Six months after the departure of the last ship of New Haven, its residents claimed to see a ghostly replica sail into the harbour. As they watched the ship fall apart before their eyes, they believed it to be a message from God — a vision of the ship’s fate. The story evolved as it was told, however; some turned the ship into a UFO, while others made it a symbolic warning of the dangers of caring too much about profit. 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
