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09.23.2014

the warmest year on record?

NOAA’s data indicate that temperatures were above historical norms in August across most of the globe.

2014 is shaping up to be the warmest year on record. Surprising to hear for us East Coasters, who enjoyed a mild summer. From Scientific American:

“If we continue a consistent departure from average for the rest of 2014, we will edge out 2010 as the warmest year on record,” said Jake Crouch, a climatologist with NOAA’sNational Climatic Data Center, during a press briefing Thursday.

…

“If we continue a consistent departure from average for the rest of 2014, we will edge out 2010 as the warmest year on record,” said Jake Crouch, a climatologist with NOAA’sNational Climatic Data Center, during a press briefing Thursday.

The NOAA report comes on the heels of NASA’s temperature data showed that August was the warmest August ever.

09.23.2014

the science of autumn

As we get ready for the splendor of fall foliage, Compound Interest explains the science of autumn leaves with his signature infographics:

Carotenoids and flavonoids are both large families of chemical compounds. These compounds are present in the leaves along with chlorophyll, but the high levels of chlorophyll present in the summer months usually masks their colours. As the chlorophyll degrades and disappears in autumn, their colours become more noticeable – both families of compounds contribute yellows, whilst carotenoids also contribute oranges and reds.

Check the link for the graphic and more detail.

08.27.2014

do gut bacteria prevent allergies?

Intestinal tracts of germ free mice and mice given clostridia bacteria. The higher levels of mucus in the clostria tracts is thought to prevent allergens from leaking into the bloodstream.

Science News brings word of a recent PNAS report on gut bacteria and allergies. In the study, researchers gave a group of mice antibiotics to wipe out their gut microbiome. Feeding the mice peanuts after this treatment seemed to induce allergy-like responses, that weren’t observed in mice who didn’t receive the treatment. The researchers gave the mice Clostridia bacteria to replenish the microbiome, and the response diminished.

Cathryn Nagler of the University of Chicago and colleagues treated some mice with antibiotics to wipe out the animals’ gut bacteria, and then triggered an allergy-like response to peanut particles. Peanuts revved up the germ-free animals’ immune systems — but mice with normal gut bacteria didn’t have the bad reaction.

Giving germ-free mice a dose of Clostridia bacteria made the animals more like their counterparts with normal gut flora. The microbes encourage mouse cells to make mucus that helps seal up the intestines, keeping food particles from slipping into the bloodstream and riling up the immune system, the researchers found.

The researchers suggest that this might also hold true for humans.