ScienceDaily: Top Science News

Snffing out origins of methane: instrument identifies methane's origins in mines, deep-sea vents, and cows Posted: 05 Mar 2015 12:21 PM PST Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, second only to carbon dioxide in its capacity to trap heat in Earth's atmosphere for a long time. The gas can originate from lakes and swamps, natural-gas pipelines, deep-sea vents, and livestock. Understanding the sources of methane, and how the gas is formed, could give scientists a better understanding of its role in warming the planet.

Nutrient pollution damages streams in ways previously unknown, ecologists find Posted: 05 Mar 2015 12:21 PM PST An important food resource has been disappearing from streams without anyone noticing until now. Ecologists reports that nutrient pollution causes a significant loss of forest-derived carbon from stream ecosystems, reducing the ability of streams to support aquatic life.

Mars: The planet that lost an ocean's worth of water Posted: 05 Mar 2015 11:04 AM PST A primitive ocean on Mars held more water than Earth's Arctic Ocean, and covered a greater portion of the planet's surface than the Atlantic Ocean does on Earth, according to new results published today. An international team of scientists used ESO's Very Large Telescope, along with instruments at the W. M. Keck Observatory and the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility, to monitor the atmosphere of the planet and map out the properties of the water in different parts of Mars's atmosphere over a six-year period. These new maps are the first of their kind.

Hubble sees supernova split into four images by cosmic lens Posted: 05 Mar 2015 11:04 AM PST Astronomers have spotted for the first time a distant supernova split into four images. The multiple images of the exploding star are caused by the powerful gravity of a foreground elliptical galaxy embedded in a massive cluster of galaxies.

Phthalates potentially alter levels of a pregnancy hormone that influences sex development Posted: 05 Mar 2015 09:54 AM PST Exposure to hormone-altering chemicals called phthalates -- which are found in many plastics, foods and personal care products -- early in pregnancy is associated with a disruption in an essential pregnancy hormone and adversely affects the masculinization of male genitals in the baby, according to new research. The findings focus on the role of the placenta in responding to these chemicals and altering levels of a key pregnancy hormone.

Nine steps to survive 'most explosive era of infrastructure expansion in human history' Posted: 05 Mar 2015 09:54 AM PST A team of scientists call attention to nine issues that must be considered if there is to be any hope of limiting the environmental impacts of the ongoing expansion of new roads, road improvements, energy projects, and more now underway or 'coming soon' in countries all around the world.

Menopausal whales are influential and informative leaders Posted: 05 Mar 2015 09:53 AM PST Menopause is a downright bizarre trait among animals. It's also rare. Outside of the human species, only the female members of two whale species outlive their reproductive lives in such a major way. Female killer whales typically become mothers between the ages of 12 and 40, but they can live for more than 90 years. Males rarely make it past 50. Now, researchers have new evidence to explain why.

Molecule found in tree leaves helps female mice combat weight gain; males unaffected Posted: 05 Mar 2015 09:53 AM PST A small molecule that binds to a receptor found on muscle cells speeds up energy metabolism -- but only in female mice. Researchers have shown that female mice treated with a molecule found in tree leaves could indulge in high-fat foods without gaining weight or accumulating fat. Males did not enjoy similar benefits, highlighting the need to study both sexes while developing drugs.

Flood and drought risk to cities on rise even with no climate change Posted: 05 Mar 2015 09:51 AM PST A heads-up to New York, Baltimore, Houston and Miami: a new study suggests that these metropolitan areas and others will increase their exposure to floods even in the absence of climate change.

Hidden hazards found in 'green' products Posted: 05 Mar 2015 08:06 AM PST Common consumer products, including those marketed as 'green,' 'all-natural,' 'non-toxic' and 'organic' emit a range of compounds that could harm human health and air quality, researchers have found. But most of these ingredients are not disclosed to the public.

Significant facial variation in pre-Columbian South America Posted: 05 Mar 2015 08:04 AM PST A team of anthropology researchers has found significant differences in facial features between all seven pre-Columbian peoples they evaluated from what is now Peru -- disproving a longstanding perception that these groups were physically homogenous. The finding may lead scholars to revisit any hypotheses about human migration patterns that rested on the idea that there was little skeletal variation in pre-Columbian South America.

Human brains age less than previously thought Posted: 05 Mar 2015 08:04 AM PST Older brains may be more similar to younger brains than previously thought. In a new paper, researchers demonstrate that previously reported changes in the aging brain using functional magnetic resonance imaging may be due to vascular (or blood vessels) changes, rather than changes in neuronal activity itself.

Einstein put to the test: Satellite mission on dark energy and theory of gravitation Posted: 05 Mar 2015 08:03 AM PST Physicists have gained new insights into dark energy and the theory of gravitation by analyzing data from the "Planck" satellite mission of the European Space Agency (ESA). Their results demonstrate that the standard model of cosmology remains an excellent description of the universe. Yet when the Planck data is combined with other astronomical observations, several deviations emerge. Further studies must determine whether these anomalies are due to measurement uncertainties or undiscovered physical correlations, which would also challenge Einstein's theory of gravitation. Thus, the analysis of the Planck data gives major impetus for research during future space missions.

'Extinct' bird rediscovered: Last seen in 1941 Posted: 05 Mar 2015 08:02 AM PST A scientific team has rediscovered a bird previously thought to be extinct. Jerdon's babbler (Chrysomma altirostre) had not been seen in Myanmar since July 1941, where it was last found in grasslands near the town of Myitkyo, Bago Region near the Sittaung River.

Breakthrough in energy harvesting could power 'life on Mars' Posted: 05 Mar 2015 05:11 AM PST Martian colonists could use an innovative new technique to harvest energy from carbon dioxide thanks to new research. The research proposes a new kind of engine for producing energy based on the Leidenfrost effect -- a phenomenon which happens when a liquid comes into near contact with a surface much hotter than its boiling point. This effect is commonly seen in the way water appears to skitter across the surface of a hot pan, but it also applies to solid carbon dioxide, commonly known as dry ice.

New protein booster may lead to better DNA vaccines and gene therapy Posted: 04 Mar 2015 04:02 PM PST Scientists have discovered a new way to manipulate how cells function, a finding that might help advance an experimental approach to improving public health: DNA vaccines, which could be more efficient, less expensive and easier to store than traditional vaccines. Their approach improves upon an existing laboratory technique, transfection, widely used to study how cells and viruses work.

Olive oil: The key to curing cancer? Posted: 02 Mar 2015 11:12 AM PST Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), long-known for its heart health benefits, has now been identified for its rapid destruction of cancer cells. While scientists have proven that the oleocanthal compound found in EVOO causes cell death in cancer cells, they have been unable to provide an explanation for this phenomenon until now.