How did ancient toilets work? The Maya toilet may have only worked because they ate tamales, a delicious Mesoamerican staple corn dish steamed in corn husks. Before the Maya could make a tamale, they had to soak corn kernels in a caustic alkaline solution to make them more elastic when pounded into a dough. What did they do with the toxic liquid? Evidence from ancient toilets suggests that they used it to flush their poop and prevent it from getting smelly, getting rid of two waste products in one go! 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
