“Can you pick it up by the carb and eat it? If so, the dish is a sandwich.” For April Fool’s, physicists have developed several criteria that one can consult to objectively classify a dish as a salad, sandwich, or soup. A sandwich needs to have a carbohydrate enclosure (usually bread) and a person must be able to grab the dish by the carbohydrate enclosure to eat it. So, by these parameters, we answer an age-old question: a hotdog in a bun is a sandwich. 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
