ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

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• Search for Ebola immune response targets
• Why humans don't suffer from chimpanzee malaria: DNA region controlling red blood cell invasion holds genetic key to infection
• Gulf anglers could be entitled to $585 million after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, study says
• Carbon dioxide concentration surges: Record greenhouse gas levels impact atmosphere and oceans, WMO report finds
• Artificial membranes on silicon
• Squeezed quantum communication: Flashes of light in quantum states transmitted through atmosphere
• Why do mushrooms turn brown?
• Miniature light-emitting devices and optical sensors: Pesky insect inspires practical technology
• Bacteria harbor secret weapons against antibiotics
• Shift in Arabia sea plankton may threaten fisheries
• Biologists try to dig endangered pupfish out of its hole
• Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis cases linked with asbestos exposure
• Nuclear waste eaters: Scientists discover hazardous waste-eating bacteria
• Weakness in malaria parasite fats suggests new treatments
• The saplings go their own way: New explanation for dominance of generalists among tropical trees
• Winter is coming: British weather set to become more unsettled
• Study sheds light on asthma, respiratory viruses
• Milestone reached in work to build replacement kidneys in the lab
• Sharks in acidic waters avoid smell of food
• Agricultural revolution in Africa could increase global carbon emissions
• Rapid and durable protection against Ebola virus with new vaccine regimens
• Biologists delay the aging process by 'remote control'
• In one of nature's innovations, a single cell smashes and rebuilds its own genome
• Textbook theory behind volcanoes may be wrong
• Study traces ecological collapse over 6,000 years of Egyptian history
• Paleontologists discover new species of titanosaurian dinosaur in Tanzania
• How conversion of forests to cropland affects climate
• New genetic target for a different kind of cancer drug found
• Coral trout pick their collaborators carefully
• Bird-pollinated flower with a rather ingenious twist
• Whale sex: It's all in the hips
• Unusual immune cell needed to prevent oral thrush, researchers find
• Plant diversity in China vital for global food security
• Future of our crops is at risk in conflict zones, say scientists
• New antimicrobial strategy silences NDM-1 resistance gene in pathogens
• New compound inhibits enzyme crucial to MERS, SARS viruses -- with a catch
• Ovarian cancer oncogene found in 'junk DNA'
• Strong link between higher levels of pollution, lung health of European citizens

Search for Ebola immune response targets Posted: 09 Sep 2014 09:36 AM PDT The effort to develop therapeutics and a vaccine against the deadly Ebola virus disease (EVD) requires a complex understanding of the microorganism and its relationship within the host, especially the immune response. Adding to the challenge, EVD can be caused by any one of five known species within the genus Ebolavirus (EBOV), in the Filovirus family.

Why humans don't suffer from chimpanzee malaria: DNA region controlling red blood cell invasion holds genetic key to infection Posted: 09 Sep 2014 09:35 AM PDT By comparing the genomes of malaria parasites that affect chimpanzees and those that affect humans, researchers discovered that it is the difference in the parasites' surface proteins that determine which host it will infect.

Gulf anglers could be entitled to $585 million after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, study says Posted: 09 Sep 2014 09:26 AM PDT Trustees could use the data to try to get the $585 million for ecosystem improvements and more fish in the Gulf. After a disaster such as an oil spill, trustees -- which could include federal, state or tribal authorities -- often attempt to secure financial compensation from those responsible.

Carbon dioxide concentration surges: Record greenhouse gas levels impact atmosphere and oceans, WMO report finds Posted: 09 Sep 2014 09:17 AM PDT The amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a new record high in 2013, propelled by a surge in levels of carbon dioxide. This is according to the World Meteorological Organization's annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, which injected even greater urgency into the need for concerted international action against accelerating and potentially devastating climate change.

Artificial membranes on silicon Posted: 09 Sep 2014 08:33 AM PDT Artificial membranes mimicking those found in living organisms have many potential applications ranging from detecting bacterial contaminants in food to toxic pollution in the environment to dangerous diseases in people. Now a group of scientists has developed a way to create these delicate, ultra-thin constructs through a 'dry' process, by evaporating two commercial, off-the-shelf chemicals onto silicon surfaces.

