Goodable

How do the world's most advanced countries offer free post-secondary education for students? Let's take a closer look.&nbsp; <img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fa9OeEtWAAAjyU8?format=jpg&amp;name=large" style="width: 50%;"> In Norway, public universities are free for all students - even ones from out of the country. The country has the 6th highest GDP per capita in the world. <img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fa9OuljXEAAiseL?format=jpg&amp;name=large" style="width: 50%;"> In Sweden, university tuition is free for any students from the European Union. The country has the 14th highest GDP per capita in the world, and 7th highest in Europe. <img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fa9PlpqXkAACC5F?format=jpg&amp;name=large" style="width: 25%;"> In Luxembourg, courses at public universities taught in French, German, or Luxembourgish (yes, that’s a language) are free for all European students. It’s the wealthiest country in the world by GDP. <img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fa9P1NbX0AAe-ul?format=jpg&amp;name=large" style="width: 25%;"> Most public universities in Germany are free for domestic and international students who are getting their Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. The only thing students have to pay is a small administrative fee. <img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fa9P_8aWQAAO0Ip?format=jpg&amp;name=large" style="width: 25%;"> In Greece, they take it a step further. Their constitution stipulates that all Greek citizens have the right to free education. As a result, post secondary education is free for all students living in Greece and the European Union. Socrates would be proud. <img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fa9QTnEWAAA2e0G?format=jpg&amp;name=large" style="width: 25%;"> Finland offers free university education for all students coming from the EU. International students who take university courses in Finnish or Swedish are also eligible for free tuition.
If you’re wondering whether all this is just a European phenomenon, it’s not.Let’s take a look at South America. Even though it’s home to some of the least developed countries in the Western Hemisphere, they still prioritize education as a fundamental right. Here’s a sample. <img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fa9QvN6XkAAv1MT?format=jpg&amp;name=large" style="width: 25%;"> In Uruguay, public education is free in Uruguay for all citizens, from childhood up until the university level.
In Brazil, public universities are free for all domestic and international students. The only thing students pay is a small registration fee. Argentina and Panama? Yup, they offer free education for students at public universities too. Let’s go to Africa and the Middle East next. <img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fa9RLnNXEAAHPNw?format=jpg&amp;name=large" style="width: 25%;"> In Morocco, 11 out of 13 public universities are free for all Moroccan students. Fun fact: The first university in the world was the University of Karaouine, established by Fatima Al Fihri in Morocco. In Egypt, public universities are free for all Egyptian students too. <img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fa9RjxhXwAMqJeg?format=jpg&amp;name=large" style="width: 50%;"> Some other countries that offer free or nearly free post-secondary education for students at some of their universities:

Denmark,&nbsp;Austria,&nbsp;Malaysia,&nbsp;Iceland,&nbsp;Malta and Czech Republic.

Which Countries Offer University Education For Free?

Mongabay

Plastic is strong, durable and everywhere. That’s exactly the problem.

More than 90 percent of all plastic ever produced ends up polluting the environment. Once discarded, most plastics do not truly break down. Instead, they fragment into microplastics that can linger in ecosystems for centuries.

Now chemists at Rutgers University say they may have found a way to change that.

Inspired by how natural materials break down, the researchers have designed a new type of plastic that can be programmed to dismantle itself into its original molecular building blocks at the end of its useful life.

The idea borrows directly from biology.

Natural materials such as DNA, proteins and cellulose are all polymers, just like plastic. But unlike synthetic plastics, these natural polymers contain built-in mechanisms that cause them to break down once they are no longer needed.

“Nature has programmed its own degradation of polymers … and we are basically borrowing this chemistry to apply to our synthetic polymers,” said researcher Yuwei Gu, who led the study.

Traditional plastics are made from long chains of molecules called polymers that are held together by extremely strong chemical bonds. These bonds give plastics their durability, but also make them stubbornly resistant to decomposition.

