Despite cutting-edge vaccines and treatments, one of the most effective ways to stay on top of COVID-19 surges relies on a decidedly basic entity: human waste. Biobot, co-founded by Massachusetts Institute of Technology biologist Mariana Matus and urban-studies researcher Newsha Ghaeli, is the first company to analyze human waste—which can provide an early warning of an impending spike in COVID-19 cases—on a commercial basis. Its technology, which can detect pathogens as well as other substances of interest (like opioids), is now in use at more than 700 sewage sites serving more than 100 million people.
A weekly newsletter featuring conversations with the world’s top CEOs, managers, and founders. Join the Leadership Brief.
More Must-Read Stories From TIME
- 2022 Time100 NEXT: TIME’s List Of Emerging Leaders Who Are Shaping the Future
- Industrial Farming Causes Climate Change. The ‘Slow Food’ Movement Wants to Stop It
- What Reading 220 History Textbooks Taught One Scholar About Racism in America
- Artist Oliver Jeffers Wants to Paint the World Out of a Corner
- A Vibrant North Korean Community in London Finds Its Days Are Numbered
- COVID-19 Vaccines Can Make Periods Longer, Study Says
- Column: What Happened When My Entire Family Came Out
- How DeSantis Handles Hurricane Ian Will Shape His Political Future
- 6 Groups Making Mental Health Care More Accessible to People of Color
