Cloud forest

Trees that live in an odd desert forest in Oman have an unusual way to water themselves by extracting moisture from low-lying clouds, MIT scientists report. In an area characterised mostly by desert, the trees have preserved an ecological niche because they exploit a wispy-thin source of water that only occurs seasonally, said Elfatih A.B. Eltahir, professor of civil and environmental engineering, and his former student Anke Hildebrandt. The forest could be driven into extinction if camels continue to over-graze. As the greenery disappears it’s possible the trees will lose the ability to pull water from the mist and recharge underground reservoirs.

Mussel woes

Researchers have demonstrated that Prozac, a commonly prescribed antidepressant, can interfere with the reproductive cycle of freshwater mussels. Fluoxetine, sold as ProzacTM, acts to increase the levels of serotonin at nerve synapses, relieving depression. But for a number of aquatic species, serotonin moderates the reproductive system. Tests found fluoxetine caused female mussels carrying larvae to release them prematurely. The research aims to understand the environmental impact of pharmaceuticals in waste water.

Surveillance aid

A new design for a microwave oscillator — about the size of a roll of film and with clearer signals — has been invented at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Applications could include homeland security (surveillance of radio traffic for anomalous signals, or high-resolution digital imaging radar on unmanned aircraft), telecommunications (maintaining separation between frequencies) and satellite television downlinks.