Whether it's sports, poker or the high-stakes world of business, there are those who always find a way to win when there's money on the table.
Scientists have identified for the first time a particular gene's link to optimism, self-esteem and "mastery," the belief that one has control over one's own life — three critical psychological resources for coping well with stress and depression.
In contrast to "every man for himself" interpretations of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, social scientists are building the case that humans are successful as a species precisely because of our nurturing, altruistic and compassionate traits.