Category: Science

  • A Closer Look at Alzheimer’s Disease

    The clinical and research perspectives on Alzheimer’s disease converge in the latest installment of “A Closer Look.” Douglas Galasko, MD shares the basics of Alzheimer’s including biomarkers of the disease, current treatment options, and what physicians know. Larry Goldstein, PhD explains how researchers are using stem cell technology to search for new drugs to treat […]

  • A Deep Look into COVID and a New World of Innovation

    Along with global health and economic devastation, the COVID-19 pandemic has forged an unprecedented path to research and education innovation. Bold scientific advances and cooperation led to a novel vaccine developed in record time, groundbreaking tools for detecting viruses and a pioneering vision for safely educating students. Gain an in-depth look at the trailblazing insights […]

  • The Art and Science of Atmospheric Rivers and the Changing Hydroclimate of the West

    California’s unique geography, with some of the continent’s highest mountains situated close to the broad expanse of the Pacific Ocean helps make California’s precipitation regime the most volatile in the country. This volatility, characterized by large natural swings between drought and extremely rainy years make water resource management in California notoriously difficult. Global climate change […]

  • Oxygen Loss in the Ocean: The Blinding Truth

    Ocean oxygen levels are changing globally as a result of both natural and human-influenced processes, and in some areas low oxygen events are becoming more common. While research on terrestrial animals has shown that low oxygen levels can affect vision – a vital function for finding food and shelter and avoiding predators – the impact […]

  • Exploring The Human-Ape Paradox

    CARTA’s Fall 2020 symposium, Comparative Anthropogeny: Exploring the Human Ape-Paradox, examines humans as a uniquely evolved, “biologically enculturated,” species as juxtaposed with our closest living relatives, the “great apes” (chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans). By definition, each species is unique as it represents the outcome of independent evolution. Yet, humans appear to be a remarkable […]

  • Bending the Curve: Climate Change Solutions

    Climate change is an urgent problem that affects everything from human health and food security to immigration patterns and water resources. With unchecked emissions of climate pollutants, there is a 50% probability for the planetary warming to cross the so-called dangerous threshold of 20C by 2050; and there is at least a 5% probability the […]

  • Our Impact on the Earth

    “Mother Nature is not happy right now and she’s trying to tell us, in many ways,” says Kimberly Prather, Professor of Climate, Atmospheric Science, and Physical Oceanography at UC San Diego. New weather patterns and events are causing concern but how do we know these changes are caused by human activity? Climate scientists are looking […]

  • UCSD Pascal

    Starting in 1974, Kenneth Bowles – who at the time directed UC San Diego’s Computing Center – began to adapt the computer language Pascal for use on so-called “microcomputers,” precursors of today’s PCs. His primary interest at the time was a programming language that would allow students to work individually on projects without waiting their […]

  • Searching for Autism in our Social Brain

    All animals need to know and communicate with their own, so evolution has developed in every brain the ways we all recognize and socialize with each other. But while other brains are social – no other brain is as social, or can do what the human brain can – and as far as science knows […]

  • Impact of Early Life Deprivation

    Unlike most other animals, much of human brain development and maturation occurs after birth, a process that continues into early adulthood. This unusual pattern allows for greater influences of environment and culture on the emergence of the adult mind. This series of programs from the recent CARTA symposium addresses the interactive contributions of nature and […]