Overdoses from fentanyl and other synthetic opioids define the third wave of the opioid epidemic, and the coronavirus pandemic has only made it worse. Fentanyl is primarily responsible, but non-fentanyl synthetic opioids (NSOs) pose unique challenges. Recently, a new NSO, isotonitazene (ISO), was found in…
Since 1999, more than 500,000 people have died from opioid overdoses in the U.S.—the victims of America’s opioid epidemic. In the 2010s, state and local governments filed thousands of lawsuits against companies that make and distribute the drugs seeking to hold them accountable. A handful…
There is a lot of plastic in the world. Since 1950, more than 7,800 million tonnes of plastic have been produced, generating 6,300 million tonnes of waste, of which approximately 9% was recycled, according to Life. Plastic waste has its own host of issues, but…
A striking paper published by the Johns Hopkins Institute has been making the rounds, once again heaving the cultural-political trenches erected around COVID-19 into disorder and galvanizing yet another round of controversy. The paper in question, A literature Review and Meta-analysis of the effects of lockdowns…
Since mid 2020, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has worked to implement initiatives meant to return Florida to normal as much as possible in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Even at times when these initiatives conflicted with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC)…
This brief serves as an update on last semester’s feature on manatees and their alarming mortality rate. Since November, local advocacy groups are rushing to expand the public’s knowledge and to increase awareness. Manatees are essential to Florida’s unique aquatic ecosystem: they act characteristically as…
As the final days of November begin to get crossed out on the calendar and the page flips to December, so approaches the end of another year of the world battling COVID-19. Obviously, this time of year always comes with a lot of traveling and…
The latter half of this fall semester can be characterized by increased scrutiny from both students and school employees alike of the Physical Plant for the use of Roundup on campus, a chemical known for containing glyphosate which was declared a probable carcinogen by the…
While the Astronomy Club usually has their eyes on the sky, lately they have been looking towards the future as they excitedly announce several events for next semester and looking for more officers to run their club. The Astronomy Club—led by president and thesis student…
On Nov. 11, administration officially confirmed that the water system connecting to the Palmer B Dormitory may contain dangerously high levels of lead—the metal responsible for the infamous public health disaster in Flint, Michigan. Two rounds of testing conducted by the independent contractor Professional Service…
