Uplifting News

In a first-of-its-type invention in the country, scientists at the Institute of Nanoscience and Technology (INST), Mohali, have developed a smart and biodegradable water filter that not only removes toxic dyes from industrial wastewater but also breaks them down using a combination of sunlight and vibrations.

The innovation, seen as a major breakthrough in eco-friendly water purification, has featured recently as the cover art of the journal “Nano Energy” (Elsevier I.F.=17.1), the INST scientist, Dr Aviru Kumar Basu, who led the research conducted by his student, Manshu Dhillon, and team, told The Tribune here.

He said the innovation depicts a futuristic setup where dye-laden water is purified using a 3D-printed biodegradable polylactic acid scaffold activated by solar energy and subtle mechanical vibrations.

“This smart filter, coated with a catalytic layer of Bismuth Ferrite (BiFeO3), degrades dyes like Congo Red and Methylene Blue using a green process called piezo-photocatalysis,” disclosed Dr Basu, while sharing that this dual-triggered process harnesses both light and mechanical energy to initiate powerful chemical reactions that dismantle toxic dye molecules.

He said even under cloudy conditions where solar output is limited, the system continues to function using ambient vibrations.

“This makes it ideal for year-round deployment, especially in resource-limited areas,” said the scientist.

The researchers tested the setup in real-time degradation of dyes, achieving a remarkable efficiency, removing 98.9% of Congo Red and 74.3% of Methylene Blue from the contaminated water samples.

To evaluate the practical applicability of this filter, tests were conducted using real textile wastewater samples obtained from the Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) at Sanganer in Jaipur. “This facility, which currently treats effluents from 192 out of 860 connected textile industries, provided a representative sample for real-world conditions,” he said.

The filter demonstrated effective dye degradation within 60 minutes under visible light and mechanical stimulation.

The results revealed that degradation efficiency varied depending on the nature and composition of the wastewater, which can fluctuate daily due to differences in industrial discharge.

Adding a layer of machine learning (ML) to the system, the researchers used artificial neural networks (ANNs) to train predictive models that simulate how the filter performs under varying light, dye concentration and vibration levels. The machine learning is a subfield of artificial intelligence (AI), which focuses on developing algorithms and allows computers to learn from and make predictions or decisions based on data without explicit programming.

“These models achieved up to 99% accuracy in predicting catalytic performance, helping optimisation of the filter for diverse field conditions,” the researchers said.

The device is reusable, low-cost and avoids the need for harmful chemicals, positioning it as a sustainable alternative to conventional techniques like ozonation and electrochemical oxidation, which are often expensive and energy-intensive.

The innovation is being hailed as a scalable solution for industries like textiles, leather and pharmaceuticals, all major contributors to dye pollution, and may also benefit rural and off-grid communities where clean water access is still a challenge.

Parisians rushed for a dip in the Seine on Saturday as authorities opened the river to public swimming for the first time since 1923 after an extensive clean-up operation spurred on by it being used last year as a venue in the Paris Olympics.

Three sites along the banks of the Seine in the city will be able to welcome over 1,000 swimmers daily until August 31, local officials said, to the delight of the Parisians and visitors who were among the first to take the plunge.

"Really nice, I'm impressed, surprised," said 24-year-old Victoria Cnop, a Brazilian who lives in Paris. "I never imagined being in the water close to the Eiffel Tower."

As well as the three sites within Paris, 14 swimming areas outside the capital's boundaries will be set up on the Seine and the Marne rivers. Two of those already opened on the Marne in June.

cross-posted from: https://discuss.tchncs.de/post/39964313

Some key insights from the article:

Basically, what they did was to look at how much batteries would be needed in a given area to provide constant power supply at least 97% of the time, and the calculate the costs of that solar+battery setup compared to coal and nuclear.

The parental consent law passed in 2013, but was blocked in court and never took effect before being invalidated last year. [...] Montana’s highest court recognized a right to abortion before the Supreme Court overturned it nationwide, and voters also enshrined it in the Montana Constitution last year. That amendment took effect July 1, 2025.

At issue was how Texas sexual assault law outlined lack of consent. It did not specifically include victims who have been voluntarily intoxicated, making their cases nearly impossible to prosecute.

Exhausted, [Willis] looked across the street and realized she was standing directly across from the site where she said she was raped 10 years ago at a University of Texas at Austin fraternity party. Prosecutors say what happened to her would likely not legally have been considered sexual assault because of a state loophole: she accepted the drink she was handed at that party – which she believes was laced – before she was raped by another person.

Johnson said she and her colleagues with the state’s Sexual Assault Survivors’ Task Force have been workshopping legislation to close the intoxication loophole for at least the last six years, but each time it’s been derailed, previously passing in the House but not the Senate.

On that February day after the race, Willis “was just physically devastated,” Johnson said. Ravenous, Willis snacked as the lawmakers talked to her about the legislation they had in the works and pitched her an idea.

“Would you be willing to let us name this the Summer Willis Act? Would you be willing to come back and testify to get it passed?” Johnson asked.

Texas Rep. Donna Howard authored the bill, which passed unanimously that night.

Despite her victory in Texas, she’s disheartened by what happened with the bill in New York. No one ran. No one bled. But advocates there shared their experiences, just as she had. Is it enough for assault survivors to simply tell their stories and ask for help?

Biological rodent control initiative Owls Eat Rats was crowned this year’s winner of The Hatch: Taronga Accelerator Program, taking home a massive $50,000 cash prize.

Unfortunately the AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) on this article is unavoidable.