Airplanes are (now) enticing homes for Mojave rattlesnakes. Qantas engineers maintaining a fleet of superjumbo planes have gotten themselves in a strange predicament after the pandemic forced the airline to keep the large planes in storage ー deadly rattlesnakes and scorpions have called the planes’ wheels their home. Qantas has ensured the highest level of protection: the engineers stomp their feet and whack the wheels to scare off the critters, ensuring that both humans and animals stay safe during maintenance.
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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