The Rutgers team modified that structure.

They inserted tiny molecular “cutting tools” along the polymer chains, similar to chemical groups found in natural biological materials. When activated, those tools sever the bonds that hold the plastic together, reducing the material back into its original molecular components.

Instead of leaving behind microplastics, the material dissolves into a molecular mixture of the monomers used to create it.

That breakthrough means plastics could retain their strength during use and then cleanly break down afterward.

Even more intriguing, the researchers say the breakdown process can be programmed.

By adjusting where these molecular cutting points are placed along the polymer chain, scientists can control how long the plastic remains stable. A product could be designed to stay intact for months, years or decades before breaking apart.

The team also developed ways to trigger the breakdown on demand.

One method uses a protective “gate” within the molecular structure that blocks the cutting tool until it is opened by a trigger such as ultraviolet light. When exposed to the trigger, the plastic begins to dismantle itself.

But sunlight alone would not work in many environments, such as landfills or ocean depths. So researchers also developed a second trigger.

Drawing inspiration again from nature, the plastic can also change shape in response to metal ions in the environment. That shift in molecular structure moves the cutting tool into position, allowing the material to break apart even without sunlight.

Together, these mechanisms create plastics that can remain stable during use and then deconstruct when triggered.

Scientists say the innovation could help address one of the biggest weaknesses in modern plastic production.

Since the 1950s, the world has produced more than 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic. Most of it still exists somewhere on the planet today. By 2050, researchers estimate total plastic production could reach 25 billion metric tons.

Meanwhile, less than 10 percent of plastic is currently recycled.

Francisco Martin-Martinez, a computational chemist at King’s College London who was not involved in the research, called the work promising.

“It’s a beautiful demonstration that we can use the fundamental laws of physics and chemistry to solve modern engineering problems,” he said.

The concept could also support a more circular economy.

If plastics break down into their original molecular components, those building blocks could potentially be reused to manufacture new plastics. Researchers say the technology could eventually be used to design products such as packaging that degrades after a few months or fishing nets that last only a specific number of years.

Challenges remain before the material becomes widespread. The plastics are complex to manufacture and could be more expensive than conventional materials. Researchers must also confirm that the breakdown components are safe and non-toxic.

Still, scientists see the work as an important step toward solving the plastic waste crisis.

“I believe the answers to solve lots of demanding challenges in today’s society can come directly from nature,” Gu said.

These Rutgers Scientists Just Created Plastic That Can Program Its Own Breakdown

Euro News

Most museums ask you to walk quietly through the galleries. Singapore’s next one may ask you to grab a paddle.

A new interactive museum planned for the city will invite visitors to explore the art by pedal kayak, gliding past installations tucked among mangrove trees.

The project is being developed by teamLab, the internationally known art collective whose immersive exhibitions have drawn huge crowds around the world. Their installations typically surround visitors with colourful projections and digital environments that react to movement, turning museum visits into something closer to an experience than a traditional gallery stop.

If you have spent time in Tokyo, chances are you have seen their work. Their exhibitions there regularly sell out months in advance, with visitors wandering through glowing rooms of interactive digital art that are built to be explored and photographed.

Now the group is bringing that style of art to a new setting. Water.

The planned museum will cover about 12,000 square metres and sit within a mangrove landscape where visitors can pedal through the exhibits by kayak. Along the way, projections and artworks will appear among the trees, turning the wetlands themselves into part of the installation.

Details about the exhibits themselves remain scarce. But if teamLab’s previous projects are any indication, visitors can expect environments that shift, react and change as people move through them.

The museum will form part of a much larger development known as Wetlands by the Bay.

The new attraction will be located within Gardens by the Bay, the sprawling nature park that opened in 2012 and quickly became one of Singapore’s most recognizable landmarks. The site already features massive glass conservatories and the towering “Supertrees” that light up the skyline each night.

Wetlands by the Bay will add a new ecological space to that landscape.