Squeezed quantum communication: Flashes of light in quantum states transmitted through atmosphere Posted: 09 Sep 2014 08:33 AM PDT Scientists have sent a pulse of bright light in a particularly sensitive quantum state through 1.6 kilometers of air. This quantum state, which they call squeezed, was maintained, which is something many physicists thought to be impossible. Eavesdropping on a message protected by quantum cryptography cannot be done without being noticed.

Why do mushrooms turn brown? Posted: 09 Sep 2014 08:32 AM PDT Researchers explore the mechanisms behind the 'browning reaction' during the spoilage of mushrooms. The researchers were able to demonstrate that the enzyme responsible is already formed prior to fungal spoiling.

Miniature light-emitting devices and optical sensors: Pesky insect inspires practical technology Posted: 09 Sep 2014 08:32 AM PDT Our hands and swatters often fail in the struggle to kill flies. This isn't our fault, but rather is due to flies' compound eyes. Arranged in a hexagonal, convex pattern, compound eyes consist of hundreds of optical units called ommatidia, which together bestow upon flies a nearly 360-degree field of vision. With this capability in mind, a team of researchers is drawing on this structure to create miniature light-emitting devices and optical sensors.

Bacteria harbor secret weapons against antibiotics Posted: 09 Sep 2014 08:32 AM PDT The ability of pathogenic bacteria to evolve resistance to antibiotic drugs poses a growing threat to human health worldwide, and scientists have now discovered that some of our microscopic enemies may be even craftier than we suspected, using hidden genetic changes to promote rapid evolution under stress and developing antibiotic resistance in more ways than previously thought.

Shift in Arabia sea plankton may threaten fisheries Posted: 09 Sep 2014 06:38 AM PDT The rapid rise of an unusual plankton in the Arabian Sea has been documented by researchers who say that it could be disastrous for the predator fish that sustain 120 million people living on the sea's edge. "These blooms are massive, appear year after year, and could be devastating to the Arabian Sea ecosystem over the long-term," said the study's lead author.

Biologists try to dig endangered pupfish out of its hole Posted: 09 Sep 2014 06:38 AM PDT A biologist is giving important guidance in the efforts to rescue a critically endangered fish found only in Devils Hole, about 60 miles east of Death Valley National Park. It is estimated that fewer than 100 Devils Hole pupfish remain. Considered the world's rarest fish, the wild pupfish faces a 28 to 32 percent risk of extinction over the next 20 years.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis cases linked with asbestos exposure Posted: 09 Sep 2014 06:37 AM PDT A proportion of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) cases may be linked with asbestos exposure, according to the results of a new study. If confirmed, the findings would mean that current treatment strategies need to be altered as people with a history of asbestos exposure are not currently able to access new treatments for IPF.

Nuclear waste eaters: Scientists discover hazardous waste-eating bacteria Posted: 09 Sep 2014 06:36 AM PDT Tiny single-cell organisms discovered living underground could help with the problem of nuclear waste disposal, say researchers. Although bacteria with waste-eating properties have been discovered in relatively pristine soils before, this is the first time that microbes that can survive in the very harsh conditions expected in radioactive waste disposal sites have been found.

Weakness in malaria parasite fats suggests new treatments Posted: 09 Sep 2014 06:36 AM PDT A new study has revealed a weak spot in the complex life cycle of malaria, which could be exploited to prevent the spread of the deadly disease, and may even lead to a vaccine. It found female malaria parasites put on fat differently to male ones, a process that can be used to develop drug targets.

The saplings go their own way: New explanation for dominance of generalists among tropical trees Posted: 09 Sep 2014 06:24 AM PDT In tropical rainforests, most young trees grow spatially independent from their parent trees. This means that it is not possible to predict where seedlings will take root, and less specialized species therefore have an advantage even in the species-rich rainforests of the tropics, researchers report.

Winter is coming: British weather set to become more unsettled Posted: 09 Sep 2014 06:24 AM PDT Winter is coming, and British weather is set to become more unsettled, scientists say. Three all-time high and two all-time low NAO values have been recorded in the last decade, they say, showing huge contrast in conditions. Based on past information, the month of December shows biggest variation in weather.

