ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

---

• Sloth bear cub debuts at the Smithsonian's National Zoo: Hank is the zoo's first sloth bear cub in seven years
• When green algae run out of air: Single cell organisms need haemoglobin to survive in an oxygen-free environment
• Why closely related species do not eat the same things
• Help for African rhino poaching survivors
• Blockade in cellular waste disposal: Scientists show how protein aggregates disrupt the molecular balance of the cell
• Climate change to shrink bison, profit
• Why our prehistoric, parasitic 'jumping' genes don't send us into meltdown

Sloth bear cub debuts at the Smithsonian's National Zoo: Hank is the zoo's first sloth bear cub in seven years Posted: 21 Jun 2013 11:17 AM PDT The daring and adventurous sloth bear cub, Hank, made his public debut at the Smithsonian's National Zoo this week. He is the first sloth bear born at the Zoo in seven years.

When green algae run out of air: Single cell organisms need haemoglobin to survive in an oxygen-free environment Posted: 21 Jun 2013 07:43 AM PDT When green algae "can't breathe," they get rid of excess energy through the production of hydrogen. Biologists have found out how the cells notice the absence of oxygen. For this, they need the messenger molecule nitric oxide and the protein haemoglobin, which is commonly known from red blood cells of humans.

Why closely related species do not eat the same things Posted: 21 Jun 2013 07:43 AM PDT Closely related species consume the same resources less often than more remotely related species. In fact, it is the competition for resources, and not their kinship, which determines the food sources of the species of a community. Under the effect of this competition, closely related species have specialized on different food resources.

Help for African rhino poaching survivors Posted: 21 Jun 2013 06:55 AM PDT In Africa hundreds of rhinos are shot or immobilised by poachers every year to supply ground up horn for the Asian medicine market. It is reputed to make men virile and treat anything from stomach ache to cancer - all just a myth.

Blockade in cellular waste disposal: Scientists show how protein aggregates disrupt the molecular balance of the cell Posted: 21 Jun 2013 06:55 AM PDT Proteins can only perform their complex functions in the cell when they assume a specific three-dimensional structure for each respective task. Because misfolded proteins are often toxic, they are immediately refolded or degraded. Scientists have now shown in the yeast model that specific protein aggregates block an important degradation pathway for defective proteins – and thus disrupt the fragile molecular balance of the cell.

Climate change to shrink bison, profit Posted: 20 Jun 2013 04:19 PM PDT A researcher finds that during the next 50 years, future generations of bison will be smaller in size and weigh less. Climate is likely to reduce the nutritional quality of grasses, causing the animals to grow more slowly.

Why our prehistoric, parasitic 'jumping' genes don't send us into meltdown Posted: 20 Jun 2013 10:22 AM PDT A new study reveals for the first time how the movement and duplication of segments of DNA known as transposons, is regulated. This prevents a genomic meltdown, and instead enables transposons to live in harmony with their hosts — including humans.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Top Environment News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610