ScienceDaily: Earth & Climate News

Deconstructing a mystery: What caused Snowmaggedon?

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:28:28 EST

Scientists are using computer models to help unravel the mystery of a record-setting snowfall in the Washington, DC area in early 2010.

Hydrogen from acidic water: Potential low cost alternative to platinum for splitting water

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:28:28 EST

A technique for creating a new molecule that structurally and chemically replicates the active part of the molybdenite catalyst paves the way for developing catalytic materials that can serve as effective low-cost alternatives to platinum for generating hydrogen gas from water.

3-D laser map shows earthquake before and after

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:40:40 EST

Geologists have a new tool to study how earthquakes change the landscape down to a few inches, and it's giving them insight into how earthquake faults behave.

Ocean microbe communities changing, but long-term environmental impact is unclear

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:40:40 EST

As oceans warm due to climate change, water layers will mix less and affect the microbes and plankton that pump carbon out of the atmosphere – but researchers say it's still unclear whether these processes will further increase global warming or decrease it. It could be either, they say.

Chemists harvest light to create 'green' tool for pharmaceuticals

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:39:39 EST

Researchers have created a new, “green” method for developing medicines. The researchers used energy from a light bulb to create an organic molecule that may be useful in the treatment of Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases.

Ocean warming causes elephant seals to dive deeper

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:02:02 EST

Global warming is having an effect on the dive behavior and search for food of southern elephant seals. Researchers have discovered that the seals dive deeper for food when in warmer water. The scientists attribute this behavior to the migration of prey to greater depths and now wish to check this theory using a new sensor which registers the feeding of the animals below water.

Seismic resistance: Model analyzes shape-memory alloys for use in earthquake-resistant structures

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:58:58 EST

Recent earthquake damage has exposed the vulnerability of existing structures to strong ground movement. Researchers are now analyzing shape-memory alloys for their potential use in constructing seismic-resistant structures.

New battery could lead to cheaper, more efficient solar energy

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:58:58 EST

Scientists have found that a new type of battery has the potential to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of solar power.

How the zebra got its stripes

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:17:17 EST

Horseflies are unpleasant insects that deliver powerful bites and now it seems that zebras evolved their stripes to avoid attracting the unpleasant pests. New research show that zebras have the least attractive hides for horseflies.

Amazing skin gives sharks a push

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:17:17 EST

Shark skin has long been known to improve the fish's swimming performance by reducing drag, but now a new study show that in addition, the skin generates thrust, giving the fish an extra boost. The duo also discovered that Speedo's shark skin-inspired Fastskin® FS II fabric surface does not improve swimming speed, although they point out that the figure hugging costumes probably enhance performance in other ways.

Global sea level rise: NASA mission takes stock of Earth's melting land ice

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:05:05 EST

In the first comprehensive satellite study of its kind, researchers have used NASA data to calculate how much Earth's melting land ice is adding to global sea level rise. Using satellite measurements from the NASA/German Aerospace Center Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), the researchers measured ice loss in all of Earth's land ice between 2003 and 2010, with particular emphasis on glaciers and ice caps outside of Greenland and Antarctica. The total global ice mass lost from Greenland, Antarctica and Earth's glaciers and ice caps during the study period was about 4.3 trillion tons (1,000 cubic miles), adding about 0.5 inches (12 millimeters) to global sea level. That's enough ice to cover the United States 1.5 feet (0.5 meters) deep.

January 2012 fourth warmest for contiguous United States, but Alaska extremely cold

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:34:34 EST

During January, warmer-than-average conditions enveloped most of the contiguous United States, with widespread below-average precipitation. The overall weather pattern for the month was reflected in the lack of snow for much of the Northern Plains, Midwest, and Northeast. This scenario was in stark contrast to Alaska where several towns had their coldest January on record.

Report on Texas fire urges firefighters to consider wind effects

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:28:28 EST

Wind conditions at a fire scene can make a critical difference on the behavior of the blaze and the safety of firefighters, even indoors, according to a new report.

Octagonal window of opportunity for carbon capture

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:28:28 EST

Scientists have gathered new insight into the performance of a material called a zeolite that may filter carbon dioxide far more efficiently than current industrial "scrubbers" do.

Arsenic criticality poses concern for modern technology

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:27:27 EST

Risks related to the critical nature of arsenic -- used to make high-speed computer chips that contain gallium arsenide -- outstrip those of other substances in a group of critical materials needed to sustain modern technology, a new study has found. Scientists evaluated the relative criticality of arsenic and five related metals.

