number one predator of white-tailed deer in Southwest Florida

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 09:26 AM PDT

A new study found Florida panthers are the No. 1 cause of mortality for white-tailed deer in Southwest Florida. The researchers set out to get a better picture of what factors most affect the survival of Florida's white-tailed deer, the most popular game species in the state and a key prey species for the Florida panther.

Cats' strange reactions to catnip make it a better insect repellent

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 09:26 AM PDT

Anyone who has seen a cat experience catnip knows that it makes them go a bit wild -- they rub in it, roll on it, chew it, and lick it aggressively. It is widely accepted that this plant, and its Asian counterpart, silvervine, have intoxicative properties, but this might not be the only reason that cats rub on and chew the plants so enthusiastically. Researchers have found that when cats damage catnip, much higher amounts of strong insect repellents are released, indicating that the cats' behavior protects them from pests.

Pioneering study shows climate played crucial role in changing location of ancient coral reefs

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 09:26 AM PDT

Prehistoric coral reefs dating back up to 250 million years extended much further away from the Earth's equator than today, new research has revealed.

Do our genes determine what we eat?

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 09:26 AM PDT

Preliminary findings from a new study involving more than 6,000 adults found that taste-related genes may play a role in determining food choices and could, in turn, influence cardiometabolic health.

Most people think their diet is healthier than it is

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 09:26 AM PDT

How healthy is your diet? It seems like a simple question, but according to a new study, it's one that most Americans struggle to get right.

New processing technique could make potatoes healthier

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 09:26 AM PDT

Researchers announced early tests of a new potato processing technique designed to make our bodies digest potato starch more slowly. Laboratory demonstrations show that the approach blocks certain digestive enzymes from reaching the potato starch as quickly, leading to a more controlled release of dietary glucose.

Food insecurity and water insecurity go hand-in-hand, study finds

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 09:26 AM PDT

In a new 25-country study, researchers report a strong link between water insecurity -- a lack of reliable access to sufficient water -- and food insecurity.

Are highly processed foods bad for children?

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 09:26 AM PDT

A new study found that children ages 3 to 5 who consumed more ultraprocessed foods had poorer locomotor skills than children who consumed less of these foods. It also showed lower cardiovascular fitness in 12- to 15-year-olds who consumed more ultraprocessed foods.

Genes reveal coffee is safe during pregnancy, study suggests

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 06:56 AM PDT

Researchers have used genetics to analyze coffee drinking behavior, and their findings show limited coffee consumption during pregnancy didn't increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth.

Unravelling the diversity of the wild house mouse

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 06:56 AM PDT

Scientists have revealed the genetic structure and diversity, and inferred the population history, of the wild house mouse across Europe and Asia.

New fire shelter prototypes could buy time for wildfire firefighters

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 06:55 AM PDT

Temperatures inside new wildfire shelter prototypes remained within survival limits for longer, and the shelters took longer to break open, compared with an industry standard.

Gene hunting leads researchers to solve mystery of inhibition of awn elongation in sorghum

Posted: 14 Jun 2022 06:46 AM PDT

Over the years, the domestication of grasses like wheat, rice, barley, and sorghum for consumption has resulted in certain modifications to their morphology. One such modification is the partial or complete elimination of the 'awns', which are the bristle- or needle-like appendages extending from the tip of the lemma in grass spikelets. The awn protects the grains from animals, promotes seed dispersal, and helps in photosynthesis in grasses like barley and wheat. However, its presence also hinders manual harvesting and reduces its value as livestock feed, explaining its elimination during domestication.

Fluorescence microscopy shows how living cells form vesicles to transport cargo like growth factors

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 04:34 PM PDT

Cells have a clever way called clathrin-mediated endocytosis to transport cargos like growth factors across the cell membrane and into the cell. Researchers used a sophisticated fluorescence microscopy imaging called STAR microscopy to follow clathrin-coated vesicle formation in living cells from initiation to completion, over periods up to 100 seconds. Their study supports the flexible model of clathrin-coated vesicle formation, which includes both the constant-curvature and the flat-to-curved transition pathways.

Could used beer yeast be the solution to heavy metal contamination in water?

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 01:27 PM PDT

A new study finds inactive yeast could be effective as an inexpensive, abundant, and simple material for removing lead contamination from drinking water supplies. The approach should be efficient and economic, even down to part-per-billion levels of contamination.

Researchers discover mechanism linking mutations in the 'dark matter' of the genome to cancer

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 01:27 PM PDT

Many sections of the non-coding region of the human genome play a key role in regulating gene activity. But the relationship between non-coding mutations and cancer risk has been a mystery. New research sheds light on that mystery, providing clues that may link mutations to epigenetic changes, and may point to potential drug targets to reduce risk for people born with certain genetic mutations.

Mastodon tusk chemical analysis reveals first evidence of one extinct animal's annual migration

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 12:06 PM PDT

Around 13,200 years ago, a roving male mastodon died in a bloody mating-season battle with a rival in what today is northeast Indiana, nearly 100 miles from his home territory, according to the first study to document the annual migration of an individual animal from an extinct species.

