Science Alert

A team of international researchers says it has developed a fast, effective way to remove toxic “forever chemicals” from water — and actually destroy them in the process.

The method, developed by engineers at Rice University in the US, uses a layered material that combines copper and aluminum to target PFAS, a class of stubborn synthetic chemicals that don’t break down in nature.

“We are excited by the potential of this one-of-a-kind LDH-based technology to transform how PFAS-contaminated water sources are treated in the near future,” said Michael Wong, a chemical engineer at Rice and co-author of the study.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have been used since the 1940s in everything from raincoats and carpets to non-stick pans and firefighting foam. Their chemical structure makes them incredibly resistant to heat, water, and oil — but also nearly impossible to degrade. As a result, PFAS have accumulated in water, soil, air, and even human bloodstreams.

Certain PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS, have been linked to serious health problems such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and reproductive issues. And while efforts to regulate or remove them are underway, most current filtration techniques are slow, expensive, and can generate secondary waste.

The new method could offer a major upgrade. It uses a material called a layered double hydroxide (LDH), which forms when copper and aluminum are mixed with nitrate. The resulting structure has a slight charge imbalance that attracts PFOA molecules — one of the most common and dangerous PFAS — and binds them tightly.

“This LDH compound captured PFAS more than 1,000 times better than other materials,” said lead author Youngkun Chung, also from Rice University. “It also worked incredibly fast, removing large amounts of PFAS within minutes, about 100 times faster than commercial carbon filters.”

The researchers tested their LDH filter on PFAS-contaminated water from rivers, taps, and wastewater plants. In all cases, it worked quickly and efficiently. Once the filter was full, the team cleaned and regenerated it by adding calcium carbonate and applying heat. This step broke the strong carbon-fluorine bonds that give PFAS their longevity — essentially destroying the PFOA molecules.

The remaining byproduct, a fluorine-calcium compound, can be safely sent to landfill, Wong said.

The research, published in Advanced Materials, is still in early stages but has shown consistent success in lab settings. The team hopes the technology can eventually be adapted for use in both drinking water and wastewater treatment plants around the world.

With more than 12,000 PFAS variants still in circulation, many with unknown effects on human health, scientists say developing scalable, fast, and safe cleanup methods is becoming increasingly urgent.

This one, they say, might just be a game-changer.

New Waste Filter Destroys ‘Forever Chemicals’ 100 Times Faster Than Current Methods, Say Scientists

Good News Network

Archaeologists in Mexico have uncovered what experts are calling the most significant archaeological find in a decade: a 1,400-year-old tomb belonging to the ancient Zapotec civilization, with vividly preserved murals and carvings — including a dramatic stone owl head with a human face in its beak.

Located in San Pablo Huitzo in the state of Oaxaca, the tomb dates back to the 6th or 7th century CE and was decorated with murals in vibrant green, white, blue, and red pigments. The burial chamber is believed to hold vital clues about Zapotec funerary rituals and spiritual beliefs.

“This is the most significant archaeological discovery of the last decade in Mexico due to the level of preservation and the information it provides,” said President Claudia Sheinbaum during a press briefing.

The most striking feature is a frieze depicting an enormous owl head — a powerful Zapotec symbol of death and the night — grasping what appears to be a man's head in its beak. According to the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the face may represent the deceased individual entombed there.

At the entrance to the burial chamber, archaeologists also found carvings of two human figures holding ceremonial objects. INAH researchers believe they could have symbolically served as guardians of the tomb.

The discovery adds to growing excitement around renewed interest in the Zapotecs, a pre-Colombian people native to what is now Oaxaca. While often overshadowed in popular imagination by the Aztecs and Maya, the Zapotecs were a powerful and enduring civilization whose descendants still live in the region today, speaking the Zapotec language and preserving many cultural traditions.

Mexico’s culture secretary, Claudia Curiel de Icaza, emphasized the importance of the find not just for historians and archaeologists but for the Zapotec community itself. “Zapotecs alive today will be eager to hear what the tomb and its murals and carvings will tell of their ancestors’ social organization, funerary rituals, and belief system,” she said.

