ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

Longer lasting sodium-ion batteries on the horizon

Posted: 13 Jul 2022 08:46 AM PDT

A new longer-lasting sodium-ion battery design is much more durable and reliable in lab tests. After 300 charging cycles, it retained 90 percent of its charging capacity.

Genomic research supports recognizing new scrub jay species in Texas and Mexico

Posted: 13 Jul 2022 08:46 AM PDT

A comprehensive new genetic and statistical study reveals two groups of scrub jays -- one in Mexico and one in Texas -- deserve status as independent species. The paper also uses genomic data to sketch a natural history of scrub jays, showing how geographic changes over millennia split up and reconnected groups of the birds, swaying the flow of genes between them.

New stem cell mechanism in your gut

Posted: 13 Jul 2022 08:45 AM PDT

Stem cells are a hot topic for creating medical treatments. However, scientists still do not fully understand how they choose to divide or differentiate to renew organs. Researchers have now found a new biophysical mechanism that regulates stem cells in the intestines of mice. There, a stem cell is not purely defined by intrinsic molecular markers but also by their location and movements in their environment. This could have implications for possible new treatments.

Environmental stability on Earth allowed marine biodiversity to flourish

Posted: 13 Jul 2022 08:45 AM PDT

Modern ocean biodiversity, which is at its highest level ever, was achieved through long-term stability of the location of so-called biodiversity hotspots, regions of especially high numbers of species, scientists have found.

Impact of changing climate on Andean glaciers in sync with polar ice

Posted: 13 Jul 2022 08:45 AM PDT

Scientists have shown that glaciers in the tropical Andes mountains have been in sync with polar ice extent in Antarctica and the Arctic for nearly a million years. A new study shows that the effects of greenhouse gases and other drivers of the Earth's temperature are impacting glaciers in the Southern Hemisphere at the same pacing as ice sheets in the north.

What a Martian meteorite can teach us about Earth's origins

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 04:05 PM PDT

What do Mars and Iceland have in common? These days, not so much. But more than 4.5 billion years ago, it's possible the Red Planet had a crust comparable to Iceland today. This discovery, hidden in the oldest martian fragments found on Earth, could provide information about our planet that was lost over billions of years of geological movement and could help explain why the Earth developed into a planet that sustains a broad diversity of life and Mars did not.

Efficient, stable, and eco-friendly thermoelectric material discovered

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 11:14 AM PDT

A thermoelectric metal oxide film with a thermoelectric figure of merit of ~0.55 at 600°C has been discovered, opening new avenues towards the widespread use of thermoelectric converters.

Nutrient imbalance in flathead lake

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 11:14 AM PDT

New research has found a sustained imbalance between nitrogen and phosphorus that likely has significant ecological consequences for lakes worldwide.

Research links national-level greenhouse gas emissions, warming and resulting economic damage

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 11:13 AM PDT

Study provides data on gains and losses attributable to individual countries, including the finding that a group from the world's leading national emitters of GHGs have caused $6 trillion in global economic losses through warming caused by their emissions from 1990 to 2014.

Successful heart xenotransplant experiments set protocol for pig-to-human organ transplantation

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 11:13 AM PDT

A team successfully transplanted two genetically engineered pig hearts into recently deceased humans in June and July, marking the latest advances toward addressing the nationwide organ shortage and developing a clinical protocol that would provide an alternative supply of organs for people with life-threatening heart disease.

Soil quality critical to help some U.S. crops weather heat stress from climate change

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 11:13 AM PDT

The results singled out growing-degree days as the most important climatic factor and water holding capacity as the most influential soil property for crop-yield variability.

New structure found in cells

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 11:13 AM PDT

Researchers have found a new, dynamic protein structure in cells.

Protein folding in times of oxygen deficiency

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 11:12 AM PDT

Protein molecules require a defined shape in order to function. When they are created, their building blocks are therefore linked together in a very specific way. Researchers are now taking a closer look at a key step in this process and are investigating the effects of transient oxygen starvation on protein folding in plants.

Emotional patterns a factor in children's food choices

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 11:12 AM PDT

The emotional context in which eating occurs has been thought to influence eating patterns and diet, with studies finding negative emotions predict excessive calorie intake and poor diet quality. A research article discusses how children's unhealthy food choices, especially over weekends, are related to emotion.