Lull in ship noise after Sept. 11 attacks eased stress on right whales

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:27:27 EST

Exposure to low-frequency ship noise may be associated with chronic stress in whales, according to a new study. The study, conducted in Canada's Bay of Fundy, has implications for all baleen whales in areas with heavy ship traffic, and for the recovery of the endangered North Atlantic right whale population.

Obstacles no barrier to higher speeds for worms

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:25:25 EST

Obstacles in an organism's path can help it to move faster, not slower, researchers have found through a series of experiments and computer simulations. Their findings have implications for a better understanding of basic locomotion strategies found in biology, and the survival and propagation of the parasite that causes malaria.

Growing up on a farm directly affects regulation of the immune system, study finds

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:25:25 EST

A new study has shown, for the first time, that growing up on a farm directly affects the regulation of the immune system and causes a reduction in the immunological responses to food proteins.

Global glaciers, ice caps, shedding billions of tons of mass annually

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:23:23 EST

Earth's glaciers and ice caps outside of the regions of Greenland and Antarctica are shedding roughly 150 billion tons of ice annually, according to a new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder.

Tuna and mackerel populations have reduced by 60% in the last century

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:32:32 EST

A new study shows that the impact of fishing for tuna and similar species during the last 50 years has lessened the abundance of all these populations by an average of 60%. Experts add that the majority of tuna fish have been exploited to the limits of sustainability.

Carbonized coffee grounds remove foul smells

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:27:27 EST

In research to develop a novel, eco-friendly filter to remove toxic gases from the air, scientists found that a material made from used coffee grounds can sop up hydrogen sulfide gas, the chemical that makes raw sewage stinky.

Scared of a younger rival? Not for some male songbirds

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:23:23 EST

When mature male white-crowned sparrows duel to win a mate or a nesting territory, a young bird just doesn’t get much respect.

Ancient seagrass holds secrets of the oldest living organism on Earth

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:25:25 EST

It's big, it's old and it lives under the sea -- and now an international research collaboration has confirmed that an ancient seagrass holds the secrets of the oldest living organism on Earth. Ancient giant Posidonia oceanica reproduces asexually, generating clones of itself. A single organism -- which has been found to span up to 15 kilometers in width and reach more than 6,000 metric tonnes in mass -- may well be more than 100,000 years old.

New tool for analyzing solar-cell materials

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:36:36 EST

An online tool called "Impurities to Efficiency" (known as I2E) allows companies or researchers exploring alternative manufacturing strategies to plug in descriptions of their planned materials and processing steps. After about one minute of simulation, I2E gives an indication of exactly how efficient the resulting solar cell would be in converting sunlight to electricity.

Americans' knowledge of polar regions up, but not their concern

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:19:19 EST

Americans’ knowledge of facts about the polar regions of the globe has increased since 2006, but this increase in knowledge has not translated into more concern about changing polar environments, according to new research.

Low-cost instrument developed by high school students could aid severe weather research

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:18:18 EST

A group of high school students designed, built and tested a low-cost device that monitors the buildup of electrical charge in clouds. A network of such field mill devices could be used to learn more about the lightning that is part of severe weather.

Neanderthal demise due to many influences, including cultural changes

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:01:01 EST

Although many anthropologists believe that modern humans ancestors "wiped out" Neanderthals, it's more likely that Neanderthals were integrated into the human gene pool thousands of years ago during the Upper Pleistocene era as cultural and climatic forces brought the two groups together. New research suggests that the Neanderthals demise was due to a combination of influences, including cultural changes.

An electronic green thumb

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:01:01 EST

If sensors are supposed to communicate with each other to compare the measured data and to secure them, then, in the future, a network of distributed sensor nodes will aid in that: the network ensures problem-free communication between the sensors. For example, they can be used to reliably monitor the watering of plants.

New stinky flower: Our amorphophallus is smaller, but it stinks like its big cousin

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:55:55 EST

The famed “corpse flower” plant – known for its giant size, rotten-meat odor and phallic shape – has a new, smaller relative: A botanist has discovered a new species of Amorphophallus that is one-fourth as tall but just as stinky.

Redder ladybirds more deadly, say scientists

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:42:42 EST

A ladybird's color indicates how well-fed and how toxic it is, according to scientists. This research directly shows that differences between animals' warning signals reveal how poisonous individuals are to predators. The study shows that redder ladybirds are more poisonous than their paler peers and reveals that this variation is directly linked to diet in early life, with better-fed ladybirds being more visible and more deadly.

Invasive alien predator causes rapid declines of European ladybugs

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:42:42 EST

A new study provides compelling evidence that the arrival of the invasive non-native harlequin ladybird (ladybug) to mainland Europe and subsequent spread has led to a rapid decline in historically-widespread species of ladybird in Britain, Belgium and Switzerland. The analysis is further evidence that harlequin ladybirds are displacing some native ladybirds, most probably through predation and competition.