Study sheds light on asthma, respiratory viruses Posted: 09 Sep 2014 06:21 AM PDT In a new study that compared people with and without asthma, researchers found no difference in the key immune response to viruses in the lungs and breathing passages. The work suggests that a fundamental antiviral defense mechanism is intact in asthma. This means that another aspect of the immune system must explain the difficulty people with asthma have when they encounter respiratory viruses.

Milestone reached in work to build replacement kidneys in the lab Posted: 09 Sep 2014 06:21 AM PDT Working with human-sized pig kidneys, researchers have developed the most successful method to date to keep blood vessels in the new organs open and flowing with blood. This is a significant hurdle in the quest to engineer replacement kidneys for patients.

Sharks in acidic waters avoid smell of food Posted: 09 Sep 2014 06:21 AM PDT The increasing acidification of ocean waters caused by rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels could rob sharks of their ability to sense the smell of food, a new study suggests.

Agricultural revolution in Africa could increase global carbon emissions Posted: 08 Sep 2014 01:24 PM PDT Productivity-boosting agricultural innovations in Africa could lead to an increase in global deforestation rates and carbon emissions, a study finds. "Increasing productivity in Africa -- a carbon-rich region with low agricultural yields -- could have negative effects on the environment, especially if agricultural markets are highly integrated," a researcher said. "This study highlights the importance of understanding the interplay between globalization and the environmental impacts of agricultural technology. They are deeply intertwined."

Rapid and durable protection against Ebola virus with new vaccine regimens Posted: 08 Sep 2014 12:29 PM PDT One shot of an experimental vaccine made from two Ebola virus gene segments incorporated into a chimpanzee cold virus vector, called chimp adenovirus type 3 or ChAd3, protected all four macaque monkeys exposed to high levels of Ebola virus 5 weeks after inoculation, report scientists.

Biologists delay the aging process by 'remote control' Posted: 08 Sep 2014 12:29 PM PDT Biologists have identified a gene that can slow the aging process when activated remotely in key organ systems. The life scientists, working with fruit flies, activated a gene called AMPK that is a key energy sensor in cells. Increasing AMPK in the intestine increased the fly's life by about 30 percent, and the fly stayed healthier longer as well. The research could have important implications for delaying aging and disease in humans.

In one of nature's innovations, a single cell smashes and rebuilds its own genome Posted: 08 Sep 2014 12:29 PM PDT A pond-dwelling, single-celled organism has the remarkable ability to break its own DNA into nearly a quarter-million pieces and rapidly reassemble those pieces when it's time to mate. This elaborate process could provide a template for understanding how chromosomes in more complex animals such as humans break apart and reassemble, as can happen during the onset of cancer.

Textbook theory behind volcanoes may be wrong Posted: 08 Sep 2014 12:29 PM PDT In the typical textbook picture, volcanoes, such as those that are forming the Hawaiian islands, erupt when magma gushes out as narrow jets from deep inside Earth. But that picture is wrong, according to a new study from researchers who conclude that seismology data are now confirming that such narrow jets don't actually exist.

Study traces ecological collapse over 6,000 years of Egyptian history Posted: 08 Sep 2014 12:29 PM PDT Depictions of animals in ancient Egyptian artifacts have helped scientists assemble a detailed record of the large mammals that lived in the Nile Valley over the past 6,000 years. A new analysis of this record shows that species extinctions, probably caused by a drying climate and growing human population in the region, have made the ecosystem progressively less stable.

Paleontologists discover new species of titanosaurian dinosaur in Tanzania Posted: 08 Sep 2014 11:35 AM PDT Paleontologists have identified a new species of titanosaurian, a member of the large-bodied sauropods that thrived during the final period of the dinosaur age, in Tanzania. Although many fossils of titanosaurians have been discovered around the globe, especially in South America, few have been recovered from the continent of Africa.

How conversion of forests to cropland affects climate Posted: 08 Sep 2014 10:54 AM PDT The conversion of forests into cropland worldwide has triggered an atmospheric change to emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds that -- while seldom considered in climate models -- has had a net cooling effect on global temperatures, according to a new study.

New genetic target for a different kind of cancer drug found Posted: 08 Sep 2014 10:53 AM PDT The protein RBM4, a molecule crucial to the process of gene splicing, is drastically decreased in multiple forms of human cancer, including lung and breast cancers, researchers have discovered. The finding offers a new route toward therapies that can thwart the altered genetic pathways that allow cancer cells to proliferate and spread.

