Dino Burrows Discovered and Rhino Poaching Rising and More for Friday/Thursday, July 10/9, 2009

G8 pledges to boost food supplies

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8143566.stm

Oldest dinosaur burrow discovered

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8144000/8144199.stm

How much CO2 does this article produce?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/07/10/green.internet.CO2/index.html

Bisphenol A traces found in baby food: Health Canada

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2009/07/10/bisphenola-bpa-baby-food-bottled-water-health-canada.html

Bisphenol A

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A

Whale and dolphins washed up on Senegal coast: WWF

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090710/sc_afp/senegalenvironmentanimal;_ylt=AtA5L.LHICjUeDrQuLVqLloPLBIF;_ylu=X3oDMTJ1aWZpZHBkBGFzc2V0A2FmcC8yMDA5MDcxMC9zZW5lZ2FsZW52aXJvbm1lbnRhbmltYWwEcG9zAzkEc2VjA3luX2FydGljbGVfc3VtbWFyeV9saXN0BHNsawN3aGFsZWFuZGRvbHA-

Speedy cheetahs put through paces

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8137962.stm

Acinonyx jubatus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acinonyx_jubatus

Concern over Ebola virus in pigs

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8143823.stm

Ebola

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebola

WATCH: Great Moose Chase Hits Suburbs

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=8015166

Alces alces

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alces_alces


Seals Quickly Respond To Gain And Loss Of Habitat Under Climate Change

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090709201849.htm

Mirounga

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_seal

Mirounga leonina

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Elephant_Seal

Mirounga leonine (EOL Link)

http://www.eol.org/pages/328639

Prairie Dogs: Influencing The Accumulation Of Metals In Plants?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090623162121.htm

Cynomys

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prairie_dog

Baby boom at Tokyo zoo

javascript:vPlayer('31849659','55510d9b-1525-496d-a954-cb6b5fd43b07')

A trio of monkey babies in Indonesia

javascript:vPlayer('31849540','93121b42-8447-47a8-a8eb-2aa740a02264')

Climate Events Let Ice Age Mammoths Pass Far Below The 40°N Latitude

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090709132057.htm

Mammuthus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammuthus

Straighten Up And Fly Right: Moths Benefit More From Flexible Wings Than Rigid


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090629200836.htm

Methane-eating Microbes Use Oxides To 'Breathe'

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090709140815.htm

Nestle dough’s E. coli doesn’t match outbreak

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31836583/ns/health-food_safety/

Attractive Males Release Fewer Sperm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090709095425.htm

Withdrawal Syndrome After Consumption Of Designer Drug 'Spice Gold'

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090709072911.htm

Spice (*drug*)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spice_(drug)

For Thursday, July 9, 2009

Life Exploded In Earth's Early Greening

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090708153235.htm

Ice Volume Of Switzerland’s Glaciers Calculated

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090622064813.htm

Some Particles Cool Climate, Others Add To Global Warming

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090619125905.htm

'15-year high' for rhino poaching

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8142180.stm

First Evidence That Weed Killers Improve Nutritional Value Of A Key Food Crop

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090708094830.htm

Tests raise life extension hopes

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8139816.stm

Sirolimus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapamycin

Low-calorie diet slows aging in monkeys

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre5684q6-us-monkeys-diet/

How Proteins Assemble Into Complex Patterns

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090708132820.htm

Life without men

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8142104.stm

The Disappearing Male - CBC

http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/doczone/2008/disappearingmale/

Domestication Of Chile Pepper Provides Insights Into Crop Origin And Evolution

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090619152137.htm

Chili pepper

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile_pepper

Saharan Dust Storms Linked To Enigmatic Fertilizer Plankton In Ocean

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090619125903.htm

World’s First-hydrogen Powered Yacht With A Fully Integrated Laboratory Will Study Mediterranean Pollution

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090619125909.htm

Video: New questions about bottled water

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Another TV Program Review: "The Disappearing Male"

When the CBC gets depressed (for example, when there is no hockey...) they present some rather excellent documentaries. One of these is shown as a regular program, the Doc Zone. We recently viddied an excellent episode, "The Disappearing Male". This episode scared the fertilizer out of us - figuratively. Warning: CBC Television gets very "European" at times. During this episode, you will viddy several infant male genitalia and non-human (alligator) genitalia. But, this is done in an expository, scientific and responsible way. The CBC does not even warn you that you might find some of their televised content objectionable. Please get parental or guardian permission (if you are 18 or under) if you choose to viddy any of The Doc Zone programs, excellent though they are. That said, this episode is not to be missed.

