ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Saturday, November 12, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Saturday, November 12, 2011

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'Fishy lawnmowers' help save Pacific corals (November 11, 2011) -- Can fish save coral reefs from dying? Researchers have found one case where fish have helped coral reefs to recover from cyclones and predators. ... > full story

Birth weight predicts physical functioning at age 60 (November 11, 2011) -- Low birth weight and slow growth progressing to greater body mass in pre-adolescence significantly increased the risk of poor physical functioning at the age of 60 years, a new Finnish study found. ... > full story

2012: Killer solar flares are a physical impossibility, experts say (November 11, 2011) -- Given a legitimate need to protect Earth from the most intense forms of space weather – great bursts of electromagnetic energy and particles that can sometimes stream from the sun – some people worry that a gigantic "killer solar flare" could hurl enough energy to destroy Earth. Citing the accurate fact that solar activity is currently ramping up in its standard 11-year cycle, there are those who believe that 2012 could be coincident with such a flare. But this same solar cycle has occurred over millennia. Anyone over the age of 11 has already lived through such a solar maximum with no harm. In addition, the next solar maximum is predicted to occur in late 2013 or early 2014, not 2012. ... > full story

Researchers closer to the super bug puzzle (November 11, 2011) -- The treatment of serious infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus (Golden Staph) is complicated by the development of antibiotic resistance. Seriously ill patients, vulnerable to infections can be at additional risk if antimicrobial agents become less effective in fighting infections. ... > full story

Americans using more fossil fuels (November 11, 2011) -- American energy use went back up in 2010 compared to 2009, when consumption was at a 12-year low. The United States used more fossil fuels in 2010 than in 2009, while renewable electricity remained approximately constant, with an increase in wind power offset by a modest decline in hydroelectricity. There also was a significant increase in biomass consumption, according to the most recent energy flow charts. ... > full story

Acupuncture can prevent radiation-induced chronic dry mouth, study finds (November 11, 2011) -- When given alongside radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, acupuncture has shown for the first time to reduce the debilitating side effect of xerostomia, according to new research. ... > full story

Hubble uncovers tiny galaxies bursting with starbirth in early Universe (November 11, 2011) -- Using its infrared vision to peer nine billion years back in time, astronomers have uncovered an extraordinary population of tiny, young galaxies that are brimming with star formation. ... > full story

Kawasaki disease linked to wind currents: First evidence that long-range wind transport of an infectious agent might result in human disease (November 11, 2011) -- Kawasaki Disease (KD) is a severe childhood disease that many parents, even some doctors, mistake for an inconsequential viral infection. In fact, if not diagnosed or treated in time, it can lead to irreversible heart damage. After 50 years of research, including genetic studies, scientists have been unable to pinpoint the cause of the disease. Now, surprising findings suggest that KD cases are linked to large-scale wind currents that track from Asia to Japan and also traverse the North Pacific. ... > full story

Parkinsonian worms may hold the key to identifying drugs for Parkinson's disease (November 11, 2011) -- Researchers have devised a simple test, using dopamine-deficient worms, for identifying drugs that may help people with Parkinson's disease. ... > full story

Dead of winter is tough on arthritis sufferers (November 11, 2011) -- As cold winter weather sets in and daylight hours dwindle, many older Chicagoans with arthritis tend to sit idle, missing out on the daily dose of physical activity they need to improve their health, according to a new study. ... > full story

Aerial robot system can save firefighter lives, study suggests (November 11, 2011) -- A new system built around an unmanned aerial vehicle has faced a real-world test in a West Virginia controlled forest burn, and proved its usefulness. ... > full story

Risk-taking behavior rises until age 50 (November 11, 2011) -- Willing to risk your knowledge, skills and monetary reward in competition? If you are under age 50, you've probably not reached your competitive peak. If you are older, that peak is behind you. That people are willing to engage in risk at 50 surprised economists and psychologists who explored such behavior in their research. ... > full story