ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

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• Mosquito fact and fiction
• Drivers of rich bird biodiversity in Neotropics identified
• Three extinct squirrel-like species discovered
• Gibbon genome sequence deepens understanding of primates rapid chromosomal rearrangements
• When it comes to pit bulls, animal shelter workers intentionally misidentify
• Residual hydraulic fracturing water not a risk to groundwater
• Ancient swamp creature had lips like Mick Jagger
• A Mexican plant could lend the perfume industry more green credibility
• Researchers unlock genetic code of cancer-causing liver fluke parasite
• Non-dominant hand vital to the evolution of the thumb
• Researchers watch lipid molecules in motion
• New study reconstructs mega-earthquakes timeline in Indian Ocean
• Female baboons with male companions live longer
• Air pollution harmful to young brains, study finds
• US cityscapes show consistent patterns of 'urban evolution'
• Sloths are no slouches when it comes to evolution
• Geomagnetic storm mystery solved: How magnetic energy turns into particle energy
• Mapping bats could help stop Ebola's spread
• Bird wetlands in need of restoration, maintenance, protection
• Male–male bonds as a key to the evolution of complex social systems
• High-altitude balloon over Ontario, Canada: Researchers measure ozone-depleting bromine
• Less effective DNA repair process takes over as mice age
• New digital map reveals stunning hidden archaeology of Stonehenge
• New species of extinct dolphin sheds light on river dolphin history
• Frequent cannabis use in adolescence linked with reduced educational attainment, other problems in young adults
• Indian Ocean expedition pioneers citizen oceanography
• A decade of research identifies threats to Adirondack loons, provides guidance on protection
• An evolutionary approach to epidemics
• Novel virus found that could cause respiratory disease in ball pythons
• Tracing water channels in cell surface receptors
• Assessing risk of lung disease through contact with birds
• New cancer drug for dogs benefits human research, drug development
• Live fast, die young: Soil microbes in a warmer world

Mosquito fact and fiction Posted: 10 Sep 2014 11:09 AM PDT A mosquito researcher has collected interesting facts and stories about his research subjects, nature's ultimate bioterrorists.

Drivers of rich bird biodiversity in Neotropics identified Posted: 10 Sep 2014 10:25 AM PDT New research challenges a commonly held view that explains how so many species of birds came to inhabit the Neotropics, an area rich in rain forest that extends from Mexico to the southernmost tip of South America. The study suggests that tropical bird speciation is not directly linked to geological and climate changes, as traditionally thought, but is driven by movements of birds across physical barriers that occur long after those landscapes' geological origins.

Three extinct squirrel-like species discovered Posted: 10 Sep 2014 10:25 AM PDT Paleontologists have described three new small squirrel-like species that place a poorly understood Mesozoic group of animals firmly in the mammal family tree. The study supports the idea that mammals -- an extremely diverse group that includes egg-laying monotremes such as the platypus, marsupials such as the opossum, and placentals like humans and whales -- originated at least 208 million years ago in the late Triassic, much earlier than some previous research suggests.

Gibbon genome sequence deepens understanding of primates rapid chromosomal rearrangements Posted: 10 Sep 2014 10:25 AM PDT With the completion of the sequencing and analysis of the gibbon genome, scientists now know more about why this small ape has a rapid rate of chromosomal rearrangements, providing information that broadens understanding of chromosomal biology.

When it comes to pit bulls, animal shelter workers intentionally misidentify Posted: 10 Sep 2014 10:24 AM PDT Recent research asserts that shelter workers operating in areas restricted by breed-specific legislation (BSL) are more likely to consciously mislabel a dog's breed if they felt it were to increase the dog's chances of being adopted and/or avoid being euthanized.

Residual hydraulic fracturing water not a risk to groundwater Posted: 10 Sep 2014 09:05 AM PDT Hydraulic fracturing -- fracking or hydrofracturing -- raises many concerns about potential environmental impacts, especially water contamination. Currently, data show that the majority of water injected into wells stays underground, triggering fears that it might find its way into groundwater. New research by a team of scientists should help allay those fears.

Ancient swamp creature had lips like Mick Jagger Posted: 10 Sep 2014 09:04 AM PDT A swamp-dwelling, plant-munching creature that lived 19 million years ago in Africa has been named after Rolling Stones lead singer Sir Mick Jagger, because of its big, sensitive lips and snout. The name of the animal, Jaggermeryx naida, translates to 'Jagger's water nymph.'

A Mexican plant could lend the perfume industry more green credibility Posted: 10 Sep 2014 09:04 AM PDT The mere whiff of a dreamy perfume can help conjure new feelings or stir a longing for the past. But the creation of these alluring scents, from the high-end to the commonplace, can also incur an environmental toll. That could change as scientists examine a more sustainable way to produce a key perfume ingredient and supply it to fragrance makers around the world.

