The word “risk” traces its roots to the Arabic “al-rizq”, but it was Genoese sailors that gave it the meaning we know today. Because canon law banned the payment of interest on loans, sailors had to find another way to entice investors to shoulder part of their journey’s expenses. Called “resicum” (and later, “risk”), this new approach allowed investors to finance a captain’s trip in exchange for a promise of 75% of the journey’s potential profits; a high reward that rationalised the risk the investors undertook by funding the trip. 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