Researchers uncover a mechanism to explain dune field patterns

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:43:43 EST

In a study of the harsh but beautiful White Sands National Monument in New Mexico, researchers have uncovered a unifying mechanism to explain dune patterns. The new work represents a contribution to basic science, but the findings may also hold implications for identifying when dune landscapes like those in Nebraska's Sand Hills may reach a "tipping point" under climate change, going from valuable grazing land to barren desert.

Why common tree is toxic to snowshoe hares

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:42:42 EST

Biologists have uncovered why the chemical defenses in birch, a common type of tree found in North America, are toxic to snowshoe hares.

Domestic cats, and wild bobcats and pumas, living in same area have same diseases

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:46:46 EST

Scientists found evidence that domestic cats and wild cats that share the same outdoor areas in urban environments also can share diseases such as Bartonellosis and Toxoplasmosis. Both can be spread from cats to people.

A bug's (sex) life: Diving beetles offer unexpected clues about sexual selection

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:41:41 EST

Studies of diving beetles suggest sperm evolution may be driven by changes in female reproductive organs, challenging the paradigm of post-mating sexual selection being driven mostly by competition among sperm. In the process, the researchers discovered an unexpected and stunning variety of sperm form and behavior.

Fossil cricket reveals Jurassic love song

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:41:41 EST

The love song of an extinct cricket that lived 165 million years ago has been brought back to life by scientists. The song – possibly the most ancient known musical song documented to date – was reconstructed from microscopic wing features on a fossil discovered in North East China. It allows us to listen to one of the sounds that would have been heard by dinosaurs and other creatures roaming Jurassic forests at night.

More environmental rules needed for shale gas, says geophysicist

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:41:41 EST

In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama praised the potential of the country's tremendous supply of natural gas buried in shale. But the "Halliburton exclusion" passed by Congress says gas companies don't have to disclose the chemicals used in fracturing fluids. That was a real mistake because it makes the public needlessly paranoid, says a geophysicist.

Satellite tracking reveals sea turtle feeding hotspots

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:39:39 EST

Satellite tracking of threatened loggerhead sea turtles has revealed two previously unknown feeding "hotspots" in the Gulf of Mexico that are providing important habitat for at least three separate populations of the turtles.

Consumers willing to buy sustainable US cotton, researchers find

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:39:39 EST

Researchers have found that United States consumers are more willing to buy clothing made from sustainably grown US cotton than apparel produced using conventional practices in an unknown location.

Researchers examine consequences of non-intervention for infectious disease in African great apes

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:39:39 EST

Infectious disease has joined poaching and habitat loss as a major threat to the survival of African great apes as they have become restricted to ever-smaller populations. Despite the work of dedicated conservationists, efforts to save our closest living relatives from ecological extinction are largely failing, and new scientific approaches are necessary to analyze major threats and find innovative solutions.

New species of bamboo-feeding plant lice found in Costa Rica

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:26:26 EST

Several periods of field work during 2008 have led to the discovery of a new species of bamboo-feeding plant lice in Costa Rica's high-altitude region Cerro de la Muerte. The discovery was made thanks to molecular data analysis of mitochondrial DNA. The collected records have also increased the overall knowledge of plant lice (one of the most dangerous agricultural pests worldwide) from the region with more that 20 percent.

Tree rings may underestimate climate response to volcanic eruptions

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:38:38 EST

Some climate cooling caused by past volcanic eruptions may not be evident in tree-ring reconstructions of temperature change because large enough temperature drops lead to greatly shortened or even absent growing seasons, according to climate researchers, who compared tree-ring temperature reconstructions with model simulations of past temperature changes.

Land-cover changes do not impact glacier loss

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:37:37 EST

A new study shows that land-cover changes, in particular deforestation, in the vicinity of glaciers do not have an impact on glacier loss. However, the study also shows that deforestation decreases precipitation in mid elevation zones, which affects the quality of life of the population living in the surrounding areas.

Lower levels of sunlight exposure link to allergy and eczema in children, study suggests

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:33:33 EST

Increased exposure to sunlight may reduce the risk of both food allergies and eczema in children, according to a new scientific study.

Global extinction: Gradual doom is just as bad as abrupt

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:33:33 EST

Around 250 million years ago, most life on Earth was wiped out in an extinction known as the "Great Dying." Geologists have learned that the end came slowly from thousands of centuries of volcanic activity.

A battle of the vampires, 20 million years ago?

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:24:24 EST

They are tiny, ugly, disease-carrying little blood-suckers that most people have never seen or heard of, but a new discovery in a one-of-a-kind fossil shows that "bat flies" have been doing their noxious business with bats for at least 20 million years.

