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Anxious mice calm down when they get an infusion of gut microbes from mellow mice. That has scientists wondering if gut microbes play a role in the human brain, too. Research on that is only just beginning. But it's intriguing to think there could be a real truth to the phrase "gut feelings."

The Syrian army has been gaining significant ground against the rebels around the capital and in the north city of Aleppo. Analysts say the regime has better allies, superior fire-power and in this sectarian battle, has finally integrated Shiite forces from Hezbollah into a formidable force that is effective against disunited rebels.

A national poll released Monday shows many registered voters were reminded of the importance of national parks during the federal government shutdown. Congress did get more of a bruising on perceived responsibility for the park closures, but the president wasn't left unscathed either.

It was a deadly combination: Winter jet streams collided with warm and moist air. Twisters flattened subdivisions in Washington, Ill., and tore through farming communities. The destruction spread to other states across the upper Midwest. Six deaths have been reported in Illinois, two in Michigan.

Stores are selling more LED lights this year, which use less energy. As these lights grow cheaper, Wal-Mart says it will devote half its Christmas light shelf space to LED's. Costco won't sell anything else.

Michelle Bachelet, the former president of Chile from 2006 to 2010, is well on her way to an encore. A runoff election is set for Dec. 15, where she will face off against her childhood friend Evelyn Matthei.

Nicholas Mevoli was chasing an American record for diving without supplemental oxygen or fins. It appears he reached the depth; about 236 feet. But he couldn't say "I am OK" when he reached the surface — part of the required protocol for records — and later died.

Australian media reported that the country's spy agency had tried to spy on the Indonesian president's phone calls. In other news, a Russian plane plunged vertically before it crashed over the weekend, and Chile's Michelle Bachelet failed to avoid a runoff in the presidential election.

What started out as a thesis project in Sweden could revolutionize biking safety. The "invisible" helmet is an air bag tucked away in a collar fastened around a cyclist's neck. When its internal sensors detect specific jerks and jags, the air bag deploys, sending out a head-hugging hood in a tenth of a second.

Host Michel Martin takes a look at the death of Renisha McBride. She was shot to death by a homeowner who says he thought she was breaking into his home. Georgetown law professor Paul Butler, Detroit Free Press columnist Rochelle Riley and University of Colorado professor Joshua Correll, discuss whether race may have played a role in the shooting.