Older millennials might remember hating brussel sprouts as a kid, but then coming around to enjoying them. This isn’t just because their palette changed; the sprouts actually do taste better now. When harvesting became mechanized in the 1960s, only extremely bitter varieties were suitable for the process. That resulted in 30 years of disgusting Brussels sprouts, before Dutch biotechnologists found the bitter compounds in the sprouts and painstakingly bred a better plant. 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