The development will expand the park’s mangrove environment dramatically. Developers plan to triple the number of mangroves in the area to about 600 trees. In total, the project aims to introduce roughly 50,000 plants across the wetlands.

The area will also include new walkways so visitors can explore the ecosystem from above.

A canopy boardwalk will wind through the site, giving people a bird’s-eye view of the greenery below. From there, visitors will also be able to look out across the nearby Marina Reservoir.

The development will include a food court as well, offering views toward the reservoir and Singapore’s future Founders’ Memorial, which is currently under construction nearby.

For Singapore, the project blends two things the city has spent years perfecting: large-scale nature spaces and big-ticket attractions.

teamLab has already expanded well beyond Japan with exhibitions across Asia and the Middle East, including installations in Osaka, Kyushu, Macao, Abu Dhabi and Jeddah. Each location tends to take on its own character depending on the environment.

The Singapore project may push that idea further than any previous installation. Instead of simply placing digital art inside a building, the concept blends it directly into a living mangrove ecosystem.

Construction for Wetlands by the Bay is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027.

If everything stays on schedule, visitors should be able to start paddling through the museum by the end of 2028.

A Museum You Paddle Through? Singapore Is Building One

Good News Network

Most restaurants give staff a holiday bonus. One restaurant in Ohio went a little further. They shut the place down and took the entire team on a cruise.

As the busy holiday season wrapped up at The Standard, owners Jeff Dinnebeil and Megan Lingsweiler surprised their cooks, servers and hosts with a three day trip to the Bahamas.

The couple booked a cruise with Royal Caribbean that sailed to Nassau and Bimini. Instead of keeping the restaurant open, they closed the doors so every staff member could come along.

For Dinnebeil and Lingsweiler, the idea started after a family cruise with their children the year before. The experience left such an impression that they wanted their staff to enjoy something similar.

They say the team is the reason the restaurant works.

Dinnebeil and Lingsweiler described their employees as the “lifeblood” of the business, and they wanted to thank them in a way that felt meaningful.

The trip turned out to be a first for several staff members.

Andrew Jackson, one of the restaurant’s cooks, had never flown before and had never been on a boat in the ocean.

“Everybody went on there as employees, and when we left and went back home, everybody was like family,” Jackson told Sheila Howard of The Toledo Blade.

For server Allison Latta, the trip also became a standout memory.

“I had been on cruises before, but this alone was probably my top vacation,” she told the Blade. “It was just such a unique experience getting to see 60 of your co-workers around the boat.”

The cruise itself looked more like a floating team celebration than a typical staff outing.

Employees spent time visiting the islands, but also took part in karaoke nights, scavenger hunts and a basketball competition. Large catered dinners brought the group together each evening.

The guest list even stretched beyond current staff.

A few loyal customers and former team members joined the trip as well, turning the getaway into something closer to a community celebration than a corporate retreat.

Back home, The Standard is known as a popular spot along Monroe Street in northwest Toledo, serving upscale American dishes with a focus on surf and turf.

But for a few days, the kitchen was quiet.

Dinnebeil and Lingsweiler closed the restaurant completely so nobody would have to miss the trip while others sailed off to celebrate.

And the cruise was not the only holiday reward. Employees also received Christmas bonuses from the owners.

For many on the trip, though, the shared experience turned out to be the biggest gift.

By the time the ship returned to port, coworkers who usually saw each other across a busy dining room said they felt something different.

Not just like colleagues. More like family.

Toledo Restaurant Owners Surprised Their Staff With a Bahamas Cruise as a Holiday Reward

GoodGoodGood

Television has long been accused of mishandling mental health. But new research suggests the script is finally changing.

Recent shows such as The Pitt, Adolescence and Shrinking are putting mental health front and center in their storylines. And according to researchers, audiences are responding.

A study from the USC Norman Lear Center found a significant rise in positive portrayals of mental health on television since 2021.

