ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

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• Reconstructions show how some of the earliest animals lived -- and died
• Trapped atmospheric waves triggering more weather extremes: Trend expected to continue
• A global temperature conundrum: Cooling or warming climate?
• Preemies' gut bacteria may depend more on gestational age than environment
• Ravens rule Idaho's artificial roosts
• 'Worm pill' could ease autoimmune disease symptoms
• Gene likely to promote childhood cancers pinpointed by researchers
• Climate change negatively impacting Great Lakes, researcher says
• Western Wall weathering: Extreme erosion explained
• Megascale icebergs ran aground near Greenland in last 800,000 years
• Western Wall wearing away? Discovery of extreme erosion process could guide new preservation techniques
• Making cashews safer for those with allergies

• Solving a sticky problem with fetal surgery using a glue inspired by the sandcastle worm
• Keeping filler ingredients out of your cup of coffee
• Engineers to Simulate, Model Tornado Winds, Their Effects on Buildings
• Expert Panel Calls for Public Health Research on Natural Gas Drilling
• 2010 Chilean earthquake causes icequakes in Antarctica
• Bioengineers: Matrix stiffness is essential tool in stem cell differentiation

Reconstructions show how some of the earliest animals lived -- and died Posted: 11 Aug 2014 02:02 PM PDT A bizarre group of uniquely shaped organisms known as rangeomorphs may have been some of the earliest animals to appear on Earth, uniquely suited to ocean conditions 575 million years ago. A new model has resolved many of the mysteries around the structure, evolution and extinction of these 'proto animals.'

Trapped atmospheric waves triggering more weather extremes: Trend expected to continue Posted: 11 Aug 2014 02:01 PM PDT Weather extremes in the summer -- such as the record heat wave in the United States that hit corn farmers and worsened wildfires in 2012 -- have reached an exceptional number in the last ten years. Human-made global warming can explain a gradual increase in periods of severe heat, but the observed change in the magnitude and duration of some events is not so easily explained.

A global temperature conundrum: Cooling or warming climate? Posted: 11 Aug 2014 01:58 PM PDT When the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently requested a figure on global temperature trends for its annual report, some scientists knew that was going to be a problem. They describe a consistent global warming trend over the course of the Holocene counter to a study published last year.

Preemies' gut bacteria may depend more on gestational age than environment Posted: 11 Aug 2014 12:11 PM PDT In infants born prematurely, researchers have found that the population of bacteria in babies' gastrointestinal tracts may depend more on their biological makeup and gestational age at birth than on environmental factors. The scientists discovered that bacterial communities assemble in an orderly, choreographed progression, with the pace of that assembly slowest in infants born most prematurely.

Ravens rule Idaho's artificial roosts Posted: 11 Aug 2014 10:23 AM PDT A new study has explored how habitat alterations, including the addition of energy transmission towers, affect avian predators nesting in sagebrush landscapes. Researchers compared nesting habitat selection between Common Ravens and three raptor species commonly found in sagebrush ecosystems: Red-tailed Hawks, Swainson's Hawks, and Ferruginous Hawks.

'Worm pill' could ease autoimmune disease symptoms Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:51 AM PDT Experts believe a molecule in parasitic worms could help explain why worm infections can effectively treat a range of autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The study successfully identified peptides from parasitic worms that suppress the body's immune response. Researchers believe this could pave the way for a new drug containing the peptide to provide relief from the symptoms of autoimmune diseases.

Gene likely to promote childhood cancers pinpointed by researchers Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:51 AM PDT A gene that contributes to the development of several childhood cancers has been pinpointed by researchers in a study conducted with mice designed to model the cancers. The gene Lin28b is an attractive therapeutic target in cancer because it is ordinarily only expressed in embryos, so blocking it in children should specifically hinder cancer growth without introducing many side effects.

Climate change negatively impacting Great Lakes, researcher says Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:51 AM PDT Climate change is having a direct negative effect on the Great Lakes, including impacts to recreational value, drinking water potential, and becoming more suited to invasive species and infectious pathogens, according to a researcher. One of the many conclusions reached in the study was the need to develop technology that allows real-time monitoring and management of water systems.

