The first photographs were devoid of life, but not by choice; due to the long exposure time required, moving objects got blurred out of existence. As photography developed past this constraint, photography lost this grand, monumental nature of pictures without the distractions of labour. That was, however, until the pandemic; early pandemic pictures harkened back to the old idealised photos thanks to cities becoming ghost towns during lockdowns. 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
