ScienceDaily: Top Science News

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• Hearing loss from loud blasts may be treatable
• Astronomer uncovers the hidden identity of an exoplanet
• Cattle flatulence doesn't stink with biotechnology: Farmers could improve air quality by using hormones
• Identifying climate impact hotspots across sectors
• Improving crop yields in a world of extreme weather events
• Inactivation of taste genes causes male sterility
• New way discovered to block inflammation
• Cloud behavior expands habitable zone of alien planets
• Curious mix of precision and brawn in a pouched super-predator
• Climate change: Disequilibrium will become the norm in the plant communities of the future
• Long-term cannabis use may blunt the brain's motivation system
• Can watching an avatar translate to real-life weight loss?

Hearing loss from loud blasts may be treatable Posted: 01 Jul 2013 02:21 PM PDT Long-term hearing loss from loud explosions, such as blasts from roadside bombs, may not be as irreversible as previously thought, according to a new study.

Astronomer uncovers the hidden identity of an exoplanet Posted: 01 Jul 2013 01:39 PM PDT Hovering about 70 light-years from Earth –- that's "next door" by astronomical standards –– is a star astronomers call HD 97658, which is almost bright enough to see with the naked eye. But the real "star" is the planet HD 97658b, not much more than twice the Earth's diameter and a little less than eight times its mass. HD 97658b is a super-Earth, a class of planet for which there is no example in our home solar system.

Cattle flatulence doesn't stink with biotechnology: Farmers could improve air quality by using hormones Posted: 01 Jul 2013 01:39 PM PDT According to animal scientists, emerging biotechnologies can reduce the environmental impact of cattle production. Feed supplements and synthetic hormones will not affect humans, but they will increase food production. Efficient animals can produce more food for hungry people.

Identifying climate impact hotspots across sectors Posted: 01 Jul 2013 12:16 PM PDT One out of 10 people on Earth is likely to live in a climate impact hotspot by the end of this century, if greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated. Many more are put at risk in a worst-case scenario of the combined impacts on crop yields, water availability, ecosystems, and health, according to a new study.

Improving crop yields in a world of extreme weather events Posted: 01 Jul 2013 12:16 PM PDT When plants encounter drought, they naturally produce abscisic acid (ABA), a stress hormone that helps them cope with the drought conditions. Specifically, the hormone turns on receptors in the plants. Botanists have identified an inexpensive synthetic chemical, quinabactin, that mimics ABA. Spraying ABA on plants improves their water use and stress tolerance, but the procedure is expensive. Quinabactin now offers a cheaper solution.

Inactivation of taste genes causes male sterility Posted: 01 Jul 2013 12:14 PM PDT Scientists report the surprising finding that two proteins involved in oral taste detection also play a crucial role in sperm development. In addition, the human form of one protein is blocked by the lipid-lowering drug clofibrate, perhaps linking this and related compounds to the rising global incidence of human infertility.

New way discovered to block inflammation Posted: 01 Jul 2013 10:55 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a mechanism that triggers chronic inflammation in Alzheimer's, atherosclerosis and type-2 diabetes. The results suggest a common biochemical thread to multiple diseases and point the way to a new class of therapies that could treat chronic inflammation in these non-infectious diseases without crippling the immune system. Alzheimer's, atherosclerosis and type-2 diabetes -- diseases associated with aging and inflammation -- affect more than 100 million Americans.

Cloud behavior expands habitable zone of alien planets Posted: 01 Jul 2013 10:51 AM PDT A new study that calculates the influence of cloud behavior on climate doubles the number of potentially habitable planets orbiting red dwarfs, the most common type of stars in the universe.

Curious mix of precision and brawn in a pouched super-predator Posted: 01 Jul 2013 07:08 AM PDT A bizarre, pouched super-predator that terrorized South America millions of years ago had huge sabre-like teeth but its bite was weaker than that of a domestic cat, new research shows. To achieve a kill Thylacosmilus atrox must have secured and immobilized large prey using its extremely powerful forearms, before inserting the sabre-teeth into the windpipe or major arteries of the neck -- a mix of brute force and delicate precision.

Climate change: Disequilibrium will become the norm in the plant communities of the future Posted: 01 Jul 2013 05:11 AM PDT Global climate change will induce large changes to the plant communities on Earth, but these will typically occur with major time lags. Many plants will remain long after the climate has become unfavorable -- and many new species can take thousands of years to make an appearance. Humans will play a key role in such disequilibrium dynamics.

Long-term cannabis use may blunt the brain's motivation system Posted: 01 Jul 2013 05:10 AM PDT Long-term cannabis users tend to produce less dopamine, a chemical in the brain linked to motivation, a study has found.

Can watching an avatar translate to real-life weight loss? Posted: 01 Jul 2013 05:08 AM PDT An estimated two-thirds of all Americans are overweight or obese and many find it difficult to lose weight and keep it off. They've tried fad diets, exercise programs, diet pills and other methods but the battle continues. Now, a new study suggests that watching an avatar model weight-loss behavior in a virtual community might help some women shed pounds in the real world.

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