Hofstadter’s Law states that projects will take much longer to complete than expected, even after taking Hofstadter’s Law into account. So, what we expected to finish in a few weeks usually takes months to complete. Would we be better off knowing how long our projects will take to complete? Mayfer’s Law suggests otherwise. It posits that we’re able to create new things precisely because we underestimate how long we’d take to make them, and that if we knew this, we would have never taken them on at all. 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
