The seeds for the discovery of sharks and rays’ ability to detect electromagnetic fields were sown in 1935, completely by accident. Sven Dijkgraaf observed that a shark he was studying would flinch in disgust or pain after encountering a rusty wire, despite never touching it. More than 30 years later, Adrianus “Ad” Kalmijn revisited this observation and conducted experiments on multiple shark and ray species. In his experiments, he discovered that special pores (called the ampullae of Lorenzini) granted the creatures the ability to detect their prey using electromagnetic fields. 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
