An amusing dive into the perennial problem of ill-matching hotdog and bun quantities, visualising the math behind the Chinese remainder theorem in a practical light. Aside from using this theorem (detailed in the article) to figure out how many packs of buns and dogs you should buy for your next barbecue (relatively primitive mathematics), the same theorem is applied to a cryptographic setting: “you can use the theorem to keep a number secret until a group of people agree to collaborate to identify it.” 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
