Topic Reading-Vol.4731-4/7/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Why autism isn’t diagnosed in girls and women

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent challenges with social communication and interaction and restricted or repetitive behaviors, interests, or activities. Individuals with ASD may have difficulty understanding social cues, maintaining conversations, or sharing interests and emotions with others. They often exhibit restricted, repetitive movements, speech, or actions like flapping their hands. Boys are predominant among those who are diagnosed with ASD, approximately four times more often than girls. However, researchers now think this is not because more boys are autistic than girls are but because of the preconceived idea that ASD is predominantly boys’ problem. As a result, tests that have been used are somehow based on boys' behaviors. In general, while boys with ASD often exhibit autistic behaviors like banging their heads against a desk or kicking things, girls tend to be quiet and stand in the corner, which is often seen as just “shy”. It seems that our perception and testing methods need to be redefined to properly identify who has difficulty learning, paying attention, reacting to things, or interacting with others. 

Read the article and learn how autism has been diagnosed and how it has excluded girls from being diagnosed. 

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/02/health/autism-in-girls-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4730-4/6/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

'A hostile state': Why some travellers are avoiding the US

France, Spain, and the US are the three most visited countries in the world, with over 80 million visitors last year, followed by China with 65 million. But this ranking might change this year. As the US imposes hostile tariffs even to friendly nations, claims other territories to be part of the US, cracks down on illegal immigrants, revokes visas and staying permits, and threatens equality and human rights, many of those who planned to visit the US are feeling unsafe to travel to the US and are rethinking their plans. The updated inbound US travel forecast predicts a 5% decline this year instead of the 8.8% growth in the previous estimate. This could have substantial economic impacts on the US economy and jobs. It’s not just Tesla, Harley Davidson, or Jack Daniel’s but also businesses and workers in the hotels and hospitality industries that suffer the most from rising US boycotts. Meanwhile, China, the fourth most visited country after the US, welcomes more foreign visitors by waiving visa requirements to 38 countries. What will the long-term effects of the recent US policies be? 

Read the article and learn about the impacts of the recent US policies on the tourism industry.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250328-the-people-boycotting-travel-to-the-us

Topic Reading-Vol.4729-4/5/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Germany decides to leave history in the past and prepare for war

Led by Vlademir Putin, Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and invaded Ukraine on a full scale in 2022. Led by the USA, the Western allies have been supporting Ukraine ever since, both economically and militarily. However, the new US leader has made its allies suspicious of its support to Ukraine and NATO. Until recently, Germans had been reluctant to strengthen military forces because of their roles in the last two world wars, but their peace sentiment seems to have been changing. A recent poll in Germany suggested that not only nearly 80% of the respondents see Putin as dangerous to European peace and security but also 74% said the same for Donald Trump. Germany has recently lifted the strict budget cap on defense spending to upgrade its forces to improve preparedness. However, the military top thinks it needs 100,000 more troops to defend itself and NATO’s eastern flank, which most likely requires the reintroduction of compulsory military service like Lithuania, Sweden, and Latvia. It seems that the world is now experiencing a paradigm shift in international security from WWII and the Cold War. 

Read the article and learn how Germans have changed their mindset for national security.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdjyjlkewr2o

Topic Reading-Vol.4728-4/4/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Artificial sweetener found in diet drinks linked to brain changes that increase appetite, study finds

Sucralose is a synthetic, zero-calorie artificial sweetener derived from sugar. It is approximately 600 times sweeter than table sugar and is used as a sugar substitute in various foods and beverages, like Splenda in the US and E955 in Europe. It helps people reduce the intake of calories from sugar and manage blood sugar levels because it decreases the desire for additional sweets. However, the body requires glucose for energy, particularly the brain. A recent study found that when artificially sweetened drinks do not increase blood sugar levels, the brain seems to crave sugar intake by increasing the appetite. Artificial sweetener does please the tongue significantly but neither the brain nor the body. 

Read the article and learn what artificial sweetener does and doesn’t do to your body.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/29/health/artificial-sweetener-sucralose-hunger-signals-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4727-4/3/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

What’s the riskiest part of your flight? It isn’t cruising at 40,000 feet

After checking in luggage, clearing security check, waiting for boarding, and fighting space for overhead bin, you are seated and relaxed for flight. When the airplane starts descending for landing, you feel relieved from the stress of the flight and are looking forward to the next event. But these are the most critical moments for air travel. In the USA, there were 1,468 accidents last year alone, 770 of which occurred on landing and 124 during take off. When descending for landing, the aircraft is losing altitude, speed, and maneuverability, thus, it is left with limited options to cope with challenging conditions like turbulence, bird strike, functional failure, or human error. In fact, since descending and landing are the most dangerous moments, unnecessary conversation or activity is not permitted in the cockpit below 10,000 feet to ensure pilots are fully focused on controlling the aircraft. What passengers can do during these critical moments is to fasten their seatbelts tightly and follow any instructions given by the crew members.

Read the article and learn about the risks of air travel.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/29/travel/takeoff-landings-riskiest-part-of-your-flight/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4726-4/2/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The world's strongest ocean current should be getting faster – instead, it is at risk of failing

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is a wind-driven surface oceanic current encircling Antarctica that flows clockwise from west to east. It’s like a moat around the icy continent that helps to keep warm water away from Antarctica’s ice sheets and protect its biodiversity from invasive species. As the strong current connects the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans like a conveyor belt, it also plays a vital role in regulating the global climate. New research has found that this current is slowing as cool water from melting Antactica’s ice dilutes the salty water of the ocean, allowing warmer water to come closer to Antarctica and melt its ice shelves. This ice-melting and weakened circumpolar current spiral would further weaken the ocean’s ability to regulate climate change and disrupt global climate patterns. Studying this remote and vast ocean current seems to help us learn more about global climate, but reducing fossil fuel emissions is more essential and imminent to curb global warming.

Read the article and learn what the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is about and what it does to the global climate.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250303-the-worlds-strongest-ocean-current-is-at-risk

Topic Reading-Vol.4725-4/1/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

EU urges citizens to stockpile 72 hours’ worth of supplies amid war risk

It took nearly three years for the US to get involved in WWI and took over two years in WWII. In 1949, member states of the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO) signed article 5, which states an attack on one member is considered an attack on all and reaffirms the member states’ commitment to collective defense. However, due to the uncertainty and unpredictability of the US president’s foreign policies, the US's support to maintain peace in Europe is becoming questionable, which made European leaders feel the need to upgrade readiness for hostile events. They’ve already started improving military mobility, stockpiling, and fostering operational cooperation across the union. Recently, citizens of the 27 EU states were advised to store enough water, food, and other essential supplies for at least three days to prepare for an emergency, including Russia’s military aggression, disruption of critical infrastructure, and electronic warfare. In 1939, Nazi Germany invated and occupied the Czech after previsouly acquiring the Sudetenland via the Munich Agreement in 1938. In 2014, Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and invaded the country in 2022. History seems to repeat itself.

Read the article to learn what European leaders are preparing for.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/26/europe/european-union-stockpile-member-states-intl-latam/index.html