Autistic Kids Superior in Math Show Different Brain Organization

I have recently become more interested in looking into psychology and behavioral science studies and have come across some very interesting ones. This article discussed the idea that autistic kids use different parts of their brain than normal kids when performing math tasks.

The participants in the study included 36 children, 18 autistic and non-autistic children. They were all in the normal IQ range and had normal performances on verbal and reading tasks. However, the autistic kids significantly outperformed the non-autistic children in a standardized math test. The study was conducted by the Stanford University School of Medicine.

After the math test, the researchers attempted to identify what specific techniques autistic children might use in order to be superior to the non autistic children. They discovered that autistic children were more likely to use decomposition techniques to solve complex math problems as opposed to rote memory techniques, which was prevalent in non autistic children.

The researchers then looked to see if there were any physiological differences between autistic and non-autistic children, in regards to the areas of the brain where there was activity. They put both groups of kids under an MRI scanner as they were solving math problems. The researchers saw an unusual activity in the temporal occipital cortex, an area of the brain that is normally associated with processing faces and emotions. The results show that this brain activity may be the reason as to why autistic kids have such a great ability in mathematical computations. This study definitely gives more confidence to the very parents of autistic kids.

The full article can be read here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130816130353.htm

New Car may Revolutionize Transportation

Elon Musk. You may have heard of him. The creator of PayPal who sold his company for billions and billions of dollars. The guy who is doing everything in his power to improve humanity. But his most recent futuristic invention is an electric car. Not just any electric car, the most efficient electric car ever created. The Tesla Model S has the potential to change transportation in the US and thus cut greenhouse emissions significantly. It would be a win for humanity, for sure.

If the Model S is equipped with the highest kWh battery, 85 kWh, then the car has an acceleration of 4.2 seconds from 0 to 60 mph and also has a top speed of 130 mph. The best part of the car is that you can charge it anywhere and at anytime and it only takes a small amount of time. To learn more about the charging, visit http://www.teslamotors.com/charging#/basics

Another interesting feature of the Model S is the 17" touchscreen between the driver's and passenger seat. This is where everything in the car is controlled. The gear, the navigation, the music, and much more.



To become more immersed into the features, visit http://www.teslamotors.com/models/features#/performance

The most exciting part about this whole project is not even the car. It is the Supercharger, essentially a gas station for electric cars. There are currently only 16 Superchargers in the US currently, but by 2015, Tesla plans to have Superchargers across America and some parts of Canada. A 30 minute charge at a Supercharger station can allow a car to travel for 200 miles before requiring another charge. And the best part is that, it is free. You will never have to pay for gas again.

But if you're in a hurry and can't wait 30 minutes or even 20 minutes for a partial charge, you can opt for a battery swap which takes less amount of time than filling a gas tank in a regular car. It is the same price of gas, but you are helping the environment in return. Expect Tesla to be a major brand in a couple of years.
To learn more about charging the Model S, visit http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger

Ozone Hole Leads to Global Warming, but in a Different Way

The growing hole in the ozone layer has long thought to be one of the primary causes of global warming. The ozone layer helps prevent the Earth from being struck from ultraviolet radiation, so a hole lets the radiation come through and the heat's surface. It makes sense, right? Well, the empirical evidence suggests that this correlation is not accurate. Now, however, a computer model created by several scientists suggests that the ozone hole might actually contribute to global warming, but in a completely unique way than expected.

The computer model shows that the ozone hole shifts the wind patterns and thus moves the clouds further towards the South Pole. Thus, the clouds will not reflect as much sunlight and thus increase the amount of ultraviolet radiation on the Earth. The cause of this ozone hole was discovered to be chlorofluorocarbons found in aerosols and cooling systems in the 1980s.

The study was conducted by Kevin Grise at Columbia University and collaborators including Lorenzo Polvani of Columbia University, George Tselioudis of NASA, Yutian Wu of New York City and Mark Zilenka of Lawrence Laboratory. It really is a revolutionary study because it completely changes conventional thinking regarding the ozone hole. A Yale University poll showed that 61 percent of people believed that the ozone layer contributes to global warming, but more people may buy this theory when looking at this new study.