Nanoparticle sensor can distinguish between viral and bacterial pneumonia

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 12:06 PM PDT

Many different types of bacteria and viruses can cause pneumonia, but there is no easy way to determine which microbe is causing a particular patient's illness. This uncertainty makes it harder for doctors to choose effective treatments because the antibiotics commonly used to treat bacterial pneumonia won't help patients with viral pneumonia. In addition, limiting the use of antibiotics is an important step toward curbing antibiotic resistance.

Research sheds light on how bacteria communicate their way to causing infection

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 12:06 PM PDT

Scientists have identified proteins that prevent a bacterial cell from becoming misguided by its own messaging, allowing it to instead wait for collective communication from its group.

Numbers and experience count in mongoose warfare

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 12:06 PM PDT

Strength in numbers and experienced individuals are both vital in mongoose warfare, new research shows.

New inherited retroviruses identified in the koala genome

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 12:06 PM PDT

Historic virus infections can be traced in vertebrate genomes. For millions of years, these genomes have been repositories for retroviruses that incorporated their code into germline cells and were inherited as endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). Researchers now provide new findings about retroviral establishment in the koala genome.

Bioengineering team develops a remote lab to teach enzyme kinetics

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 11:32 AM PDT

Researchers demonstrate the implementation of a remote laboratory activity to teach students about enzyme kinetics.

Catalyst from hot water

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 11:07 AM PDT

The production of chemical substances normally requires environmentally harmful solvents. After researchers had produced organic substances without harmful substances by heating them in hot water, they can now chalk up another success: Through hydrothermal synthesis, they succeeded in jointly forming and combining organic and inorganic substances in the same reaction vessel. Specifically: an inorganic solid that encloses organic dye molecules. When exposed to light, which is by and large the most environmentally friendly energy resource, the hybrid material functions like a catalyst, i.e., a photocatalyst. Since the photocatalyst is a solid, it can be used multiple times.

How much spring nitrogen to apply? Pre-planting weather may provide a clue

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 11:07 AM PDT

With the rising cost of nitrogen fertilizer and its impacts on air and water quality, researchers want to help farmers make more informed fertilizer rate decisions. Their latest modeling effort aims to do that by examining the role of pre-growing season weather on soil nitrogen dynamics and end-of-season corn yield.

New way of generating insulin-producing cells

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 11:07 AM PDT

Researchers show how a molecule that they have identified stimulates the formation of new insulin-producing cells in zebrafish and mammalian tissue, through a newly described mechanism for regulating protein synthesis.

Closed-loop additive manufacturing fueled by upcycled plastic

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 11:07 AM PDT

Researchers have developed an upcycling approach that adds value to discarded plastics for reuse in additive manufacturing, or 3D printing. The readily adoptable, scalable method introduces a closed-loop strategy that could globally reduce plastic waste and cut carbon emissions tied to plastic production.

Scientists provide explanation for exceptional Tonga tsunami

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 09:45 AM PDT

Scientists say they have identified the exact mechanism responsible for the exceptional tsunami that spread quickly across the world after the colossal eruption of the Tonga volcano earlier this year.

Rubbery camouflage skin exhibits smart and stretchy behaviors

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 09:45 AM PDT

The skin of cephalopods, such as octopuses, squids and cuttlefish, is stretchy and smart, contributing to these creatures' ability to sense and respond to their surroundings. Scientists have harnessed these properties to create an artificial skin that mimics both the elasticity and the neurologic functions of cephalopod skin, with potential applications for neurorobotics, skin prosthetics, artificial organs and more.

Researchers demonstrate near-non-invasive In-vivo imaging in mouse cortex at an unprecedented depth

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 09:45 AM PDT

A research team has demonstrated in-vivo imaging of fine neuronal structures in mouse cortex through the intact skull at an unprecedented depth of 750 µm below pia, making high-resolution microscopy in cortex near non-invasive and measurably facilitating the study of the living brain.

Study shows people 'right size' portions of high-calorie foods

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 08:21 AM PDT

New research has revealed that humans moderate the size of energy-rich meals they eat, suggesting people are smarter eaters than previously thought.

Forever chemicals linked to hypertension in middle-aged women

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 08:21 AM PDT

In a large, prospective study, the levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are common human-made chemicals found in water, soil, air and food, were associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure among middle-aged women. The study found women in the highest one-third concentrations of all seven PFAS examined had a 71% increased risk of developing high blood pressure.

Designing protection suits for hard working bacteria

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 08:20 AM PDT

Bacteria can contribute to a more sustainable production of chemicals, so providing a good working environment for them is a good investment. Now researchers present a nano protection suit, developed for bacteria.

Bacterial intimacy insights could help tackle antimicrobial resistance

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 08:19 AM PDT

Researchers have uncovered new details about how bacteria hook up to exchange DNA that helps them resist antibiotics.

Good news on blocking a virus considered a global threat

Posted: 13 Jun 2022 08:15 AM PDT

Scientists have reported good news on the pandemic preparedness front: A cocktail of four manufactured antibodies is effective at neutralizing a virus from the Henipavirus family, a group of pathogens considered to be a global biosecurity threat.