Carnivorous plants are amazing, resilient creatures that have adapted to some of the most inhospitable environments on the planet. Take, for example, the Nepenthes lowii plant found in the mountaintop cloud forests of Borneo. This hanging pitcher plant has a shape similar to a toilet bowl, and is uniquely adapted to capture nitrogen from the droppings of shrews, bats and rodents! Amazingly, these poop-eating plants can store more than twice as much high-quality nitrogen than those that consume insects. 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
