Paper grain is the direction by which a (usually machine-made) piece of paper’s fibres are arranged. While it seems largely insignificant, this deep-dive into all things paper grain reveals a wealth of bizarre knowledge. For example, the direction of the grain will determine the extent to which a piece of paper can be bent before it creases. Similarly, the grain determines ‘paper shrinkage’: “a sheet folded in half is not exactly half as wide as the full sheet: a tiny bit of paper is used by the crease itself”. 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
