My picks from ScienceDaily

Teenagers Are Becoming Increasingly Logical, Swedish Study Finds:

A research project at the University of Gothenburg has been testing large groups of 13-year-olds in Sweden since the early 1960s using the same intelligence test. The tests have taken place at approximately five year intervals and consist of an inductive-logic test, a verbal test and a spatial test.

Landmark Study Reveals Significant Genetic Variation Between Mexico's Population And World's Other Known Genetic Subgroups:

Could genetic differences explain why some people and not others have died of H1N1 Influenza A? That is among the questions raised by a landmark Mexican study showing significant genetic variation between Mestizos (Latin Americans of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry) and the world's other known genetic subgroups.

Brain's Problem-solving Function At Work When We Daydream:

A new University of British Columbia study finds that our brains are much more active when we daydream than previously thought.

Blue Whales Re-establishing Former Migration Patterns:

The planet's largest animal may be returning to pre-whaling feeding grounds. Scientists have documented the first known migration of blue whales from the coast of California to areas off British Columbia and the Gulf of Alaska since the end of commercial whaling in 1965.

How Cells Move: Cooperative Forces Boost Collective Mobility Of Cells:

Research by scientists in Spain and their colleagues offers for the first time an experimental answer to the question of how cells move during biological processes as diverse as the development, metastasis, or regeneration of tissues.

Early Word Recognition Is Key To Lifelong Reading Skills Says New Study:

Children's early reading experience is critical to the development of their lifelong reading skills a new study from the University of Leicester has discovered.

Sleep Apnea May Not Be Closely Linked To Heart Failure Severity:

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA) are not markedly decreased in heart failure (HF) patients managed with beta-blockers and spironolactone, reports a new study.

Warriors Do Not Always Get The Girl:

Aggressive, vengeful behavior of individuals in some South American groups has been considered the means for men to obtain more wives and more children, but an international team of anthropologists working in Ecuador among the Waorani show that sometimes the macho guy does not do better.

More Choice Is Not Better In Search Engine Use:

Google provides almost 100 million results for the query "Britney Spears". Researchers at Helsinki Institute for Information Technology HIIT showed that users get overwhelmed with an increasing number of results. They are more satisfied with their choice when they are only given a few items.

Home Energy Savings Are Made In The Shade:

Trees positioned to shade the west and south sides of a house may decrease summertime electric bills by 5 percent on average, according to a recent study* of California homes by researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Predators Ignore Peculiar Prey:

Rare traits persist in a population because predators detect common forms of prey more easily. Researchers have now found that birds will target salamanders that look like the majority - even reversing their behavior in response to alterations in the ratio of a distinguishing trait.

Ants In Southern Hemisphere Richer And More Diversified Than Northern Hemisphere Ants:

There are fewer species of ants in the northern hemisphere than in the southern hemisphere. This is the conclusion drawn by an international team of scientists that have studied 1,003 local ant assemblages on five different continents. According to the study, ant communities in the northern hemisphere may have suffered more extinctions as a result of the climate changes that occurred between 53 and 54 million years ago.

True Grit: How Sea Urchins Carve Hiding Holes in Limestone:

Sea urchins dig themselves hiding holes in the limestone of the ocean floor using teeth that don't go blunt. Weizmann Institute scientists have now revealed their secrets, which might give engineers insights into creating ever-sharp tools or mechanical parts.

Climate Change Driving Michigan Mammals North:

Some Michigan mammal species are rapidly expanding their ranges northward, apparently in response to climate change, a new study shows. In the process, these historically southern species are replacing their northern counterparts.

DNA Analysis Reveals The Prime Stock Of Indonesian Cattle:

DNA analysis shows that Indonesian zebu cattle have a unique origin with banteng (Bos javanicus) as part of their ancestry.

Insect Gene Expression Responds To Diet:

Cabbage looper caterpillars (Trichoplusia ni) are able to alter the expression of genes associated with metabolism, homeostasis and immunity in response to feeding on plants carrying bacteria. New research has shown that, as well as tailoring gene expression within their own digestive systems, the insects are able to pass this information along to their offspring.