ScienceDaily: Earth & Climate News
Seafloor Fossils Provide Clues To Climate Change
Deep under the sea, a fossil the size of a sand grain is nestled among a billion of its closest dead relatives. Known as foraminifera, these complex little shells of calcium carbonate can tell you the sea level, temperature, and ocean conditions of Earth millions of years ago. That is, if you know what to look for.
Pathogen Protection And Virulence: Dark Side Of Fungal Membrane Protein Revealed
Researchers have discovered a fungal protein that plays a key role in causing disease in plants and animals and which also shields the pathogen from oxidative stress.
Higher Incidence Of Thyroid Cancer In Volcanic Area Of Sicily
People living in volcanic areas may be at a higher risk for thyroid cancer, according to a new study.
Air Pollution Increases Infants' Risk Of Bronchiolitis
Infants who are exposed to higher levels of air pollution are at increased risk for bronchiolitis, according to a new study.
Boosting Coastal Economics With Crustacean Molting On Demand
Researchers are close to unraveling intricate cellular pathways that control molting in blue crabs. The discoveries could revolutionize the soft-shell crab industry, generating new jobs and additional profits for the US fishing industry along the coastal Southeast.
Male Sabertoothed Cats Were Pussycats Compared To Macho Lions
Despite their fearsome fangs, male sabertoothed cats may have been less aggressive than many of their feline cousins, says a new study of male-female size differences in extinct big cats.
Bacteria Expect The Unexpected
Organisms ensure the survival of their species by genetically adapting to the environment. If environmental conditions change too rapidly, the extinction of a species may be the consequence. A strategy to successfully cope with such a challenge is the generation of variable offspring that can survive in different environments. For the first time scientists have now observed the evolution of suc...
Genomes Of Biofuel Yeasts Reveal Clues That Could Boost Fuel Ethanol Production Worldwide
As global temperatures and energy costs continue to soar, renewable sources of energy will be key to a sustainable future. An attractive replacement for gasoline is biofuel, and in two new studies, scientists have analyzed the genome structures of bioethanol-producing microorganisms, uncovering genetic clues that will be critical in developing new technologies needed to implement production on ...
Chemists Describe Solar Energy Progress And Challenges, Including The 'Artificial Leaf'
Scientists are making progress toward development of an "artificial leaf" that mimics a real leaf's chemical magic with photosynthesis -- but instead converts sunlight and water into a liquid fuel such as methanol for cars and trucks.
Lightning's 'NOx-ious' Impact On Pollution, Climate
More than 1.2 billion lightning flashes occur around the world every year. Each of those billion lightning flashes produces a puff of nitrogen oxide gas (NOx) that reacts with sunlight and other gases in the atmosphere to produce ozone. Using data gleaned from aircraft observations and satellites, NASA scientists recently took steps toward a better global estimate of lightning-produced NOx and ...
Earth Day April 22, 2009 (image from Earthday website)
Video Clip - Reducing the Information and Communications Technology Carbon Footprint
Un Declares 6 November: International Day For Preventing The Exploitation of the Environment In War And Armed Conflict.