The tomb is currently undergoing critical conservation work. INAH says the site and its fragile artworks are vulnerable to insects, tree roots, and moisture damage from the local climate.

This find comes on the heels of another major Zapotec-related revelation. A recent LiDAR survey revealed that a network of ruins near Santo Domingo Tehuantepec is, in fact, a Zapotec fortress — complete with ball courts — potentially offering a new understanding of how the Zapotecs resisted Aztec expansion to the south.

Pedro Guillermo Ramón Celis, who led the LiDAR project, told researchers at McGill University that further studies of the fortress and tomb could yield insights into the Zapotecs’ defensive strategies and day-to-day life.

For now, researchers and descendants alike are watching closely — not just to protect the site, but to listen to what the carvings, colors, and stone guardians of this ancient tomb might still have to say.

1,400-Year-Old Zapotec Tomb Unearthed in Mexico Reveals Astonishing Owl-Head Frieze

BBC News

Every Sunday morning in Barnet, north London, Leo Gottesman pulls on his gloves, steps between the posts, and defies every expectation of what an 82-year-old should be doing.

He’s not just playing in goal for a local six-a-side team. He’s been running the entire thing for over 40 years.

“I’ve been organising the games since 1981,” he told the BBC.

Back then, Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister, the first Indiana Jones movie was in cinemas, and Gottesman was already well into adulthood. He had started playing soccer again at the age of 35 and hasn’t stopped since. "I played football at school, naturally, although I wasn't a goalkeeper at the time," he said.

That came later.

Now, decades on, Gottesman remains a fixture at Powerleague Barnet, a local sports centre where generations of players have come and gone. Among them: his own son, who joined the matches over the years.

He has had plenty of reasons to hang up his boots. Twenty-five years ago, Gottesman suffered a heart attack. His cardiologist told him to stop playing. He did—briefly.

“I stopped for about two or three months,” he said. “But I love the game so much, I just had to continue.”

His teammates don’t seem to mind. In fact, they’re in awe.

“He’s got so much experience, his positioning is incredible and so he’s difficult to score past,” said Rex Cooper, a regular player. “Leo is a very passionate and reliable person and he's a role model for all of us.”

For Gottesman, it's never been just about the game. It’s also about the camaraderie, the routine, and the joy of keeping something going that’s lasted for more than four decades.

Fellow player Henry Thorpe-Spinks has been showing up on Sundays for 13 years, sometimes with his dad. “I don't know any other football game where they've got a goalkeeper who's not only that age but also has been playing for 40‑odd years and been running it,” he said.

He’s not exaggerating. In addition to defending the goal, Gottesman manages all the behind-the-scenes work: confirming numbers, booking the pitch, collecting payments, even washing the kits.

“I think we take him for granted to be honest,” Thorpe-Spinks said.

But Gottesman is the kind of guy you don’t forget. Asked what makes a great keeper, he gave a simple answer: flexibility and anticipation. It’s not just reflexes that matter, he said, but reading the game before the ball even gets to you.

After 40 years, he should know.

And while others might slow down or retire, Gottesman has no such plans. The man’s heart is clearly still in it—even if it once gave him reason to pause.

On any given Sunday, if you happen to be in Barnet, you’ll find him exactly where he’s been for decades. Between the posts. Still stretching, diving, shouting, and stopping shots. Still in love with the game.

Still Between the Posts at 82: Meet London’s Longest-Running Soccer Goalie

The Cool Down

Building like a beaver might be one of the best things we can do for rivers, fish, and even drinking water.

Researchers at Washington State University have reviewed more than 160 studies and found that artificial beaver dams can mimic many of the benefits that real beaver structures provide—cooling water, improving fish habitat, boosting biodiversity, and even helping fight wildfires.

