My picks from ScienceDaily

Microbes Compete With Animals For Food By Making It Stink:

Microbes may compete with large animal scavengers by producing repugnant chemicals that deter higher species from consuming valuable food resources, a new study suggests. Ecologists have long recognized microbes as decomposers and pathogens in ecological communities. But their role as classic consumers who produce chemicals to compete with larger animals could be an important and common interaction within many ecosystems, according to a paper published this week in the journal Ecology

Decoded Sea Urchin Genome Shows Surprising Relationship To Humans:

The Sea Urchin Genome Sequencing Project consortium, led by the Human Genome Sequencing Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, announced today the decoding and analysis of the genome sequence of the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus.

Social Exclusion Changes Brain Function And Can Lead To Poor Decision-making:

In new research, reported in the current online issue of the journal Social Neuroscience, researchers from the University of Georgia and San Diego State University report for the first time that social exclusion actually causes changes in a person's brain function and can lead to poor decision-making and a diminished learning ability.

Tarantula Venom And Chili Peppers Target Same Pain Sensor:

Venom from a West Indian tarantula has been shown to cause pain by exciting the same nerve cells in mice that sense high temperatures and the hot, spicy ingredient in chili peppers, UCSF scientists have discovered.

Research Says Massage May Help Infants Sleep More, Cry Less And Be Less Stressed:

New research by a team at the University of Warwick says that massage may help infants aged under six months sleep better, cry less and be less stressed.