What do we really know about Ferdinand Magellan? He likely didn’t plan to circumnavigate the globe due to fears of angering Portugal, who at the time had a treaty with Spain dividing the world in half between them. And, regardless of his intentions, the very moniker given to him as the man who circumnavigated the globe is a lie; he died two-thirds of the way in, on an islet in the Philippines, in a “stupid brawl” with a rebel warlord he’d severely underestimated. 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