The title is a perfect match for the main theme(s) of the episode. Males, human and non-human, appear to be shrinking in genitalia, sexual features and, as a consequence, populations. Take the case of the little town of Aamjiwnaang near Sarnia, Canada and across the river border from Marysville, Michigan. The local population there has difficulty producing male (human) offspring. Girls are almost exclusively produced. The parents and populace are very concerned, as they want, of course, some male children. They and the episode producers pointed out that they are virtually next door to a giant petrochemical plant complex - unnamed in the episode.

The main product or products of this complex appears to be bisphenol A and phthalate plasticizers, or so we are led to believe. According to the testimony given in many of the scientist interviews, BPA and phthalates are becoming present in the environment in sufficient quantities to interfere with normal biological reproduction. That is, these good people are making scientific connections between the presence of these things in the environment and the degradation of reproductive health. It seems that these things are affecting adult male productivity and is appearing as a cause of diminised male births and male genitalia - perhaps in all species. The town of Aamjiwnaang recently hosted a scientific conference on the subject. At least some of the scientists viewed what is happening there as "the first sign of extinction". Specifically, extinction of Homo sapiens. (Warning: the Wikipedia has posted the depiction of two nude humans from the Pioneer Plaque - OK, so we might be getting a little carried away).

The biologist interviewed in Florida is investigating the reproductive health and apparatus of (male - we assume he is by nature studying females as well) of the alligator. The size of the male genitalia was shown (like we said...) to be reduced in size. And to the scientists, yes, size does matter. It matters in the reproductive process. The alligators are not going to be able to reproduce if the genitalia size keeps reducing... Translation: potential extinction.

Parents of mostly female children were interviewed. One of the male parents was embarrassed to report that his sperm count is low and so is the motility. Translation: heterosexual couples with this medical/biological condition may not be able to produce male offspring. No sons. No males. No reproduction. You can see where this is going.

Further, the scientists report that the standard for sperm counts has been reduced. It used to be that the average human male had about 60 million per milliliter (or some such amount, we're going from memory here). The current and reduced standard is something like 10 million. We were told that whatever the reduced standard is now, it is a potential threat to human reproduction.

Not to dispute the findings reported, Wolfram Alpha calculated the human population for 3084 to be around 20 to 21 trillion. We wish the producers had thrown in some rough calculations for the population explosion or implosion, whichever the case might be... Is Malthus wrong?

BPA - Chances are its Inside of You and More for Friday, May 22, 2009

* Sarcophilus harrisii image licensed under Creative Commons by nicolas.boullosa

BPA, Chemical Used To Make Plastics, Found To Leach From Polycarbonate Drinking Bottles Into Humans

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090521141208.htm

BPA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A

US CO2 goals 'to be compromised'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8061929.stm

Steven Chu

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Chu

New worries on Arctic permafrost thaw

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre54l34w-us-climate-methane/

Permafrost

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permafrost

U.S. to rely more on scientists for air rules: EPA

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre54k5i1-us-epa-air-science/

EPA

http://www.epa.gov/

Biologists Call For Network Of Protected Rivers

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090520140613.htm

Biofilms As River Sentinels

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090519152601.htm

Water Framework Directive

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Framework_Directive

Earth’s Climate And Ocean Acidification History

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090519111031.htm

Whaling Commission head says Japan must compromise

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090521/wl_asia_afp/usjapanwhaling;_ylt=AuzS6VsELp9oqK4NaND1x6wPLBIF;_ylu=X3oDMTJscjR2Nmt2BGFzc2V0A2FmcC8yMDA5MDUyMS91c2phcGFud2hhbGluZwRwb3MDMTUEc2VjA3luX2FydGljbGVfc3VtbWFyeV9saXN0BHNsawN3aGFsaW5nY29tbWk-

