How did we discover atoms? The scientific community had only begun to take it seriously in the 18th century thanks to the experiments of farmboy-turned-scientist John Dalton. Since his youth, he had been enamoured by weather, leading to his experiment on water vapor absorption by air. After finding that water vapor and air seemed to repel each other, he speculated that it could be that atoms only exerted forces on “atoms of their same kind”, laying the groundwork for atomic theory.
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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