A prickly situation

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 11:12 AM PDT

Purple sea urchins are munching their way through California's kelp forests at a speed and scale that have stunned scientists, fishermen and divers alike. But the kelp forests have long been home to red and purple urchins, so it's clear the three species can get along. Researchers sought to determine what factors disrupt this harmony.

Haiti's 1860 Jour de Pâques earthquakes may have released strain in key fault zone

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 11:11 AM PDT

Using details from historical newspaper accounts and letters, seismologists have learned more about Haiti's 1860 Jour de Pâques (Easter Sunday) earthquake sequence, and how it might have impacted the country's most recent devastating earthquakes.

Scientists identify mechanism responsible for fruit and seed development in flowering plants

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 07:27 AM PDT

Scientists identified a gene responsible for triggering plants to develop fruits and seeds. This finding may help agriculturists bypass pollination altogether for food production, which will be beneficial in these times of rising global temperatures and dwindling pollinator populations.

How do cells react to micro- and nanoplastics?

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 07:27 AM PDT

The smaller plastic particles are, the more easily they can be taken up by cells. In addition, the shape, surface and chemical properties play an important role in answering the question of how the particles could affect human tissue, according to new research.

Evolve... innovate... repeat: Scientists peel back the layers of virus-host evolution and innovation

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 07:27 AM PDT

Scientists have uncovered an intriguing new understanding of how viruses and the hosts they infect evolve new innovations to outcompete each other. Culminating a 10-year research effort, the researchers tracked the way fitness landscapes constantly change in the ongoing struggle for survival.

Study analyzes hepatitis E virus exposure in Iberian lynxes

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 07:27 AM PDT

Research results indicate that the level of virus exposure is higher among captive lynxes than those in the wild.

How stressed-out plants produce their own aspirin

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 07:26 AM PDT

Plants protect themselves from environmental hazards like insects, drought and heat by producing salicylic acid, also known as aspirin. A new understanding of this process may help plants survive increasing stress caused by climate change.

Habitat shifts affect brain structure in Amazonian butterflies

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 07:26 AM PDT

Habitat differences help determine changes in the nervous system of tropical butterflies, scientists have found.

Rare deep-sea brine pools discovered in Red Sea

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 07:26 AM PDT

Researchers recently discovered rare deep-sea brine pools in the Gulf of Aqaba, a northern extension to the Red Sea. These salty underwater lakes hold secrets into the way oceans on Earth formed millions of years ago, and offer clues to life on other planets.

How environmentally responsible is lithium brine mining? It depends on how old the water is

Posted: 12 Jul 2022 07:26 AM PDT

A groundbreaking new study comprehensively accounts for the hydrological impact of lithium mining. Since lithium is the key component of the lithium-ion batteries that are crucial for the transition away from fossil fuels and towards green energy, it is critical to fully understand how to responsibly obtain the precious element.

Entombed together: Rare fossil flower and parasitic wasp make for amber artwork

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 03:23 PM PDT

Fossil research has revealed an exquisite merger of art and science: a long-stemmed flower of a newly described plant species encased in a 30-million-year-old tomb together with a parasitic wasp.

The best offense is a great defense for some carnivorous plants

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 01:31 PM PDT

Insect-eating plants have fascinated biologists for more than a century, but how plants evolved the ability to capture and consume live prey has largely remained a mystery. Now,scientists have investigated the molecular basis of plant carnivory and found evidence that it evolved from mechanisms plants use to defend themselves.

Plankton will store more carbon as Earth's climate warms, but storage beyond the end of the century is uncertain

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 01:31 PM PDT

The amount of carbon stored by microscopic plankton will increase in the coming century, predict researchers.

X-rays help researchers piece together treasured cellular gateway

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 01:31 PM PDT

After almost two decades of synchrotron experiments, scientists have captured a clear picture of a cell's nuclear pores, which are the doors and windows through which critical material in your body flows in and out of the cell's nucleus. These findings could lead to new treatments of certain cancers, autoimmune diseases and heart conditions.

Proof Mendel discovered the laws of inheritance decades ahead of his time

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 11:32 AM PDT

Gregor Mendel, the Moravian monk, was indeed 'decades ahead of his time and truly deserves the title of 'founder of genetics.'' So concludes an international team of scientists as the 200th birthday of Mendel approaches on 20 July.