*Tasmanian devils now endangered

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8062840.stm

Sarcophilus harrisii

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmanian_Devil

Rare deer reveals signs of life

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8061000/8061899.stm

Rusa alfredi IUCN Red List

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/4273

Cervus alfredi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visayan_spotted_deer

The UK's endangered dormice population showing signs of a possible recovery

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8062757.stm

Muscardinus avellanarius (IUCN Red List)

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/13992/0

Muscardinus avellanarius

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazel_Dormouse

Internet followers of eagle cam watch helplessly as eaglet dies in B.C. nest

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/05/21/bc-trapped-eaglet-dies.html

Habitat loss 'hitting shellfish'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8061532.stm



Unusually Large Family Of Green Fluorescent Proteins Discovered In Marine Creature

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090520161325.htm

Cephalochordata

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphioxus

Bumblebee flight is not quite in sync

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30875114/

Bombus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombus

Heat-tolerant Coral Reefs Discovered: May Survive Global Warming

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090520100515.htm

Zooxanthellae

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zooxanthellae

Genetic Pathway Responsible For Much Of Plant Growth Identified

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090520100511.htm

Beneficial Plant 'Spillover' Effect Seen From Landscape Corridors

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090520151441.htm

Landscape Ecology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landscape_ecology

New Species of Yeast Discovered in Amazon Jungle

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090521084717.htm

Fundamental Mechanism For Cell Organization Discovered

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090521141204.htm

Swine flu will keep spreading globally: WHO chief

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/05/22/swine-flu-who.html

Swine flu genes circulated undetected for years

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30886851/

CDC to swimmers: Don't pee in the pool!

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/22/pools.urinate.hygiene/index.html

CDC

http://www.cdc.gov/


Face Protection Effective In Preventing The Spread Of Influenza, Study Suggests

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090520161332.htm

New Vaccine Strategy Might Offer Protection Against Pandemic Influenza Strains

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518120954.htm

Children Who Get Flu Vaccine Have Three Times Risk Of Hospitalization For Flu, Study Suggests

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090519172045.htm

Safe For Passengers With Lung Disease To Travel By Air, Study Suggests

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090519075418.htm

Cigarette companies lose appeal in landmark ruling

http://www.yahoo.com/s/1075254



Anti-inflammatory Effect Of 'Rotten Eggs' Gas

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090521084542.htm

Hydrogen Sulfide

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_Sulfide

Sick Of The Same Old Thing? Researcher Finds Satiation Solution

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090519134713.htm

Note: If you search for “Satiety” on the Wikipedia, the response is: Cholecystokinin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satiety

UK 'worst electrical recycler'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8063115.stm

Mars' Windy, Wet And Wild Past

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090521161526.htm

Mars probes unravel watery mysteries

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30870498/

For Monday, October 20, 2008

Yeti footprints image licensed under Creative Commons by Ben Tubby

Thirsty world: Desperate quest for water

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/09/23/what.matters.thirst/index.html

Flu: The Get-Well-Quick Plan

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdandFluNews/story?id=6057562&page=1

Foods And Meds You Shouldn't Mix

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/20/earlyshow/health/main4531572.shtml

"Extraordinary Hope" From New Cancer Drugs

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/20/earlyshow/health/main4532119.shtml


Hong Kong finds bird flu virus in crow

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre49j0s4-us-hongkong-birdflu/

Corvus splendens

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Crow

Bird Flu Vaccine Protects People And Pets

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081019184800.htm

Genetic Diseases: Ancient Evolutionary Legacy?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081016124043.htm

Gut Bacterial Waste Helps Host Control Weight

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081018093223.htm

Mutation Protects Against Obesity, Diabetes

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081019184802.htm

Parents 'wrong' on child weight

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7676015.stm

Prescription opiates and kids: One pill can kill

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27168078/

Canada to ban baby bottles with BPA

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27266627/

High summits 'could harm brain'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7676028.stm

