A Sampling of Clips for July 28^th, 2009

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

Nature, Nurture and Wickedly Smart Bears
The Atlantic Monthly, July 27 -- I attended a wonderful presentation a few days ago by Ajit Varki, a physician and scientist at UCSD and head of the Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny. More  

In Battle, Hunches Prove to Be Valuable
The New York Times, July 28 -- The U.S. military has spent billions of dollars on hardware, like signal-jamming technology, to detect and destroy what the military calls improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, the roadside bombs that have proved to be the greatest threat in Iraq and now in Afghanistan. (Mentions research by Dr. Martin Paulus, a psychiatrist at UCSD and the VA San Diego Healthcare System) More  

Similar story in
San Diego Union-Tribune

More Earthquake Faults
Discovered at the Salton Sea
Los Angeles Times, July 28 -- By bouncing sound waves off the floor of the Salton Sea, researchers have discovered more than a dozen previously unknown earthquake faults, leading to a new theory of how the ground is sinking and stretching near the infamous San Andreas fault. Danny Brothers, lead author of a study published Sunday and a geophysics graduate student at UCSD, said the new understanding of the area's seismic mechanics does not appear to suggest that a massive quake on the San Andreas is more imminent than previously believed. More  

The Rise of Ayatollah Moqtada al-Sadr
Foreign Policy Magazine, July 27 -- When Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr was a young seminary student during the country's Baathist era, he preferred playing video games to attending theological courses. Now several years and a U.S. occupation later, that same Sadr is a major Iraqi political figure, studying to become an ayatollah at Shiite Islam's most prominent religious center of Qom, Iran. (Written by UCSD researcher Babak Rahimi) More  

Honduras a Tough Case
for Veteran Peacemaker Arias
Reuters, July 27 -- Veteran peace negotiator Oscar Arias has his work cut out trying to mediate the political crisis in Honduras but the Costa Rican president is not giving up hope of a deal. (Quotes Richard Feinberg, professor of political economy at UCSD) More  

Similar story in
Forbes

An Elusive Musical Gift
Could Be at Children's Fingertips
The Washington Post, July 28 – If you could give your child the gift of perfect pitch – the ability to identify a note simply by hearing it – would you? The few who are born with perfect pitch say notes have a concrete identity and presence, almost like colors, and being able to intuitively recognize them gives music an almost three-dimensional quality. (Mentions research by UCSD’s Diana Deutsch, who has developed a test to see if you have perfect pitch.) More  

Similar story in
The Olympian, Wash.

Invading Wasps Changing Haleakala
Maui News, July 27 -- Invading wasps in Haleakala National Park, which in their home range make nests the size of a football, have grown nests "the size of a '57 Buick." Erin Wilson, who has just completed a doctorate in biology at UCSD, studied the yellowjackets at Haleakala and Hawaii Volcanoes national parks in 2006 and 2007. More  

Similar story on
KPUA, Hawaii

Illegal Crossings are Down,
But Not Because of Border Fence
San Jose Mercury News, Opinion, July 27 -- Border Patrol apprehensions may have dipped to the lowest rate in 35 years, but it has nothing to do with border security. (Mentions research by Wayne Cornelius and researchers at the Center for Comparative Immigration Studies at UCSD) More  

Solar Power at UCSD
10News, July 28 -- San Diego is the most solar conscious city in California and UCSD is joining in the effort to help conserve energy. More  

Quantum's 'Views' Uses Images
to Enhance Playwright's Themes
Tribune-Review, Pittsburg, Penn., July 26 -- Despite the title of its next production -- "36 Views" -- Quantum Theatre hopes to treat its audiences to 37. The 36 views in playwright Naomi Iizuka's multifaceted story refers to the number of scenes in the play. Iizuka is on the UCSD faculty. More  

More Charges Added in Death Of UCSD Prof.
10News, July 27 -- Charges that could lead to the death penalty were added Monday against four alleged members of a Skyline-area car burglary ring accused in the 1995 shooting death of a UCSD professor who tried to stop a theft. More  

Similar story on
San Diego 6
La Jolla Light

San Diego Faces a Medical Marijuana Industry
KPBS, July 28 — Using marijuana for medical reasons has been allowed in California for a dozen years. But court challenges to medical marijuana and federal prosecutions, have put a limit on groups that want to provide and sell it until now. (Mentions research by UCSD) More  

BE WiSE Encourages
Young Women to Dream
La Jolla Light, July 27 -- Twelve high school girls from all over San Diego on Saturday got a lesson in how cancer research is done during the Be WiSE Young Women in Cancer Research Oncofertility Academy. The program, conducted at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center that encourages girls to aspire to careers in science and engineering, where women are underrepresented. More  

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