Fish talk to each other, researcher finds

The undersea world isn't as quiet as we thought, according to a New Zealand researcher who found fish can "talk" to each other.

Fish communicate with noises including grunts, chirps and pops, University of Auckland marine scientist Shahriman Ghazali has discovered according to newspaper reports Wednesday.

"All fish can hear, but not all can make sound -- pops and other sounds made by vibrating their swim bladder, a muscle they can contract," Ghazali told the New Zealand Herald.

Fish are believed to communicate with each other for different reasons, including attracting mates, scaring off predators or orienting themselves.

The gurnard species has a wide vocal repertoire and keeps up a constant chatter, Ghazali found after studying different species of fish placed into tanks.

On the other hand, cod usually kept silent, except when they were spawning.

"The hyopothesis is that they are using sound as a synchronisation so that the male and female release their eggs at the same time for fertilisation," he said.

Some reef fish, such as the damselfish, made sounds to attempt to scare off threatening fish and even divers, he said.

But anyone hoping to strike up a conversation with their pet goldfish is out of luck.

"Goldfish have excellent hearing, but excellent hearing doesn't associate with vocalisation -- they don't make any sound whatsoever," Ghazali said.

He was to present his findings to the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society conference on Wednesday.

Amazing jellyfish lake in Philippines

Philippines boasts of a lake full of jellyfish, offering to people from around the world a recreational spot.

With the sun’s first rays, Jellyfish Lake, located 550 miles east of the Philippines in the island nation of Palau, comes alive. As the sky brightens in the east, the golden jellies turn and swim toward a solar beacon.

Jellyfish Lake is one of the famous tourist attractions on the Pacific island of Eil Malk in Palau. This type of jellyfish is not dangerous for humans and tourists like to swim among them. Jellyfish Lake is one of Palau's most famous dive sites.

It is notable for the millions of golden jellyfish which migrate horizontally across the lake daily. Jellyfish lake is around 12,000 years old.

Women change 104 hairstyles during lifetime

Researchers found the typical female will have her hair layered, shortened or coloured twice a year between the ages of 13 and 65 – or 104 times in her life.

The main reasons for a shift in style are "boredom'" with their current look or the end of a relationship.

It also emerged the average female tries out three different colours over the years, while one in four experiments with up to five shades.

The statistics were uncovered in a report commissioned by award-winning hairdresser Andrew Collinge.

He said: "Women have always used their hair as a way of altering their appearance as it often has the greatest impact visually.

"My feeling is that women are changing their looks little and often rather than dramatic changes.

"For example, you can add modern texture without altering the length just by adding some layers or by drying and styling differently – think Jennifer Aniston.

"Hopefully, with the help and advice of their hairdresser they are making these smaller changes to a style which already suits them – hence reaching almost 100 styles.

"This could also be the impact of trends from the catwalk or celebrities, inspiring women to change their hair in the same way they may adopt a fashion trend.

"In my salons we certainly see women bringing in pictures of the latest look which inspires them."

The study of 3,000 women revealed 44 per cent changed their hair style or colour simply because they were bored, while 61 per cent admit they 'just wanted a change'.

Another 25 per cent did it to "reinvent" themselves while 38 per cent did it to feel more confident.

Sixteen per cent opted for a new cut or colour to mark a milestone birthday while 15 per cent treated themselves to a new look before or after giving birth.

Almost a third of women change styles or dye their hair following a relationship break-up or divorce, while 17 per cent did it to conceal grey hairs.

But the change is not always for the better, with almost three quarters of women admitting they regretted at least one of their hairstyles in the past.

Twelve per cent said they changed styles because they were getting too old to carry off their old look.

The study also found long hair with a fringe is the most popular hairstyle with 69 per cent adopting this look at some point in their lives.

Two thirds have styled their hair into a bob while 61 per cent have gone with long layers.

Short hair with a fringe, long curls and a perm are also popular choice of cuts over the years.

