The Checkup: Do You Have the Kindness Gene?

Having certain genes might make you a nicer person.
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• Researchers think personality traits like kindness, caring and trustworthiness might be hardwired into our genes. Which I guess means if you’re not a nice person, maybe it’s not your fault … ? Just kidding—I’m not sure science lets you off that easily. More details on the new kindness-genes study over here.

• Speaking of genes, UK scientists would like you to remember that just because your genetic makeup might predispose you to obesity doesn’t mean you’re fated to be overweight. They ran a study recently which looked at people with predispositions to obesity and found that getting just 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day—walking the dog, tending the garden—was enough to offset their DNA. TIME has more.

• Have high cholesterol? There’s a shot for that. New research has found that shots of a man-made protein given in the abdomen might lower levels of bad cholesterol—by as much as 64 percent in some patients. The shot also lowered total cholesterol levels, and there were no ill side effects reported. Too good to be true? See for yourself.