Coral trout pick their collaborators carefully Posted: 08 Sep 2014 10:53 AM PDT Coral trout not only work with moray eels to improve their chances of a meal, but they can also be choosy when it comes to picking the best moray partner. The findings show that such sophisticated collaborative abilities are not limited to apes and humans. The fish's behavior is remarkable in other ways too, the researchers say.

Bird-pollinated flower with a rather ingenious twist Posted: 08 Sep 2014 10:53 AM PDT When researchers studying several bird-pollinated species of Impatiens flowers in the mountains of western Cameroon noticed one with an odd, upwardly curving nectar spur, they couldn't imagine how any sunbird could ever sip from it. After recording visitors to the flower continuously for a period of days, they had their answer.

Whale sex: It's all in the hips Posted: 08 Sep 2014 09:15 AM PDT Whales and dolphins need their hips, it turns out. The bones that we used to believe were vestigial turn out to be important to reproduction. The muscles that control a cetacean's penis -- which has a high degree of mobility -- attach directly to its pelvic bones. As such, it made sense to researchers that the pelvic bones could affect the level of control over the penis that an individual cetacean has, perhaps offering an evolutionary advantage.

Unusual immune cell needed to prevent oral thrush, researchers find Posted: 08 Sep 2014 09:15 AM PDT An unusual kind of immune cell in the tongue appears to play a pivotal role in the prevention of thrush, according to the researchers who discovered them. The findings might shed light on why people infected with HIV or who have other immune system impairments are more susceptible to the oral yeast infection.

Plant diversity in China vital for global food security Posted: 08 Sep 2014 09:10 AM PDT With climate change threatening global food supplies, new research claims the rich flora of China could be crucial to underpin food security in the future. A team has identified 871 wild plant species native to China that have the potential to adapt and maintain 28 globally important crops, including rice, wheat, soybean, sorghum, banana, apple, citrus fruits, grape, stone fruits and millet. 42% of these wild plant species, known as crop wild relatives occur nowhere else in the world.

Future of our crops is at risk in conflict zones, say scientists Posted: 08 Sep 2014 09:10 AM PDT Wild species related to our crops, which are crucial as potential future food resources, have been identified by scientists, however, a significant proportion are found in conflict zones in the Middle East, where their conservation is increasingly comprised.

New antimicrobial strategy silences NDM-1 resistance gene in pathogens Posted: 08 Sep 2014 09:09 AM PDT A molecule that can silence the gene responsible for severe antibiotic resistance in some bacteria has been synthesized by researchers. "There is a critical need to find new treatments for antibiotic-resistant pathogens and using a gene-silencing approach could be one viable strategy for new antimicrobial development," says one researcher.

New compound inhibits enzyme crucial to MERS, SARS viruses -- with a catch Posted: 08 Sep 2014 09:09 AM PDT A compound that effectively inhibits an enzyme crucial to the viruses that cause Middle East respiratory syndrome and severe acute respiratory syndrome has been identified by researchers. The compound appears to have a different method of inhibition in each virus due to slight differences in each virus' enzyme which means finding other compounds that inhibit both may be difficult.

Ovarian cancer oncogene found in 'junk DNA' Posted: 06 Sep 2014 06:30 AM PDT A research team has mined 'junk DNA' sequences to identify a non-protein-coding RNA whose expression is linked to ovarian cancer. Using clinical, genetic, and gene expression data as filters to distinguish genes whose copy number alteration causes cancer from those for whom copy number changes are incidental, the team whittled down their list from 14,000 to a more manageable number, each of which they systematically tested using genetic experiments in animals.

Strong link between higher levels of pollution, lung health of European citizens Posted: 06 Sep 2014 06:30 AM PDT New data has identified a clear link between higher levels of exposure to air pollution and deteriorating lung health in adult European citizens. This study confirms previous findings that children growing up in areas with higher levels of pollution will have lower levels of lung function and a higher risk of developing symptoms such as cough and bronchitis symptoms. The new study also identified that people suffering from obesity are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of air pollution, possibly due to an increased risk of lung inflammation.

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