Researchers examined programs produced by Showtime, MTV Entertainment and the Paramount Media Network. They analyzed 13 television storylines that focused on mental health and surveyed audiences to see how those depictions affected viewers.

The results point to a clear shift in how television handles the topic.

Across the shows studied, researchers found more inclusive and responsible portrayals of mental health conditions. Derogatory language related to mental illness also declined by about 15 percent.

Viewers themselves reported feeling the difference.

Survey participants said they were more willing to seek help after watching storylines shaped by mental health experts or by creators with personal experience.

“This research validates what we as storytellers have always known: authentic and nuanced storytelling has the power to drive meaningful societal change,” said Nina L. Diaz, chief creative officer of Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios.

For researchers, the findings suggest television can influence real-world behaviour in subtle but meaningful ways.

Erica Rosenthal, director of research at the Norman Lear Center, said the shift reflects a broader cultural change in how mental health is discussed on screen.

“This research highlights a dramatic shift in mental health storytelling, away from stigmatizing language and toward more nuanced discussions of specific conditions and treatment options,” Rosenthal said.

She added that seeing fictional characters deal openly with mental health struggles can make a difference for viewers at home.

“When viewers see their favorite TV characters seeking help or supporting friends who are struggling, we find they are more likely to take these steps themselves.”

The study suggests the change is not just about what stories television tells, but how those stories are told.

Rather than treating mental illness as a punchline or plot device, many newer shows are leaning into more detailed portrayals of therapy, recovery and support systems.

Researchers say that approach appears to be resonating with audiences and encouraging conversations that once stayed off screen.

The findings were published as part of the 2026 Mental Health Edition of Goodnewspaper.

TV Shows are Leading a Positive Shift In Mental Health Portrayals, Study Finds

People

It looked like just another coin dropped into a fare box on a Leeds bus. But decades later, that small piece of metal turned out to be something far older than anyone expected.

More than 2,000 years older.

The coin, recently donated to Leeds Museums and Galleries, was revealed to date back to the 1st century BC. According to officials, it was originally produced by Carthaginians in the Spanish city of Cadiz.

Yet somehow, thousands of years later, it ended up paying for a bus ride in Leeds.

The story surfaced after 77-year-old Peter Edwards donated the coin to the museum. The artifact had been passed down to him by his grandfather, James Edwards, who once worked as chief cashier at Leeds City Transport.

In the 1950s, bus and tram drivers would hand in the money they collected at the end of each day. James Edwards was responsible for counting it.

Sometimes, though, odd coins would appear in the pile.

“My grandfather would come across coins which were not British and put them to one side, and when I went to his house, he would hand me a few,” Peter Edwards said in a statement.

The habit likely started just after the Second World War, when unusual coins from around the world occasionally surfaced in everyday circulation.

“It was not long after the war, so I imagine soldiers returned with coins from countries they had been sent to,” Edwards said. “Neither of us were coin collectors but we were fascinated by their origin and imagery – to me they were treasure.”

One of those coins eventually stood out.

After researching it years later, Edwards discovered it came from a Carthaginian settlement along the Spanish coast.

On one side of the coin is the face of the god Melqart. The figure resembles the Greek hero Herakles and is shown wearing his well-known lionskin headdress. Phoenician coins from the period sometimes borrowed Greek imagery to make them more recognizable to traders across the Mediterranean.

The small artifact is now considered both rare and mysterious by museum officials.

Edwards decided to donate the coin after realizing its historical significance and unusual journey.

“The coin always fascinated me because it was hard to decipher where it came from,” he said.

“My first thought when I found out its origin was that I would like to return it to an institute where it could be studied by all, and Leeds Museums and Galleries kindly offered to give it a good home.”

He added that the moment also felt like a tribute to his grandfather.

“My grandfather would be proud to know, as I am, that the coin is coming back to Leeds. However, how it got there will always be a mystery.”

