The Economist

How Portugal and Colorado solved their drug problems

Portugal's 2001 decriminalization and Colorado's 2014 legalization serve as contrasting case studies shifting drug policy from criminal punishment to public health and economic regulation. These measures successfully reduced overdose deaths in Portugal, while Colorado generated over $700 million in annual revenue and decreased teenage usage without collapsing the illicit market. Despite these successes, global criminal networks remain dominant within the $300 billion illicit trade, even as nearly half of U.S. states adopt similar regulatory frameworks.

The Bhopal gas tragedy: Toxic legacy

Sanjay Yadav, Satinath Sarangi, Jeevan Shinde, Hajira B.

On December 2, 1984, a toxic gas leak at the American-operated Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, India, killed thousands and left 570,000 people with chronic health disorders, while groundwater contamination persists three decades later. Although Union Carbide settled for $470 million, victims and advocates argue the compensation is inadequate given the scale of permanent injuries and the parent company Dow Chemical's refusal to accept liability. Current efforts by Indian authorities to revise death statistics and expand compensation face criticism from groups like the Sambhavna Trust, which reports that 93% of affected individuals are incorrectly categorized with only temporary injuries.

How tesla electricity can create wireless power

Nikola Tesla, JP Morgan, Josh Smith

Y-Tricity is reviving Nikola Tesla's wireless power concepts with a resonant magnetic system capable of delivering electricity through walls and charging multiple devices simultaneously, while Intel Labs researchers Josh Smith and Alanson Sample are developing the WARP project to harvest ambient radio frequencies from distant TV towers. These divergent approaches aim to eliminate disposable batteries by powering low-consumption sensors with continuous energy and enabling "drop-and-charge" functionality for portable electronics within household environments. By addressing safety standards and extending power ranges beyond traditional line-of-sight limitations, both initiatives seek to reduce electronic waste and integrate persistent power sources directly into consumer infrastructure.