Sperm are masters of DNA packing

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 11:32 AM PDT

During sperm production, an enormous amount of DNA has to be packed into a very small space without breaking anything. A central role is played by certain proteins around which the DNA thread is wrapped -- the protamines. A recent study provides new insights into this important mechanism.

Researchers capture images of antibody attacking neuron receptor

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 10:53 AM PDT

Researchers have captured images of an auto-antibody bound to a nerve cell surface receptor, revealing the physical mechanism behind a neurological autoimmune disease. The findings could lead to new ways to diagnose and treat autoimmune conditions, the study authors said.

Could a phytochemical derived from vegetables like broccoli be the answer to antibiotic resistant pathogens?

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 10:53 AM PDT

While more and more pathogens have developed biofilms that protect them from being eradicated by antibiotics, fewer classes of antibiotics are being developed. Researchers decided to go in a different direction and investigated a phytochemical derived from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli that breaks down the biofilm.

Worms as model for personalized medicine

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 10:53 AM PDT

Using four unrelated strains of the microscopic nematode C. elegans originating from different parts of the world, a group of worm biologists have developed a model system to study individual differences in metabolism. This advancement represents a potentially important step toward 'personalized' or 'precision' medicine, a relatively new discipline that tailors dietary advice and disease treatment to an individual's own genome sequence.

Hidden genes may be tapped for new antibiotics

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 10:53 AM PDT

Bioscientists learn to trigger 'silent' gene clusters in bacteria that could be rich sources of new antibiotic candidates.

Bomb detectors picking up more blue whale songs in Indian Ocean

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 08:18 AM PDT

The good news is, pygmy blue whales appear to be thriving in the Indian Ocean. But not-so-good is that climate change may be threatening their food sources.

Prenatal exposure to certain phthalates associated with slightly earlier onset of puberty

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 08:18 AM PDT

A study provides new evidence on the possible effects of these endocrine-disrupting chemicals on sexual development.

Stronger overturning circulation in the Pacific during the last glacial period

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 08:18 AM PDT

Coral data indicate that the upper layers of Pacific Ocean were more mixed during the last Ice Age than they are today. New research shows that the Tasman Sea in the South Pacific was an important component of the global conveyor belt at that time.

Paleobiology: Complex family relationships

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 08:18 AM PDT

An international team of researchers has managed to classify fossils of one of the most species-rich fish groups into a family tree for the first time.

Pocket gophers are underground root 'farmers'

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 08:18 AM PDT

Pocket gophers are known for living solitary, underground lives, eating roots in North and Central American grasslands. Now, researchers have found that pocket gophers keep up with the high energy demands of their burrowing lifestyle by 'farming' roots that grow into their tunnels. They calculate that these roots supply 20 to 60 percent of the gophers' need for daily calories.

Easy and inexpensive method for linking other molecules to DNA sequences with desired functions

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 06:52 AM PDT

The development of DNA-/RNA-based drugs, like COVID-19 vaccines, is exploding. Current methods are costly, but researchers are finding effective and inexpensive method for producing stable, modified DNA sequences for these modern-type drugs.

Nanoparticles can save historic buildings

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 06:51 AM PDT

Buildings made of porous rock can weather over the years. Now scientists have studied in detail how silicate nanoparticles can help save them. Many historical buildings were built of sandstone. It is easy to work with, but does not withstand weathering well. It consists of sand grains that are relatively weakly bonded to each other. However, it is possible to increase the resistance of the stone by treating it with special silicate nanoparticles.

Education system 'neglecting the importance of plants'

Posted: 11 Jul 2022 06:51 AM PDT

People are becoming 'disconnected from the botanical world' at a time when plants could help solve global environmental problems, warn a group of research scientists. They say the problem has been exacerbated by schools and universities reducing their teaching of basic plant science, including plant identification and ecology. They describe a self-accelerating cycle which risks '...the extinction of botanical education,' where biology is taught predominantly by people with research interests in animal science.

500-million-year-old fossilized brains of stanleycaris prompt a rethink of the evolution of insects and spiders

Posted: 08 Jul 2022 09:36 AM PDT

Scientists revealed new research based on a cache of fossils that contains the brain and nervous system of a half-billion-year-old marine predator from the Burgess Shale called Stanleycaris. Stanleycaris belonged to an ancient, extinct offshoot of the arthropod evolutionary tree called Radiodonta, distantly related to modern insects and spiders. These findings shed light on the evolution of the arthropod brain, vision, and head structure.