Science Headlines for July 14, 2008

River Damming Leads To Dramatic Decline In Native Fish Numbers

Damming of the Colorado, alongside introduction of game fish species, has led to an extensive decline in numbers of native fish. Scientists have found that physical changes to the river caused by damming have adverse effects on young native fish because they are unable to effectively swim away from introduced predators. They have made proposals to management agencies, which, if implemented, could help reverse the loss of native species.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 14 Jul 2008 | 6:00 pm

Revolutionary Chefs? Not Likely, Physics Research Shows

However much the likes of Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsay might want to shake up our diets, culinary evolution dictates that our cultural cuisines remain little changed as generations move on. Three national cuisines - British, French and Brazilian -- are affected by the founder effect which keeps idiosyncratic and nutritionally ambivalent, expensive and sometimes hard to transport ingredients in our diets.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 14 Jul 2008 | 6:00 pm

Disproving Conventional Wisdom On Diversity Of Marine Fossils And Extinction Rates

New research may be disproving much of the conventional wisdom about the diversity of marine fossils and extinction rates. While previous research showed eventual recoveries in the diversity of fossils after periods of extinction, new work shows that the number of species comes back up quickly -- at least on a geological time scale -- and then stays relatively flat.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 14 Jul 2008 | 6:00 pm

Deep Brain Pacemaker Offers Hope For Parkinson's Sufferers: 'Cross Fire' From Brain Makes Patients Tremble

A typical symptom of Parkinson's disease is tremor in patients. Scientists have succeeded in demonstrating the mechanisms which cause the so-called tremor: neuron clusters in the depths of the brain drive the tremor. This discovery supports Tass' research activities aiming at developing a therapy for Parkinson's disease. A new deep brain pacemaker has been developed with the aim of bringing cells out of the diseased mode for good.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 14 Jul 2008 | 6:00 pm

Alaskan Eskimos' High Rates Of Artery Plaque Could Be From High Smoking

Alaskan Inuit people have higher rates of fatty-plaque lined arteries than other Americans, possibly because they smoke more and are increasing other unhealthy behaviors. An observational population study found that 60 percent of adult Eskimos smoke at least three times more than other US populations. Researchers said heart protection that should come with Eskimos' high fish diet may be negated by smoking.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 14 Jul 2008 | 6:00 pm

The Brain Hides Information From Us To Prevent Mistakes

When we notice a mosquito alight on our forearm, we direct our gaze in order to find its exact position and quickly try to swat it or brush it away to prevent it bite us. This apparently simple, instantaneous reaction is the result of a mental process that is much more complex than it may seem.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 14 Jul 2008 | 6:00 pm

Magnolia Compound Hits Elusive Target In Cancer Cells

The natural compound honokiol blocks survival signals from the Ras family of genes in breast, lung and bladder cancer cells. As a drug target, Ras is considered difficult to approach chemically. Honokiol comes from magnolia trees and has been used in Japanese and Chinese herbal medicines.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 14 Jul 2008 | 3:00 pm

Who Dares Sings, And Who Sings Wins: Bold Birds Get The Girl

Humans often choose partners based on behavioural keys that are displayed during social interactions. The way we behave in different social contexts can reflect personality traits or temperament that may inspire long-term love. Behavioural norms that we perceive as sexually attractive are not culturally or evolutionarily arbitrary. Researchers used bird song as a model to investigate whether behavioral traits involved in sexual advertisement can serve as good indicators of personality in wild animals.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 14 Jul 2008 | 3:00 pm

Genetic Variations Put Youth At Higher Risk For Lifetime Of Tobacco Addiction

Common genetic variations affecting nicotine receptors in the nervous system can significantly increase the chance that European Americans who begin smoking by age 17 will struggle with lifelong nicotine addiction, according to researchers at the University of Utah and their colleagues at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 14 Jul 2008 | 3:00 pm

Researchers Unveil Near-complete Protein Catalog For Mitochondria

Researchers have created the most comprehensive "parts list" to date for mitochondria, a compendium that includes nearly 1,100 proteins. By mining this critical resource, the researchers have already gained deep insights into the biological roles and evolutionary histories of several key proteins. This careful cataloging has already identified a mutation in a novel protein-coding gene as the cause behind one devastating mitochondrial disease.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 14 Jul 2008 | 3:00 pm

