Game Theory explains cooperative behavior in yeast

In this month's Nature, an MIT study uses game theory to examine the evolution of cooperative tendencies in yeast. It seems that if the yeast can get a slight benefit from cooperating with other yeast, even if most of the yeast around it are uncooperative, it will choose to cooperate to survive. And, of course, this cooperation takes place without any active decision-making on the part of the yeast itself; it seems game theory is genetic.

If only I had that gene, I might be good at poker.