Fatty acids clue to Alzheimer's

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7676606.stm

Doctors get death diagnosis tips

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7679373.stm

Decay Of Brain's Myelin Causes Physical Decline

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081017150738.htm

Myelin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myelin

Worms' Nervous System Shown To Alert Immune System

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081014114846.htm

New Fossil Reveals Primates Lingered In Texas

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081014111401.htm

Dinosaur Dance Floor: Numerous Tracks at Jurassic Oasis on Arizona-Utah Border

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081020093414.htm

Survival Secret Of Antarctic 'Antifreeze Fish'

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081016124049.htm

Dissostichus mawsoni

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=7039&genusname=Dissostichus&speciesname=mawsoni

Dubai hotel urged to free shark

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7678780.stm

Ship Strike Reduction Rule Aims To Protect North Atlantic Right Whales

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081012093255.htm

Protected 'Swimways' Urged For Endangered Leatherback Sea Turtle

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081018093221.htm

Tainted feed kills 1500 dogs bred for fur

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081020/ap_on_re_as/as_china_tainted_milk;_ylt=ArOerUTB0wxztifVuZiVK16s0NUE

Billions of fish, fish eggs die in power plants

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081018/ap_on_sc/dead_fish;_ylt=AsdbzMCNPMKyNoYLl.V.Z8Ss0NUE

Alternative Energy: New Sugarcanes To Deliver One-Two Energy Punch

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081013194043.htm

City Trash Plus Farm Leftovers May Yield Clean Energy

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081013195119.htm

Engineers Build First-ever Multi-input 'Plug-and-play' Synthetic RNA Device

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081017131010.htm

Spinning Natural Proteins Into Fabrics For New Wound-repair Products

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081020094447.htm

Chicken Soup May Help Fight High Blood Pressure

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081013110117.htm

Files: U.S. pilots ordered to shoot down UFO during Cold War

http://www.yahoo.com/s/973482

'Look out!' Alitalia near miss with UFO remains unexplained

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7679145.stm

Britain releases UFO files, dispels some mysteries

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27280196/

Japanese team finds 'yeti footprints' in Nepal

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081020/wl_sthasia_afp/nepaljapanwildlifeyetioffbeat;_ylt=AlhoKshDtxFUZZG8SJpaRYis0NUE

For Wenesday, October 15, 2008

Ailuropoda melanoleuca image licensed under Creative Commons by drs2biz

Reanimating lifeless organs brings new hope

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/10/13/eod.ghost.heart/index.html

Smoking makes you old before your time

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20081015/hl_hsn/smokingmakesyouoldbeforeyourtime;_ylt=At6UkVrcW2ZFy.N0LpvCryqs0NUE

States ask baby product companies to avoid BPA

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081013/ap_on_he_me/baby_bottles_bpa;_ylt=AooOpIUqLcY0vkB0J84oQiqs0NUE

Memos tell wildlife officials to ignore global-warming impact

http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20081014/sc_mcclatchy/3072395;_ylt=AofTzmufuXlv1ewy0yowdbEPLBIF

Japan pulls tainted Chinese beans from stores

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27197628/

Your 'pure' bottled water has contaminants, too

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27185076/

Earliest confirmed TB case found

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7668838.stm

Scientists sequence giant panda's genome

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27132405/



Aliens flood into UK waters


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7575744.stm

Pacifastacus leniusculus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacifastacus_leniusculus

Eriocheir sinensis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eriocheir_sinensis

Did Termites Help Destroy New Orleans Levees?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081014134102.htm

Coptotermes formosanus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formosan_subterranean_termite

High Mortality Of Endangered Loggerhead Sea Turtles In Baja California

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081014160507.htm

Ancient Chinese Salad Plant Transformed Into New Cancer-killing Compound

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081014111309.htm

Artemisia annua

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_wormwood

Surface Tension Drives Segregation Within Cell Mixtures

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081006130546.htm

Zeitgeist: Bigfoot sighting in Russia?

http://zeitgeist.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/10/13/1540113.aspx