Sleep-Deprived? You Might Sound Drunk

Can you tell how much a person has slept by the sound of a voice? New research suggests so.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 14 Jul 2008 | 2:51 pm

Particles Retain Weight for Billions of Years

New data from a distant galaxy provide evidence that the mass of fundamental bits of matter has not changed since the universe was half its age.
Source: Livescience.com | 14 Jul 2008 | 1:46 pm

The Language of Going Green

Sharpen your environmental vocabulary.
Source: Livescience.com | 14 Jul 2008 | 1:38 pm

Researchers Flee Melting Arctic Ice Floe

Russians abandon Arctic research station because melting has eroded ice floe.
Source: Livescience.com | 14 Jul 2008 | 1:35 pm

Do Antidepressants Make Bones Brittle?

Studies suggest an increased fracture risk in people who take the medications
Source: Livescience.com | 14 Jul 2008 | 1:10 pm

New Map to Help Tap Ocean Winds

New global satellite maps reveal wind energy hot spots in ocean areas.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 14 Jul 2008 | 12:20 pm

Marine bill 'can strike balance'

Energy investment in Scotland's seas can be balanced with protecting marine wildlife and seabirds, the Scottish Government claims.
Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 14 Jul 2008 | 12:06 pm

Science Weekly: Science and the Media

Professor Steve Miller joins us to talk about the strained relationship between science and the media. Plus award winning novelist Ian McEwan muses on creativity and how it might differ between artists and scientists.
Source: guardian.co.uk Science | 14 Jul 2008 | 12:03 pm

Tropical depression could form in Atlantic: NHC (Reuters)

Reuters - A low pressure system about 1,400 miles east of the Lesser Antilles may develop into a tropical depression in the central Atlantic sometime Monday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in a report.
Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 14 Jul 2008 | 11:45 am

Particles retain weight for billions of years (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - Unlike most of us, subatomic particles don't gain weight as they get older. The mass of these tiny bits of matter has remained constant over the last 6 billion years, recent astronomical observations indicate.
Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 14 Jul 2008 | 11:02 am

Stakeholders Meet to Ensure Longevity of Space Station

The ISS's major investors discuss ways to prevent early retirement.
Source: Livescience.com | 14 Jul 2008 | 10:52 am

Trunk text

How mobiles can transform development work
Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 14 Jul 2008 | 9:49 am

Alaska volcano erupts; island residents evacuated

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - A volcano in Alaska's Aleutian chain erupted on Saturday, sending a cloud of ash 35,000 feet into the air and prompting the evacuation of the 10 people who live on the eastern side of the island, officials said.

Source: Reuters: Science News | 14 Jul 2008 | 9:48 am

Out of breath

Could poor air quality affect Olympic athletes?
Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 14 Jul 2008 | 9:14 am

China demand for ivory tops talks

A proposal to allow China to import elephant ivory legally is among the issues to be discussed at a UN meeting in Geneva.
Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 14 Jul 2008 | 9:03 am

MPs blast government over CO2

The government has made "very poor progress" on reaching its own carbon emissions-cutting targets, MPs say.
Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 14 Jul 2008 | 8:31 am

James Randerson discusses a landmark mission to Mars

James Randerson analyses an audacious plan to bring back samples from the Red Planet
Source: guardian.co.uk Science | 14 Jul 2008 | 7:20 am

Asteroid Cruises Past Earth ... With a Partner!

A small asteroid sailing past our planet right now turns out to be two giant rocks orbiting each other.
Source: Livescience.com | 14 Jul 2008 | 4:24 am

Hurricane Season Getting Longer (LiveScience.com)

LiveScience.com - Hurricane seasons have been getting longer over the past century and the big storms are coming earlier, LiveScience has learned. The trend has been particularly noticeable since 1995, some climate scientists say. Further, the area of warm water able to support hurricanes is growing larger over time. The Atlantic Ocean is becoming more hurricane friendly, scientists say, and the shift is likely due to global warming. ...