Lady Hearst, Nick Oud’s pigeon, finished a massive 800-kilometre, 14-hour race in 2015; what makes this astonishing is that, whilst migratory birds use flight paths to travel, racing pigeons like Lady Hearst don’t have that luxury. It is still shrouded in mystery how these animals, when in a “completely foreign environment,” navigate home. What this article does uncover, however, is what their owners will do to win: “incidents of doping, mass deaths, and illegal gambling have detracted from what should be an exhibition of an animal’s incredible skill.” 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
