First mentioned by American scientist Stuart Kauffman, the “adjacent possible” is the theory that everything possible today is the product of past events and activities. Steven Johnson posits that the “adjacent possible” is one of the key ingredients of innovation. He cites YouTube as a success rooted in the “adjacent possible”; it would not have been successful had it been launched more than 10 years ago because dial-up connections were too slow to handle video sharing at the time. 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