Researchers unlock genetic code of cancer-causing liver fluke parasite Posted: 10 Sep 2014 07:29 AM PDT The genetic code of the liver fluke parasite, Opisthorchis viverrini, has been cracked by an international team of researchers using a unique DNA analysis technique. Opisthorchis viverrini is a trematode that infects millions in Asia, and is a significant risk factor for Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) or bile duct cancer.

Non-dominant hand vital to the evolution of the thumb Posted: 10 Sep 2014 07:29 AM PDT New research from biological anthropologists at the University of Kent has shown that the use of the non-dominant hand was likely to have played a vital role in the evolution of modern human hand morphology: the production of stone tools requires the thumb on the non-dominant hand to be significantly stronger and more robust than the fingers.

Researchers watch lipid molecules in motion Posted: 10 Sep 2014 07:29 AM PDT Researchers have 'filmed' the movement of lipid molecules using an X-ray stroboscope. Their study offers new insights into the dynamics of biomolecules, which compose materials such as cell membranes.

New study reconstructs mega-earthquakes timeline in Indian Ocean Posted: 10 Sep 2014 06:32 AM PDT A new study on the frequency of past giant earthquakes in the Indian Ocean region shows that Sri Lanka, and much of the Indian Ocean, is affected by large tsunamis at highly variable intervals, from a few hundred to more than 1,000 years. The findings suggest that the accumulation of stress in the region could generate as large, or even larger tsunamis than the one that resulted from the 2004 magnitude-9.2 Sumatra earthquake.

Female baboons with male companions live longer Posted: 10 Sep 2014 06:32 AM PDT Numerous studies have linked social interaction to improved health and survival in humans, and new research confirms that the same is true for baboons. A long-term study of more than 200 wild female baboons finds that the most sociable females live two to three years longer than their socially isolated counterparts. Socializing with males gave females an even bigger longevity boost than socializing with other females, the researchers found.

Air pollution harmful to young brains, study finds Posted: 10 Sep 2014 06:32 AM PDT Pollution in many cities threatens the brain development in children. Findings from a recent study reveal that children living in megacities are at increased risk for brain inflammation and neurodegenerative changes, including Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease.

US cityscapes show consistent patterns of 'urban evolution' Posted: 10 Sep 2014 06:32 AM PDT Scientists studying urban ecosystems say US urban landscapes are remarkably similar geologically and biochemically, share certain traits that can function as markers for urbanization, and evolve along similar pathways. The authors propose the concept of 'urban evolution.'

Sloths are no slouches when it comes to evolution Posted: 10 Sep 2014 05:38 AM PDT Today's sloths might be known as slow, small animals, but their ancestors developed large body sizes at an amazing rate, according to an evolutionary reconstruction. The fast rate of change suggests that factors such as environmental conditions, or competition with other species must have strongly favored the bigger sloths, before they died out.

Geomagnetic storm mystery solved: How magnetic energy turns into particle energy Posted: 10 Sep 2014 05:38 AM PDT Magnetic reconnection can trigger geomagnetic storms that disrupt cell phone service, damage satellites and black out power grids. But how reconnection, in which the magnetic field lines in plasma snap apart and violently reconnect, transforms magnetic energy into explosive particle energy remains a major unsolved problem in plasma astrophysics.

Mapping bats could help stop Ebola's spread Posted: 10 Sep 2014 05:35 AM PDT In the fight against Ebola, mapping fruit bat habitats could be one important step, says a geoinformatics researcher. Like the Black Death that ravaged medieval Europe, the Ebola virus' progress through remote areas of West Africa is enabled by lack of understanding about the disease, including its causes and transmission.

Bird wetlands in need of restoration, maintenance, protection Posted: 10 Sep 2014 05:35 AM PDT The construction and restoration of wetlands can improve the living conditions of bird populations. According to a recent study, grazing is the single most important maintenance method for wetlands, due to its diversifying impact. The poor condition of wetlands has led to the decline of wetland bird populations around the world, experts say.

Male–male bonds as a key to the evolution of complex social systems Posted: 10 Sep 2014 05:33 AM PDT A new study shows tolerance and cooperative ties between male Guinea baboons. Contests, threats, at best ignore one another: The relationships between male mammals are usually described in this or a similar way. The situation is quite different in humans where strong partnerships and close ties between unrelated men are widespread. Ranging from the joint construction of a hut up to the decisions of Executive Board members, there are countless examples that friendships among men bring decisive advantages and are a core ingredient of the complexity of human societies.