Today, the coin has a permanent place at the Leeds Discovery Centre, where it sits among thousands of historic coins and currencies preserved in the museum’s collections.

For local officials, the object represents something larger than its size.

“It’s incredible to imagine how this tiny piece of history created by an ancient civilisation thousands of years ago has somehow made its way to Leeds and into our collection,” said Councillor Salma Arif of Leeds City Council.

“Museums like ours are not just about preserving objects, they’re also about telling stories like this one and inspiring visitors to think about the history that’s all around us, sometimes in the most unlikely of places.”

A coin minted in the ancient Mediterranean. A bus ride in 1950s England. And a mystery that may never be fully explained.

Bus Rider's 'Rare' Coin Discovered to Be Over 2000 Years Old

Sunny Skyz

It started with a dog barking.

Moments later, a series of unlikely events would come together to save a man’s life.

Chris, a resident of Queensland, says he is alive today thanks to a remarkable chain reaction that began when his dog, Sally, started barking outside his home.

“I really shouldn't be here right now. The odds were stacked against me so much. It's really, pretty much a miracle,” Chris said.

The emergency began shortly after his partner, Linda, left the house. Sally had slipped outside, so Chris stepped out to bring the dog back inside.

But after only a few steps, he suddenly collapsed.

Chris had gone into cardiac arrest.

Sally immediately began barking loudly and repeatedly. The noise caught the attention of several women working at a nearby general store.

Concerned, they stepped outside to investigate and quickly saw Chris lying motionless on the ground.

One of the workers, Renee, called Australia’s emergency number, 000, triggering a rapid response.

At nearly the same moment, another stroke of luck appeared.

A driver passing by noticed the situation and stopped to help. The man had recently completed a CPR course and began assisting right away.

Then came another coincidence that would prove critical.

An off-duty paramedic named Brendan lived next door.

After Renee alerted him, he rushed outside to help. Brendan joined the rescue effort, performing CPR and coordinating care until emergency crews could arrive. With authorization, he was even able to administer clot-busting medication, something paramedics are trained to provide during cardiac emergencies.

Soon after, emergency responders arrived at the scene.

Chris was airlifted by helicopter to hospital, where doctors performed surgery to insert stents and open the blocked arteries that had caused the cardiac arrest.

Looking back, Chris says every piece of the rescue happened at exactly the right moment.

From Sally’s persistent barking, to the quick-thinking store workers, to a passerby trained in CPR and a paramedic living just next door, each person played a role in keeping him alive.

Thanks to that extraordinary chain of events, Chris survived.

Today, he says he is recovering well and grateful for the people, and the dog, who stepped in when he needed it most.

How a Dog's Bark Triggered a Life-Saving Rescue for an Australian Man in Cardiac Arrest

One brother tackles quarterbacks. The other danced for packed stadiums on the biggest tour in the world.

Now they’re teaming up for something completely different.

Khalen Saunders, a defensive tackle who has played in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints and the New York Jets, and his brother Kameron Saunders, who spent more than 630 days performing on stage during Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, have launched a football camp designed specifically for LGBTQ+ youth.

The camp, announced in June, aims to give young people a place to learn football and build confidence in an environment built around acceptance.

Despite their very different careers, the brothers say their bond has always been strong.

Kameron came out to his family when he was 11 years old. Khalen was just 7 at the time, but he remembers feeling protective of his older brother even then.

Today, that same instinct is shaping the purpose behind the camp.

“I hope this camp can accomplish teaching the younger generation how to be accepting and loving and empathetic of others,” Khalen said during an appearance on the Today Show.

“Because at the end of the day, loving one another is the most important thing. I feel like my No. 1 rule that I’ve always went by is, treat others as you want to be treated.”

The camp focuses on football fundamentals but places just as much emphasis on creating a supportive environment for participants.

For Kameron, that sense of safety is the most important part.

