There Is No ‘Rest’ for Autistic Brains

Normal brain activity present when most people are resting or daydreaming is absent or damaged in individuals with autism, according to a new UCSD study.

The study results revealed that brain activity during a time of rest helps process emotional and social cues, the characteristics that are abnormal in autistic people. Through brain scans, the researchers found that normal individuals’ brains deactivate from rest mode when presented with a complex mental task but autistic brains do not.

Autism is marked by highly impaired social interactions, communication abilities and interest and behavior patterns. Usually diagnosed before age three, autism is three times as likely to affect boys, although the symptoms in girls with the disease are oftentimes notably more serious.

Campus Begins Taiwan Studies Program

Thanks to a donation from the local Taiwanese-American community, UCSD is set to become one of the few universities in the country with an endowed lecture series focused specifically on Taiwan.

The $100,000 gift was presented to Chancellor Marye Anne Fox in a ceremony on May 15. Noted Taiwanese-Americans, including vocalist Hsun Hsun Hsu and pianist Julie Wong, also attended the ceremony.

The project will focus on bringing a greater understanding of Taiwanese history and culture.

Study: Pollution Slamming South Asia

A new study from researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography has demonstrated that air pollution, greenhouse gases and climate fluctuations have produced greater-than-expected consequences in South Asia, the world’s most populous region.

Scientists noted that cooler-than-normal temperatures in the Indian Ocean have weakened natural climate conditions. As a result, rainfall over India has decreased because ongoing greenhouse gas emissions are warming the tropical areas but not the northern ocean, sparking drought conditions that affect nearly 2 billion people.

In addition to South Asia, similar pollution clouds — or brown haze clouds — can be found in numerous areas around the world, including over major urban centers such as Los Angeles and Denver in the United States.