Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that slowly kills off a patient’s motor neurons, reducing their ability to move, talk, and eat until they become fully paralysed. Wanting to continue communicating with their loved one, a German man’s parents approached scientists at the University of Tübingen to give him a new means of communication after he lost all control of his muscles. They implanted a chip in his brain that interprets his brain waves into inputs, allowing him to spell out words and form sentences with his thoughts. 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