He said the goal is to give young people a place to play and learn “without judgment, without ridicule.”

“This camp will be the catalyst for how future generations navigate spaces — particularly male-dominated spaces — in a more loving, nurturing, caring way.”

Sports spaces, especially football, have long been seen as environments where LGBTQ+ youth can feel excluded or unwelcome. The Saunders brothers say their camp is meant to change that dynamic by showing young athletes that sports and inclusivity can exist side by side.

Beyond the field, advocates say small everyday actions can make a big difference in helping LGBTQ+ youth feel supported.

One step is respecting a young person’s identity by using their chosen name and pronouns. Many advocates also encourage adults to normalize sharing their own pronouns when meeting new people, helping create an environment where everyone feels seen and respected.

Visible signals of support can also help. Wearing inclusive symbols like pride flag pins or supportive clothing can signal to young people that they are in a safe and welcoming space.

Organizations like The Trevor Project work to support LGBTQ+ youth through crisis intervention and suicide prevention programs, with proceeds from merchandise helping fund that work.

Another group, Free Mom Hugs, organizes volunteers who offer encouragement and support to LGBTQ+ individuals during events such as pride parades, marathons and weddings.

For the Saunders brothers, however, their focus right now is on the football field.

Two siblings with very different paths are using their platforms to create a space where young athletes can run drills, learn the game and simply be themselves.

And if the camp succeeds, they hope it will help shape a future where acceptance is just as much a part of sports as competition.

A Taylor Swift Dancer and his NFL Brother Launched the  First LGBTQ+ Youth Football Camp

Science Daily

Discovering a new species might sound like something out of an adventure novel. A scientist trekking through a remote jungle, stumbling across an animal no one has ever seen before.

According to Michigan State University herpetologist Chan Kin Onn, that image is mostly a myth.

"Most people have this image of an intrepid explorer braving an isolated mountain or some other remote place, and stumbling across a creature that no one has ever seen before," Chan said.

In reality, many new species are identified not in the wild, but in laboratories and museums by reexamining animals that scientists already know.

Sometimes, better tools reveal that what looked like a single species is actually several.

That is exactly what researchers found while studying a group of amphibians known as Bornean fanged frogs.

These small brown frogs live in the rainforests of Southeast Asia. They get their name from toothlike projections along their jaws.

One of the frogs in this group, Limnonectes kuhlii, has been known to science since 1838. For years it was treated as a single species spread across the region.

But modern genetic research raised doubts.

Scientists began to suspect that the frog might actually represent a cluster of hidden species.

Chan explained that animals that look nearly identical but are genetically different are known as cryptic species.

"Animals that look similar but are genetically distinct are called cryptic species," said Chan, who also serves as Curator of Vertebrate Collections and a core faculty member in Michigan State University's Ecology, Evolution and Behavior program.

Amphibians are especially rich in diversity. More than 9,000 species have already been identified worldwide, and scientists add roughly 100 to 200 new ones each year.

With advances in genetic sequencing, researchers have been uncovering hidden lineages at a rapid pace.

As Chan put it, "a ton of cryptic species are being discovered left and right."

To investigate the fanged frogs more closely, Chan and his colleagues collected DNA samples from specimens gathered across the mountainous rainforests of Malaysian Borneo.

The team analyzed more than 13,000 genes from the frogs’ genomes.

Their findings, published in the journal Systematic Biology, revealed that the frogs fall into several distinct genetic groups.

But the results did not support the most dramatic predictions.

Earlier studies suggested that the frogs might actually represent as many as 18 separate species.

Instead, the new research points to a smaller number.

"It's not just one species. But it's not 18 species, either," Chan said.

The evidence suggests there are likely six or seven distinct species within what was once thought to be a single frog.

Figuring out the exact number matters more than it might seem.

Amphibians are among the most threatened animals on the planet. A global analysis published in 2023 examined about 8,000 amphibian species and found that two out of five are threatened with extinction.

