Made by coiling a wire several times around an iron core, magnetic amplifiers worked using saturation. By passing a small direct current through it, the iron core could be forced in and out of saturation. In a saturated state, it would allow AC current to pass through, otherwise, it blocked it. Although central to Germany’s WW2 military hardware, like the V-2 rocket, magnetic amplifiers were largely too inefficient to use until the 1950s, when the Germans created a pure fifty/fifty nickel-iron alloy that made them more compact, efficient, and reliable. 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