Dark brown is the colour of choice for 56 per cent of women who have modelled this tint, followed by a dark honey blonde hue.

Fifty-eight per cent also admitted they were planning to change their current style in the near future while 56 per cent said they would seek the advice of their hairdresser before taking the plunge.

The study also found one in ten women have even sported ten or more hues over their adult life.

Andrew Collinge added: "With our modern, everyday stresses and hectic lifestyles, often a restyle or a new colour is an effective and easy way to boost a woman's confidence.

"Also a new hair style can help a woman through a life-changing event, either by making them feel better about themselves after breaking up with a partner, or to celebrate reaching a big birthday."

Jessica Biel Goes Glam

Actress Jessica Biel may be the world's hottest tomboy.

In the July issue of Glamour magazine, the "A-Team" star admits that she spent most of her teen years in "No Fear" T-shirts.

These days, she is the portrait of Hollywood beauty, and everyone wants to know about her love life and how she stays in such great shape. Click through our exclusive sneak peek to see Jess' lovely pics, then pick up the issue, on newstands now.

Brush teeth to 'prevent' heart disease

People who fail to brush their teeth twice a day are putting themselves at risk of heart disease, research suggests.

The Scottish study of more than 11,000 adults backs previous research linking gum disease with heart problems.

The researchers said more work is needed to confirm if poor oral health directly causes heart disease or is a marker of risk.

A charity added that oral hygiene was just one factor in good heart health.

It is known that inflammation in the body, including in the mouth and gums, has an important role in the build up of clogged arteries, which can lead to a heart attack.

But this is the first time that researchers have looked at whether the frequency of teeth brushing has any bearing on the risk of developing heart disease.

Then nurses collected information on medical history and family history of heart disease, took blood pressure and blood samples.

Overall, six out of 10 people said they visited the dentist every six months and seven out 10 reported brushing their teeth twice a day.

Over the eight-year study there were 555 "cardiovascular events" such as heart attacks, 170 of which were fatal.

Cause and effect

Study leader Professor Richard Watt, from University College London, said future studies will be needed to confirm whether the link between oral health behaviour and cardiovascular disease "is in fact causal or merely a risk marker".

Judy O'Sullivan, senior cardiac nurse at British Heart Foundation, said: "If you don't brush your teeth, your mouth can become infected with bacteria which can cause inflammation.

"However, it is complicated by the fact that poor oral hygiene is often associated with other well known risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking and poor diet."

She added: "Good personal hygiene is a basic element of a healthy lifestyle.

"But if you want to help your heart, you should eat a balanced diet, avoid smoking and take part in regular physical activity."

Professor Damien Walmsley, scientific adviser to the British Dental Association, added it was still unclear whether there was a definite cause and effect between oral hygiene and heart disease.

"Whatever the true position is, we can say with certainty that if people brush teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, visit the dentist regularly and restrict sugary snacks to mealtimes; that this will go a long way towards keeping the teeth and gums in a healthy state for life."

Hot food trends for 2010

Looking forward to 2010 thefoodpeople expect to see all of the main macro factors including economic, political, technological and environmental to be equally influencing food trends over the next year. As such, the trends that are expected to grow or emerge in 2010 are an evolution compared to 2009.

The trends they expect to see in 2010 include food cocooning, global comfort food and “like our previous generations”. Consumers will attempt to reestablish the heart of the home in the kitchen through more home cooking or at least greater interaction with food, Sunday lunches and informal dinner parties. Why? To make themselves feel good by providing for their families.

In a time when many consumers have changed their shopping status quo’s we expect to see consumers demanding more opportunities to personalize their food products, we’ve seen examples of this in niche areas but expect to see more mainstream customization in 2010.

With in excess of 1.8 billion people now online the researchers expect to see more ifood with web based food products and services. This could include more food by mail, food personalization, more online ordering and reservation, digital people power and perhaps new players in food distribution.