High-altitude balloon over Ontario, Canada: Researchers measure ozone-depleting bromine Posted: 10 Sep 2014 05:33 AM PDT How much does bromine affect stratospheric ozone? Answering this question is the primary objective of measurements by a multi-instrument gondola carried by a high-altitude balloon. The balloon flight was launched from Timmins (Ontario/Canada) on Sunday, September 07.

Less effective DNA repair process takes over as mice age Posted: 09 Sep 2014 04:22 PM PDT One reason for increasing DNA damage in older vertebrates has been uncovered by researchers: the primary repair process begins to fail with increasing age and is replaced by one that is less accurate.

New digital map reveals stunning hidden archaeology of Stonehenge Posted: 09 Sep 2014 04:21 PM PDT A host of previously unknown archaeological monuments have been discovered around Stonehenge as part of an unprecedented digital mapping project that will transform our knowledge of this iconic landscape -- including remarkable new findings on the world's largest 'super henge,' Durrington Walls.

New species of extinct dolphin sheds light on river dolphin history Posted: 09 Sep 2014 04:20 PM PDT Researchers described a new fossil dolphin species from the Miocene -- dating to more than 16 million years ago -- of the Pisco Basin, a desert on the coast of Peru. It belongs to a rare extinct family of marine dolphins, the squalodelphinids, which are related to the endangered Ganges and Indus river dolphins living today.

Frequent cannabis use in adolescence linked with reduced educational attainment, other problems in young adults Posted: 09 Sep 2014 04:20 PM PDT Individuals who are daily users of cannabis before age 17 are over 60% less likely to complete high school or obtain a degree compared to those who have never used the drug, new research shows. The large meta-analysis also indicates that daily users of cannabis during adolescence are seven times more likely to attempt suicide, have an 18 times greater chance of cannabis dependence, and are eight times as likely to use other illicit drugs in later life.

Indian Ocean expedition pioneers citizen oceanography Posted: 09 Sep 2014 12:27 PM PDT Recreational sailors are being called upon to become 'citizen oceanographers' and help provide vital scientific knowledge about the world's oceans by sampling and testing remote waters from their yachts. In 2013, a microbiologist and sailing champion, led an international scientific expedition across the Indian Ocean to pioneer this cost-effective method of data collection. With the right equipment, citizen scientists could gather large quantities of information too, his team says.

A decade of research identifies threats to Adirondack loons, provides guidance on protection Posted: 09 Sep 2014 11:44 AM PDT Biologists have published three new articles summarizing research on Adirondack loons. The Common Loon (Gavia immer), one of five loon species worldwide, is a charismatic icon of New York's Adirondack Park. These large, stunning black and white birds breed on Adirondack lakes, and serve as sentinels of the quality of the waterways where they summer.

An evolutionary approach to epidemics Posted: 09 Sep 2014 10:08 AM PDT An evolutionary analysis of public health data during a major disease outbreak, such as bird flu, E. coli contamination of food or the current Ebola outbreak could help the emergency services plan their response and contain the disease more effectively.

Novel virus found that could cause respiratory disease in ball pythons Posted: 09 Sep 2014 06:38 AM PDT Researchers have identified a novel virus that could be the source of a severe, sometimes fatal respiratory disease that has been observed in captive ball pythons since the 1990s.

Tracing water channels in cell surface receptors Posted: 09 Sep 2014 06:37 AM PDT G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) mediate most of our physiological responses to external stimuli and are involved in many diseases. Scientists have now used computer modeling to uncover central steps of GPCR signal transduction. This finding could help in developing new medicines targeting this important class of cell surface receptors.

Assessing risk of lung disease through contact with birds Posted: 09 Sep 2014 06:23 AM PDT Ornamental birds and feather pillows, plus daily exposure to pigeons may contribute to the development hypersensitive pneumonitis, a disease that can cause irreversible damage to the lungs. Therefore, scientists designed an informative tool to assess the likelihood of suffering the disease.

New cancer drug for dogs benefits human research, drug development Posted: 09 Sep 2014 06:21 AM PDT A new cancer drug for 'man's best friend' is helping advance cancer therapies for humans, too. The drug, Verdinexor, works by preventing powerful tumor suppressing proteins from leaving the nucleus of cells, an exodus which allows cancer to grow unchecked. It's the first new therapeutic option for dog lymphoma in more than two decades, potentially offering vets another alternative for treating the disease, which is the most common form of canine cancer.

Live fast, die young: Soil microbes in a warmer world Posted: 08 Sep 2014 05:43 PM PDT The mortality of soil microbes in warmer temperatures may affect soil carbon storage, scientists say. Soil microbes consume organic carbon compounds in soil, use some of it to make more microbes and release the rest to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. The efficiency with which microbes use their food to make new microbes affects how much carbon remains in soil, and how much is released back to the atmosphere. The accepted idea before this study was that microbes would become less efficient at warmer temperatures.

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