Wildfires and invasive plants; ‘smart’ playgrounds for kids

March 4, 2024

Fireworks explode at Saturday’s 2024 Homecoming festival and basketball game versus Cal State Long Beach. Scroll down for more photos. (Photo: Steve Zylius/UCI)

UCI ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS

Drought fuels invasive plants after wildfires, study says

Parry’s Phacelia, native to Southern California, grows beneath burnt brush, at the Loma Ridge site where UCI’s Sarah Kimball conducted the research. Jessica Rath/UCI

UCI scientists researching the interplay of drought and wildfires found that invasive plants increase after drought-induced wildfires. The study also argues that controlled burns, commonly used in other ecosystems, aren’t recommended for coastal sage scrub systems, as they can inadvertently promote invasive species.

Project creates ‘smart’ playgrounds programmed by kids

School of Education faculty are collaborating on a project to create a first-of-its-kind school playground where slides, monkey bars and swings can be programmed by kids through their play. Funded by nearly $3 million in grants from the National Science Foundation, the smart playgrounds will give early learners hands-on experience with computer science and computational thinking skills that are increasingly important at all levels of education.

Frontotemporal dementia isn’t as rare as many believe

Frontotemporal dementia ― the condition that talk show host Wendy Williams and actor Bruce Willis have been battling ― is unlike other forms of the memory disorder, says UCI Health neurologist Dr. Seyed A. Sajjadi. In contrast with typical dementia, FTD usually starts before age 65, and instead of principally affecting memory, it impacts speech and behavior. With two high-profile diagnoses of FTD in recent years, Sajjadi cautions that the incurable, slow-progressing condition isn’t quite as rare as people may think.

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More 2024 Homecoming photos

Students show support for men's basketball team at homecoming game by holding "Beat the Beach" poster

UCI men's basketball guard Pierre Crockrell II

UC Irvine 2024 Homecoming festival and basketball game vs. Long Beach State

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