In many countries consumers have spent less in restaurants (with the exception of quick service restaurants) and this might not change noticeably until 2011. As such restaurants will continue to evolve with initiatives such as no reservations, happy hours, main stream pricing and a move towards more local ingredients and recipes. On the subject of local, local food has been around for many years but thefoodpeople expect to see local in every area of food from the farmers market to the global mega brands.

On the back of value and an anti restaurant movement more street food is likely including pop up dining, food trucks and street vendors selling fresh tasty and authentic food without what some believe are the unnecessary overheads of the restaurant environment. Simplicity will have a greater voice in food over the coming year with brands and restaurants alike cutting waffle and selling fewer ingredients for a greater taste delivery.

Despite being hugely dependant in individual consumers ethical values, a surge in planet conscious eating as well as an increase in the backlash against industrialised food is forecast.

The researchers also expect to see a trend towards frozen foods, with the category shaking the cheap and cheerful image of the past, evolving towards freshness locked in, extension of the pantry and total convenience. Another trend involving the re-positioning of a current channel is that of vending, so expect vending to go premium, go hot and go interactive in 2010.

Despite the many counter trends, thefoodpeople expect eating habits and meal times to evolve in the face the 24/7/365 lifestyle with a blurring of meal times, greater reliance on fast food not just for food but also for coffee as well, solo dining and breakfast on the move.

Health will continue to drive food trends in 2010, with a rise in the numbers of products, initiatives and services driving improved national health such as diabetes and heart disease through balance, calories and exercise, even moving towards enforceable limits in some countries. In addition, the UK-based monitors of global food trends expect to see the evolution of products targeted at the health self starters with condition and aliment foods, kid’s health, positive nutrition, DIY doctoring and health mood foods.

As eating habits evolve, drinking habits should follow suit with products targeted at specific target groups with a rise in low / no alcohol beers and wines, micro beers and spirits, in home consumption, demystified wine and cocktails.

Each year certain cuisines have a lesser or greater influence on the food that we eat through TV, magazines, books, chefs, restaurants, products and services. The cuisines that we can expect to be inspired by in 2010 include the Americas (including US, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Peru), French Bistro, Scandinavia, Vietnam, Korea and Japan.

“In summary we expect 2010 to be about - Simplicity; Comfort and feel good; Some scope for customization; Degree’s of planet conciseness; Food cocooning at home; Local across all sectors; Need for treats; A little trade up; Being squeaky clean to gain trust and i-food,” thefoodpeople concluded.

Earth may be too hot for humans by 2200

Climate change could make much of the world too hot for human habitation within just three centuries, research released Tuesday showed.

Scientists from Australia's University of New South Wales and Purdue University in the United States found that rising temperatures in some places could mean humans would be unable to adapt or survive.

"It would begin to occur with global-mean warming of about seven degrees Celsius (13 Fahrenheit), calling the habitability of some regions into question," the researchers said in a paper.

"With 11-12 degrees Celsius warming, such regions would spread to encompass the majority of the human population as currently distributed."

Researcher Professor Steven Sherwood said there was no chance of the earth heating up to seven degrees this century, but there was a serious risk that the continued burning of fossil fuels could create the problem by 2300.

Sherwood said climate change research had been "short-sighted" not to probe the long-term consequences of the impact of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.

"It needs to be looked at," he told AFP. "There's not much we can do about climate change over the next two decades but there's still a lot we can do about the longer term changes."

In a commentary on the paper, published in the US-based Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Australian National University academics said climate change would not stop in 2100.

"And under realistic scenarios out to 2300, we may be faced with temperature increases of 12 degrees (Celsius) or even more," Professor Tony McMichael said.

"If this happens, our current worries about sea level rise, occasional heatwaves and bushfires, biodiversity loss and agricultural difficulties will pale into insignificance beside a major threat -- as much as half the currently inhabited globe may simply become too hot for people to live there."