Producing energy with Concentrated Solar Power (CSP), resembling that of Archimedes’ fabled weapon, can possibly save a fortune. There are 2 types of CSPs: parabolic troughs, which use curved mirrors to capture heat by focusing the light onto a tube holding liquid; and solar power towers, which use a tower and straight mirrors to collect energy from the sun. Craig Shields describes the process as “[f]ocusing the sun’s rays on a certain point or a certain line and using that heat to turn a turbine to generate electricity.” Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
