Migraines might have made people see angels. Head pain and the heavens were strangely linked with each other; divine revelations were sometimes accompanied by headaches, which could be explained by the phenomenon of scintillating scotomata — the colorful, serrated, C-shaped hallucinations brought about by a migraine. The illustrations of Hildegard of Bingen’s divine visions, in particular, were quite similar to descriptions of what patients had seen during a migraine attack.
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
