What’s in your mitochondria? Photo by photogism.

• Shutting Todd Akin down, with data. The actual science on prengancy following rape, the weird idea that a particular pregnancy complication could be triggered by unfamiliar sperm, and on the psychology that might lead people to think rape can’t lead to pregnancy.
• Population genetic pollution? Modern populations of North American bison still carry the genetic results of a historical attempt to cross breed them with cattle.
• Woah. Aphids may be photosynthetic.
• Make sure they never prosper. How punishing cheaters may be necessary for the evolution of cooperation.
• “… the pressure to publish has reportedly been a source of stress for Mokoko …” The Onion reports on a study in which a chimpanzee learns to conduct studies on chimpanzees.
• Woah. Aphids may be photosynthetic.
• Meet Trogloraptor. A new spider species found in the Pacific Northwest is so different from known species it’s going to get its own family.
• Probably not. Did komodo dragons grow that big so they could hunt miniature elephants?
• Spiking the green ball. Power companies are starting to worry that electric car owners may all plug in for a charge at the same time of day.
• All it needs to eat earthworms, apparently. A new newly discovered species of rodent has only four teeth.
• Great—now I’ve got a biological clock, too. Older fathers are more likely to pass on mutations to their children.
• In birds and humans. How climate change may increase the rate of West Nile virus infections.
• Peter Abrams. An annotated (and opinionated) bibliography.
• You may upgrade to the companion scent “Complacency” only with written permission from your tenure committee. The new fragrance for academics: DESPERATION.

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