That makes amphibians the most endangered group of vertebrates.

Chan, who contributed to that study, said accurately identifying species is essential for protecting them.

"There are so many species in the world that we still haven't discovered, and that could go extinct before we can give them a name," he said.

But identifying too many species too quickly can also create problems.

If scientists divide one species into many smaller ones without strong evidence, each new species may appear to have a tiny geographic range. That can make it seem more endangered than it truly is.

"We cannot possibly conserve everything, so we have to triage and decide how to allocate limited resources towards what we think are the highest priorities," Chan said. "We could be putting names on things that shouldn't be prioritized."

The study also uncovered another complication.

The frogs appear to interbreed frequently, sharing genes between populations.

"We found a ton of gene flow going on," Chan said.

That gene flow blurs the boundaries scientists use to define species, making classification more complicated than it might seem.

Rather than forming suddenly, new species often emerge gradually over time.

"It's not like all of a sudden, boom. It's more of a continuum," Chan said.

The fanged frogs of Borneo are just one example of a much larger mystery.

As genetic research expands across insects, fish, birds and mammals, scientists are realizing that many species may be hiding in plain sight.

Earlier estimates suggested Earth might host about 8.7 million species.

Newer models that account for cryptic species hint the true number could be far higher, potentially ranging from seven to 250 times that estimate.

Where the real number lies remains uncertain.

But studies like this one are revealing just how complex the natural world can be, even for animals scientists thought they understood for nearly two centuries.

Scientists Just Revisited a Frog From 1838 And Found a Hidden Species Puzzle

Plastic waste might one day help make vinegar.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a new way to transform discarded plastics into acetic acid, the main ingredient found in vinegar, using nothing more than sunlight and a specially designed material.

The discovery offers a new approach to tackling plastic pollution while creating a useful chemical product at the same time.

“Our goal was to solve the plastic pollution challenge by converting microplastic waste into high-value products using sunlight,” said Dr. Yimin Wu, a professor of mechanical and mechatronics engineering at the University of Waterloo.

Plastic pollution has become a growing global concern. Tiny fragments known as microplastics have been found in oceans, soil and even the air. Scientists worry about the potential effects on wildlife and human health, while recycling rates remain low worldwide.

Instead of simply trying to collect and dispose of plastic, the Waterloo team looked for a way to transform it.

Their method relies on a process called photocatalysis, which uses light to trigger chemical reactions. The researchers designed a catalyst made from iron atoms embedded inside carbon nitride. The system was inspired by the way certain fungi use enzymes to break down organic material in nature.

When sunlight hits the material, it triggers a series of reactions that break apart plastic polymers and convert them into acetic acid.

The reaction takes place in water, which means it could potentially be used in environments where plastic pollution is already present, such as lakes, rivers or oceans.

Acetic acid has many uses beyond vinegar. It is widely used in food production, chemical manufacturing and some energy applications.

The study found the process works with several common plastics, including PVC, polypropylene, polyethylene and PET, the type often used in drink bottles.

Even mixtures of different plastics worked effectively, something researchers say is important because real-world waste streams often contain many types of plastic combined together.

That flexibility could make the technique more practical than some recycling systems that require careful sorting.

“Both from a business and societal perspective, the financial and economic benefits associated with this innovation seem promising,” said Roy Brouwer, executive director of the Water Institute and a coauthor involved in the study’s economic analysis.

Because the process uses sunlight as its energy source, it also avoids generating additional carbon dioxide.

“This method allows abundant and free solar energy to break down plastic pollution without adding extra carbon dioxide to the atmosphere,” Wu said.

Researchers say the technology could also help address the growing problem of microplastics.

Since the process breaks plastics down at the chemical level, it may prevent tiny plastic fragments from continuing to accumulate in waterways and ecosystems.

For now, the work remains in the laboratory stage. But the team believes the system could eventually be scaled up into solar-powered recycling or environmental cleanup systems.

