Mom’s genes may affect how fast you age: You may have mom to blame for those extra wrinkles. New research reported in Nature shows that “mutated genes passed down from mothers may also predetermine aging rates.” While aging rates were previously thought to be due to cell damage accumulated over time, this study suggests that inherited damaged DNA in the mitochondria, the cell’s energy powerhouse, plays a significant role. As acquired insults pile onto the inherited flaws, “the cell’s energy production gradually becomes disabled and contributes to aging.” Mitochondrial DNA is inherited only from the mother. 

How Song Selection Can Be a Driving Distraction: When it comes to picking tunes in the car, you might want to stay away from your favorites. A new study demonstrated that “teenage drivers who played their own music had significantly more traffic violations compared with background music designed by the researchers to minimize driving distractions, or no music.” When drivers chose their own music, 98% made an average of at least three driving errors. Listening to no music dropped this number by only 6%, but listening to the specially-designed background music dropped it by over 20%. This ‘safer’ music was a blend of easy listening, soft rock and light jazz.