My picks from ScienceDaily

New Species Of Giant Elephant-shrew Discovered:

When Francesco Rovero first saw the image captured by one of his automatic cameras in a remote Tanzanian forest, he knew he'd never seen anything quite like it. It was the size of a small dog, covered in orange and gray fur, and had a long snout like an elephant. Its markings and general appearance suggested it was a member of the elephant-shrew family, called a sengi in Swahili. Today, the Journal of Zoology reports that Rovero discovered a new species of giant elephant-shrew.

Anne-Marie has more.

Cats' Family Tree Rooted In Fertile Crescent, Study Confirms:

The Fertile Crescent of the Middle East has long been identified as a "cradle of civilization" for humans. In a new genetic study, researchers at the University of California, Davis, have concluded that all ancestral roads for the modern day domestic cat also lead back to the same locale.

Greg Laden has more.

Blue-eyed Humans Have A Single, Common Ancestor:

New research shows that people with blue eyes have a single, common ancestor. A team at the University of Copenhagen have tracked down a genetic mutation which took place 6-10,000 years ago and is the cause of the eye colour of all blue-eyed humans alive on the planet today.

Which became obvious once Larry shaved off his mustache.

Lusty Voles, Mindless Of Danger, Mate Like Rabbits:

Forgetful Casanovas are lucky in love. At least that's how University of Florida researchers interpret the results of new research on the mating habits and nervous systems of prairie voles. An article about the research, which examined both the voles' behavior and their brains, appeared recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Hmmm, this is something I expect Kate will blog about soon...that's right up her alley.