Ron Gollobin’s love of reptiles led him not once, but twice on ‘get-rich-quick’ ventures. When he was 15, he spent summer weekends hitchhiking 50 miles from home, catching water moccasins, and milking them for their venom, after seeing an advertisement for labs willing to pay 400 USD for an ounce of dried venom. It would have worked perfectly…except the advert didn’t specify the need for the venom to be profesionally purified prior to use. 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
