Being skinny might be in your genes, according to a new study. A gene called Adipose (or adp) means the difference between fat and thin in mice and fruit flies, and researchers are wondering if the same could be said for humans in the midst of our obesity epidemic. The gene, when manipulated one way, caused mice to become obese, but when manipulated the other way, made them thin.

For years, researchers have been trying to uncover the 'thrifty gene' -- that is, the gene that causes humans to store food as fat in case of starvation. But this gene is being called the anti-thrifty gene. Of course, a lot more research will have to take place before the findings can be tested on humans, but the results so far are promising.

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Researchers have discovered a fountain of youth, in a manner of speaking, for the fruit fly. At first you're probably thinking why on earth would we want longer living flies? The good news is that the researchers were able to extend the lifespan of fruit flies by modifying only one genetic protein, which means inhibiting the aging process in humans may be much simpler than previously thought.

Fruit flies with the modified gene saw 1/3 longer lifespans with no apparent side-effects (although measuring side-effects in a fruit fly can't be easy or very accurate), so if the same were true for humans we could all theoretically live to around the 110-120 yr old range regularly.

Cool or scary? A little of both, I think.

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