The Ancient Greeks thought that the Cumaeans were really stupid. In fact, analysing the world’s oldest surviving joke book—the Philogelos—shows that “Cumeans are stupid” was part of what 4th-century-AD Greeks found hilarious. One joke recounts how a swimming Cumaean dove into the water to avoid getting wet in the rain. These Cumean jokes, on the other hand, are considered mild in comparison to some of the other forms of humour that the Greeks enjoyed; one entire section of the book is devoted to jokes with the punch line being death. 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