Parasites or not? Transposable elements in DNA of fruit flies may be beneficial

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:18:18 EST

Many living organisms suffer from parasites, which use the hosts’ resources for their own purposes. The problem of parasitism occurs at all levels right down to the DNA scale. Genomes may contain up to 80% “foreign” DNA but details of the mechanisms by which this enters the host genome and how hosts attempt to combat its spread are still the subject of conjecture. Nearly all organisms contain pieces of DNA that do not really belong to them.

Scientists coax shy microorganisms to stand out in a crowd

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:48:48 EST

Scientists have advanced a method that allowed them to single out a marine microorganism and map its genome even though the organism made up less than 10 percent of a water sample teeming with many millions of individuals from dozens of identifiable groups of microbes.

Google Earth ocean terrain receives major update: Data sharpen resolution of seafloor maps, correct 'discovery' of Atlantis

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:48:48 EST

Internet information giant Google updated ocean data in its Google Earth application this week, reflecting new bathymetry data assembled by researchers from around the world. The newest version of Google Earth includes more accurate imagery in several key areas of ocean using data collected by research cruises over the past three years.

New way to study ground fractures

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:16:16 EST

Geophysics researchers have created a new way to study fractures by producing elastic waves, or vibrations, through using high-intensity light focused directly on the fracture itself.

'Yellow biotechnology': Using plants to silence insect genes in a high-throughput manner

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:12:12 EST

'Yellow biotechnology' refers to biotechnology with insects -- analogous to the green (plants) and red (animals) biotechnology. Active ingredients or genes in insects are characterized and used for research or application in agriculture and medicine. Scientists in Germany are now using a procedure which brings forward ecological research on insects: They study gene functions in moth larvae by manipulating genes using the RNA interference technology (RNAi). RNAi is induced by feeding larvae with plants that have been treated with viral vectors. This method -- called "plant virus based dsRNA producing system" (VDPS) -- increases sample throughput compared to the use of genetically transformed plants. 

Castaway lizards provide insight into elusive evolutionary process, founder effects

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:11:11 EST

A biologist who released lizards on tiny uninhabited islands in the Bahamas has shed light on the interaction between evolutionary processes that are seldom observed. He found that the lizards' genetic and morphological traits were determined by both natural selection and a phenomenon called founder effects, which occur when species colonize new territory.

Caribbean lizards settle 'founder effect' controversy

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:11:11 EST

In the first experimental study of the founder effect in a natural setting, researchers found that natural selection does not overwhelm the founder effect.

Treasure trove of wildlife found in Peru park

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:08:08 EST

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s (WCS) Peru program recently announced the discovery of 365 species previously undocumented in Bahuaja Sonene National Park in southeastern Peru.

Heat and cold damage corals in their own ways

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:46:46 EST

Around the world coral reefs are facing threats brought by climate change and dramatic shifts in sea temperatures. While warming has been the primary focus for scientists and ocean policy managers, cold can also cause significant damage. Scientists have shown that cool temperatures can inflict more damage in the short term, but heat is more destructive in the long run.

Biosolar breakthrough promises cheap, easy green electricity

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:22:22 EST

Scientists are turning the term "power plant" on its head. A team of researchers has developed a system that taps into photosynthetic processes to produce efficient and inexpensive energy.

NASA's GCPEx mission: What we don't know about snow

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:14:14 EST

NASA's GCPEx science team is collecting as much data as they can to improve understanding of snow dynamics inside clouds, because they relate to how snow moves through Earth's water and climate cycles.

Prolific plant hunters provide insight in strategy for collecting undiscovered plant species

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:14:14 EST

Today's alarmingly high rate of plant extinction necessitates an increased understanding of the world's biodiversity. An estimated 15 to 30 percent of the world's flowering plants have yet to be discovered, making efficiency an integral function of future botanical research.

Are nuisance jellyfish really taking over the world's oceans?

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:12:12 EST

Evidence is lacking that populations of jellyfish and similar gelatinous plankton are surging in numbers globally and will likely dominate the seas in coming decades. Rather, increasing scientific and media interest as well as the lack of good baseline data seem to explain the widespread perception of an increase.

Global experts question claims about jellyfish populations

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:12:12 EST

Blooms, or proliferation, of jellyfish have shown a substantial, visible impact on coastal populations -- clogged nets for fishermen, stinging waters for tourists, even choked intake lines for power plants -- and recent media reports have created a perception that the world's oceans are experiencing increases in jellyfish due to human activities such as global warming and overharvesting of fish. Now, a new study questions claims that jellyfish are increasing worldwide and suggests claims are not supported with any hard evidence or scientific analyses to date.

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