Western Wall weathering: Extreme erosion explained Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:49 AM PDT Researchers investigating erosion at Jerusalem's Western Wall found that limestone with very small crystals eroded up to 100 times faster and had sometimes receded by tens of centimeters, potentially weakening the wall's structure. The researchers described an accelerated erosion process causing some rocks to become more weathered than others, and showed that chemo-mechanical erosion extends down to the tiny micron scale. The findings could help guide preservation techniques at cultural heritage sites worldwide.

Megascale icebergs ran aground near Greenland in last 800,000 years Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:49 AM PDT Scientists have found between Greenland and Spitsbergen the scours left behind on the sea bed by gigantic icebergs. "Whenever icebergs run aground, they leave scours on the seabed. Depending on their depth and location, those markings may continue to exist over long periods of time," explained the lead author. Found at a depth of 1,200 metres, the newly found five lineaments are the deepest iceberg scours found to date in the Arctic. The scours are as much as four kilometres long and 15 metres in depth.

Western Wall wearing away? Discovery of extreme erosion process could guide new preservation techniques Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:46 AM PDT Researchers have investigated erosion in the different kinds of limestone in the Western Wall at the foot of Jerusalem's Temple Mount. Stones made up of large crystals were almost unchanged in 2000 years, while limestone with small crystals eroded much faster and in some places had receded by tens of centimeters, potentially weakening the wall's structure. The researchers describe an accelerated erosion process that  explains why some rocks are more weathered than others, and showed that chemo-mechanical erosion extends down to the tiny micron scale.

Making cashews safer for those with allergies Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:43 AM PDT For the millions of adults and children in the U.S. who have to shun nuts to avoid an allergic reaction, help could be on the way. Scientists are now developing a way to process cashews — and potentially other nuts — that could make them safer for people who are allergic to them.

Solving a sticky problem with fetal surgery using a glue inspired by the sandcastle worm Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:43 AM PDT In creating an adhesive patterned after glue produced by the lowly underwater sandcastle worm, researchers are reporting that they may have solved the problem of premature births that sometimes result from fetal surgery. It also could open up numerous opportunities to safely perform more complex fetal surgeries in the future.

Keeping filler ingredients out of your cup of coffee Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:43 AM PDT Coffee drinkers beware: Surprise ingredients may be hiding in your coffee, and growing shortages may well increase the chance of having more fillers in the future. A new test may quickly find them before the beverage reaches stores and restaurants.

Engineers to Simulate, Model Tornado Winds, Their Effects on Buildings Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:43 AM PDT One researcher reports on his studies of tornado winds, and the findings from simulations and modelling that will help engineers answer questions about how tornadoes interact with buildings. "The research is expected to contribute to methods and strategies that can be implemented for preventing tornado hazards from becoming disasters," he writes.

Expert Panel Calls for Public Health Research on Natural Gas Drilling Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:41 AM PDT A group of environmental health researchers has published recommendations for public health research associated with unconventional natural gas drilling operations. Groundwater and air quality testing before, during, and after natural gas drilling -- which includes hydraulic fracturing -- should be key components of efforts to ensure the safety of communities near these sites, according to these experts

2010 Chilean earthquake causes icequakes in Antarctica Posted: 10 Aug 2014 06:42 PM PDT In March of 2010, the ice sheets in Antarctica vibrated a bit more than usual because of something more than 3,000 miles away: the 8.8-magnitude Chilean earthquake. A new study is the first to indicate that Antarctica's frozen ground is sensitive to seismic waves from distant earthquakes. Some of the icequakes were quick bursts and over in less than one second. Others were long duration, tremor-like signals up to 10 seconds. They occurred in various parts of the continent, including seismic stations along the coast and near the South Pole.

Bioengineers: Matrix stiffness is essential tool in stem cell differentiation Posted: 10 Aug 2014 06:42 PM PDT Bioengineers have demonstrated that the stiffness of the extracellular matrix used to culture stem cells really does matter. The research team also found that a protein binding the stem cell to the hydrogel is not a factor in the differentiation of the stem cell as previously suggested. The protein layer is merely an adhesive, the team reports.

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