A Sampling of Clips for April 9^th, 2008

* UCSD faculty and staff may obtain a copy of an article by e-mailing the University Communications Office

Study Turns Up a New Climate Suspect
MSNBC, April. 8 -- Black carbon, the stuff that gives soot its dirty color, could be the second most important contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide and a key to preventing warming, at least in the short-run, a new study by scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography suggests. More

A Bump From the ‘Colbert Report’
U.S. News & World Report, April 8 -- In a straight-faced new study, James Fowler, an associate professor of political science at UCSD, has conducted the first analysis of the political consequences of a candidate's appearance on the Colbert Report, and he finds that Democratic candidates who dare to go on the show, in particular, experience a huge "bump" in campaign contributions after the broadcast, no matter how silly Colbert makes them look. More

In Storing 1’s and 0’s, the Question Is $
The New York Times, April 8 -- Much of our data is ephemeral, and society is headed toward a kind of digital Alzheimer’s. What’s on those old floppies stuck in a desk drawer? Can anything be read off that ancient mainframe’s tape drive? Will today’s hard disk be tomorrow’s white elephant? (Quotes Francine Berman, director of the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UCSD) More

What’s Making That Awful Racket? Surprisingly, It May Be Fish
The New York Times, April 8 -- Naturalists as far back as Aristotle have known that fish make sounds. But when Jacques Cousteau titled his 1956 documentary “The Silent World,” it seemed that he captured the public’s imagination about underwater life while leaving our ears deaf to fish barks, chatter, groans, drones and cries. (Mentions research by Gerald D’Spain at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography) More

China's Military Growth Creates Uncertainty for U.S.
NPR, April 8 -- In nearly every aspect of military capability — from cruise missiles to submarines, satellites to cluster bombs — China has been working hard to modernize its military. Some see this as a natural result of China's emergence as a rising power, while others see danger to the United States and its interests in Asia. (Quotes UCSD political scientist Susan Shirk) More

Ertel in Running for Another Olympic Berth
USA Today, April 9 -- Julie Ertel ran her first triathlon in a pair of Keds. She went on to win two national titles in water polo at UCSD and to captain the U.S. women's team to a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics. More

'A Man Without a Country'
San Diego Union-Tribune, April 9 -- A hint of incense and the soft sound of meditation music greet visitors as they push open the front door of the Tibet Gift House in North Park. It is a contenting mix of fragrance and harmony. Yet store proprietor Jhampa Kalsang is a man burdened by discontent. (Quotes Tai Ming Cheung, a research fellow at the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation at UCSD) More

'Highway for Pollutants' Draws Attention to Ocean Dumping
Voice of San Diego, April 9 -- Last year, when scientists were studying the effects of San Diego's sewage on the offshore marine environment where it is discharged, they noticed something unusual. The scientists concluded that the underwater environment wasn't being impacted by the sewage -- with one caveat. Some fish in the area were contaminated with detectable levels of PCBs, a family of toxic cancer-causing chemicals, and scientists weren't sure why. (Quotes Ed Parnell, a marine ecologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography) More