My picks from ScienceDaily

Scientists Unlock Possible Aging Secret In Genetically Altered Fruit Fly:

Brown University researchers have identified a cellular mechanism that could someday help fight the aging process. The finding by Stephen Helfand and Nicola Neretti and others adds another piece to the puzzle that Helfand, a professor of biology, molecular biology, cell biology and biochemistry, first discovered in 2000. Back then, he identified a mutation in the Indy ("I'm Not Dead Yet") gene that can extend the life span of fruit flies.

'Warrior Gene' Predicts Aggressive Behavior After Provocation:

Individuals with the so-called "warrior gene" display higher levels of aggression in response to provocation, according to new research co-authored by Rose McDermott, professor of political science at Brown University. In the experiment, which is the first to examine a behavioral measure of aggression in response to provocation, subjects were asked to cause physical pain to an opponent they believed had taken money from them by administering varying amounts of hot sauce.

Treeline Advances In Canada's Arctic:

In a widely recognized painting by Tom Thomson, a bent and lonely tree hunches on a rocky ledge overlooking a windswept lake and distant snowy peaks. The misshapen tree remains so emblematic of the beauty and harshness of Canada's climate that it is part of the permanent collection at the National Art Gallery in Ottawa.

Popular Songs Can Cue Specific Memories, Psychology Research Shows:

Whether the soundtrack of your youth was doo-wop or disco, new wave or Nirvana, psychology research at Kansas State University shows that even just thinking about a particular song can evoke vivid memories of the past.

Link Between Social Rejection And Aggressive Behavior Explained:

People who feel socially rejected are more likely to see others' actions as hostile and are more likely to behave in hurtful ways toward people they have never even met, according to a new study. The findings may help explain why social exclusion is often linked to aggression - which sometimes boils over dramatically, as in the case of school shootings, for example.

'Bliss' Blocks Sperm: Investigating Impact Of Marijuana Exposure On Male Infertility:

Evidence suggests that human male fertility is impacted by long-term exposure to marijuana. Indeed, endocannabinoids and their receptors are present in the male reproductive tract, further suggesting a functional role in fertility, but there has been no genetic test to clarify mechanisms.

Nicotine Activates More Than Just The Brain's Pleasure Pathways:

Duke University Medical System researchers have discovered there are differing taste pathways for nicotine, which could provide a new approach for future smoking-cessation products.

Europe's Aquatic Birds Will Seek New Nesting Sites In Face Of Global Warming:

Scientists from the University of Malaga (UMA) have produced a break-down of 152 aquatic bird species with a similar level of distribution throughout continental Europe. The study shows that environmental energy, in other words temperature, is the driving factor behind birds' mobility, above all in relation to global warming.

Native U.S. Lizards Are Evolving To Escape Attacks By Fire Ants:

Penn State Assistant Professor of Biology Tracy Langkilde has shown that native fence lizards in the southeastern United States are adapting to potentially fatal invasive fire-ant attacks by developing behaviors that enable them to escape from the ants, as well as by developing longer hind legs, which can increase the effectiveness of this behavior.