Here's today's roundup of science, nature and environment news from the Bay Area and beyond.
Arctic Ice Set for Record-Breaking Summer Melt | Wired Science | Wired.comThe Arctic ice cap is on course for a record-breaking melt session following a summer of unstable conditions, says the National Snow and Ice Data Center. "The numbers are coming in and we are looking at them with a sense of amazement," the center's director Mark Serrez said.
via Wired
Curious Cure | Conservation MagazinePesticide helps frogs fight off fungal infection Scientists have done plenty of studies investigating how pesticides and fungal infections affect frogs. But what happens when a frog gets hit by both at once? In a new study, researchers have found that one pesticide can actually help the animal by wiping out the infection.
Mars Curiosity Rover Hits the Road | KQEDOn Wednesday, the Mars Curiosity Rover is set to begin its exploration of the Red Planet, heading toward a site called Glenelg, some 1,300 feet southeast of where the lander touched down early on August 6th. So far, Curiosity's record is nearly flawless.
via Kqed
Health officials warn of lead in eye cosmeticNew York City Health Department A girl wears kohl around her eyes. Similar products are known in other languages as tiro and surma. After a Massachusetts doctor found high levels of lead in an infant's blood last year, hospital staff found no hazards in common sources of the toxic metal - paint at the family's home, residue from workplace exposure, kitchenware and diet.
via Californiawatch
Better food seen as key in AIDS treatmentInadequate access to nutritious food is associated with increased hospitalizations and emergency room visits among HIV-positive individuals, and ensuring that patients have enough to eat may need to be a priority for the doctors and nurses who treat them, UCSF researchers say.
via Sfgate
Sea otter numbers up, but so are deathsThe California sea otter, whose luscious coat was so coveted by fur traders that the species was nearly wiped out, is holding steady in its west coast sanctum despite a record number of deaths, including an alarming uptick in shark attacks.
via Sfgate