Future research will focus on improving the materials and engineering needed to make the process more efficient and suitable for larger-scale use.

If successful, the approach could turn one of the planet’s biggest pollution challenges into something unexpectedly useful.

In other words, tomorrow’s vinegar might begin with yesterday’s plastic bottle.

Researchers Transform Plastic Waste Into Vinegar Ingredient Using Sunlight

The Guardian

What began as a routine day of ice fishing on Georgian Bay ended with helicopters lifting stranded anglers off a drifting sheet of ice and emotional calls to loved ones that many feared might be their last.

Kevin Fox headed out to Lake Huron expecting a typical winter outing. The brief stretch of spring-like temperatures across south-eastern Ontario made it seem like a good day to fish.

After first setting up close to shore, Fox and a friend decided to move farther out.

“The wind and ice didn’t feel right,” he later wrote, and the fish were not biting near land.

Soon they joined nearly two dozen others on a large sheet of ice floating off the coast of Georgian Bay. Like most anglers spending a day on frozen water, they drilled holes in the ice, dropped their lines and waited.

Less than four hours later, something strange began to happen.

The group noticed the ice was moving. The shift was slow, almost imperceptible at first, but noticeable enough that it showed up on their electronic devices.

Warm temperatures and strong winds had caused a large section of ice to break away from shore, leaving 23 people stranded on a drifting slab in the bay.

Families were among those stuck on the ice.

As the realization spread across the group, panic began to build.

Fox wrote on Facebook that several anglers tried to run toward shore in hopes of escaping. But when they reached one edge of the ice, they discovered the frozen sheet had already separated from land.

They ran toward another section of shoreline.

The result was the same.

The ice had broken free.

As the gaps widened, the situation grew more frightening.

“I just started screaming: the ice is opening. The ice is opening,” Alfie How, one of the fishers, told the Sun Times, a local newspaper.

Three members of the group attempted to make a final dash back to shore, but the ice around them cracked apart into smaller pieces, leaving them stranded on open water.

“That’s when the reality of the situation really set in,” Fox wrote.

Strong winds were battering the bay, raising fears that rescuers might not be able to reach them.

“We heard with the [strong] winds at one point they could not send a boat or helicopter. We honestly thought we were doomed,” he wrote.

The uncertainty led to emotional moments among the group.

“Some of the guys started making final phone calls to their families. It’s something I will never forget – seeing grown men crying while saying goodbye to the people they love.”

Some of the anglers were wearing flotation suits designed for ice fishing, but they knew the frigid water surrounding them could become deadly within minutes if they fell in.

Eventually, rescue crews arrived.

Ontario police launched a response involving two helicopters and an air ambulance. The dramatic operation unfolded on Sunday and lasted about two hours.

Rescuers first lifted the three anglers stranded on a smaller piece of ice. They then ferried the remaining people back to shore in a series of flights.

Everyone was safely removed from the drifting ice sheet.

Fox said the group had tried to follow safety precautions before heading out. They monitored ice conditions, winds and temperatures before venturing onto the frozen water.

But authorities say conditions on large lakes can change quickly, especially when warmer weather moves in.

Constable Craig Soldan of the Huron County Ontario Provincial Police said fluctuating temperatures can weaken ice in ways that are difficult to detect.

“We’re really encouraging people here in our area to stay off the ice altogether. Stay away from the edges of waterways,” Soldan told the Canadian Press.

He said the warning applies to more than just large lakes.

“That includes rivers, ponds – any kind of bodies of water where you’ve got ice shelves, they’re breaking away.”

Soldan summed up the danger with a simple message often repeated by winter safety officials.

“No ice is safe ice.”

For the anglers rescued from Georgian Bay, the message now carries a personal weight. What started as a quiet day of fishing turned into a dramatic rescue and a reminder of just how quickly conditions on the ice can change.

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