Recent research has been attracting attention, and bloggers help explain the findings – in some cases, more accurately than the traditional media outlets do:

• MarkH at denialism blog critiques the news coverage of the latest research on obesity, overweight, and mortality (Washington Post headline: “Being Overweight Isn’t All Bad, Study Says”) and reminds us that it’s also important to look at obesity’s effects on quality of life and disability.
• Revere at Effect Measure, Mike the Mad Biologist, and Tara C. Smith at Aetiology report on new research into MRSA and pigs – and why it might be time to rethink antibiotics use in livestock.
• Ed Silverman at Pharmalot has the latest on Merck’s failed HIV vaccine, which seems to have made some clinical trial participants’ immune systems more vulnerable.
• Tara C. Smith at Aetiology awards the “Bad Science Writing of the Day” title to an article about chocolate and gut bacteria.

Elsewhere:

Matt Madia at Reg Watch explains what’s behind California’s lawsuit against EPA (which Governor Schwarzenegger filed yesterday).

Lisa Stiffler at Dateline Earth rounds up new proposals for addressing global warming at the state and national levels, and wonders how voters will feel about them.

David Roberts at Gristmill calls out energy-related legislative shenanigans.

ScienceWoman at On Being a Scientist and a Woman presents the results of her survey into how green her readers’ workplaces are.

Andrew Leonard at How the World Works describes some of the “extraordinary and unforgettable” images from a documentary about the processing of e-waste in Guiyu, China.

Merrill Goozner at GoozNews describes the consulting contracts and royalties that several orthopedic surgeons are getting from the companies that make artificial knees and hips.

Katie Porter at RH Reality Check reports from a hearing about the consequences of the Global Gag Rule in Nigeria and Ghana.