Fall break is really over, isn't it

Columbia researchers find that the dust from car exhaust increases the chance for, among other things, brain damage, autism, depression, and Alzheimer’s. (WSJ)

Yesterday, voters soundly rejected an anti-abortion initiative in Mississippi and a law limiting union rights in Ohio. (NYT)

Though the initial flooding in Thailand may be over, the recovery is expected to cost in excess of $4 billion—and if you’re planning on buying a hard drive in the near future, you could end up paying upwards of 60% above sticker price due to shortages. (Reuters, CNet)

The deadline to apply for the city’s $100 million has passed, leaving universities waiting on Bloomberg himself to make a final decision, who is eager to use the science and engineering campus to shape his mayoral legacy. (NYT)

As protesters settle in for winter, Occupy Wall Street has added a permanent first-aid tent, fully staffed with ER physicians, general practitioners, and registered nurses. (Gothamist)

Columbia alum and Nobel laureate in physics Norman Ramsey has died at 96. (AP)

Nemesis via Wikimedia