“It’s really a great example of how these beaver-mimicry practices can improve fish habitat and contribute to fish-population growth,” said Jonah Piovia-Scott, the study’s senior author, according to WSU Insider.

The research is especially relevant in the wake of massive changes to ecosystems over the last two centuries. Beavers were nearly wiped out in North America during the 18th and 19th centuries due to fur trapping, and their populations never fully rebounded. As a result, many of the ecological functions they once provided—like slowing water flow, creating wetland habitat, and filtering pollution—have been lost.

Artificial dams are now helping fill that gap. One study cited in the WSU review found that an artificial dam helped increase the population of threatened steelhead trout. The dam created cooler water temperatures in summer, reduced flooding risks, and provided shelter for fish—mimicking the impact real beavers would have had on the landscape.

And the benefits go beyond fish. The U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service notes that the pools formed by these dams act like natural water filters, giving native plants a better chance to thrive. They also help water soak into the ground more efficiently, recharging groundwater and reducing the severity of droughts.

The World Wildlife Fund adds that these pools can trap pollutants, improving water quality for nearby communities. Other studies have shown that beaver dams—both real and artificial—can help protect bat habitats and reduce the damage caused by floods and fires.

Still, the researchers are cautious not to overstate the case. “There’s a lot of good evidence coming out,” Piovia-Scott said. “But there’s still a lot of work to be done to bridge the gap between the potential benefits and what’s actually happening on the ground.”

Despite those caveats, the work is already making waves beyond academia. WSU Insider reports that Piovia-Scott’s research has led to new partnerships with tribal organizations, nonprofits, and restoration groups that are using artificial beaver dams in real-world conservation efforts.

Artificial Beaver Dams Are Helping Nature Bounce Back, Study Finds

Firefighters rescued an injured deer that had become stuck on a frozen lake in Fort Scott, Kansas, on Wednesday, January 28.

Firefighters from the City of Olathe and Fort Scott Fire Departments joined forces to rescue the deer, which was stranded 100 yards from shore.

Video released by the City of Olathe Fire Department (COFD) shows crews using ice rescue equipment and a pulley line to help bring the deer to shore.

“The ice may look fun, but it may not be able to support your bodyweight. In just minutes, cold water submersion can be fatal,” COFD said on Facebook. “Yesterday, we helped our friends at the Fort Scott Fire Department rescue a distressed deer from icy Lake Fort Scott.”

Drone footage released by the department shows the scene where the rescue took place.

Emergency Crews Just Rescued a Deer From Frozen Lake in Kansas

Taryn Smith didn’t grow up on the coast or come from a family of ocean adventurers. Her love of open water began in Omaha, Nebraska—one of the most landlocked places in America.

Now, at just 25, she’s made history by becoming the first woman to complete the World’s Toughest Row solo, a grueling 3,000-mile crossing of the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to Antigua.

It started with a magazine article.

Smith read about an all-female rowing team that set a world record in the Great Pacific Race in 2022. “I just remember thinking it sounded like the most amazing thing in the entire world,” she told PEOPLE. “I wanted to do something big in my 20s. I wanted to spend the rest of my life knowing that I was capable of something like this.”

She quit her human resources job and committed to three years of preparation. Her grandparents had some sailing experience, but Smith had to start from scratch. She trained in the U.K., lived alone on her rowboat for weeks at a time, and learned to read the ocean like a second language.

“She has always been a kid that thrives on adventure,” her mother, Shelly Smith, told Nebraska Public Media. “She just really likes that challenge.”

On December 14, Smith joined 42 other teams from 20 countries at the race’s start. Unlike everyone else, she was alone in her boat. Each day, she rowed for 10 to 12 hours. Each night, she faced the vast Atlantic in total solitude.

Day 27 nearly broke her.

A storm was closing in. The sun had triggered hives across her skin. She hadn’t slept properly in days. “A wave would come just gushing over the deck and would literally knock me out of my shoes,” she said in an Instagram video. “It was really, really scary. I think this is the first day I felt properly terrified since being out here.”

A marlin shadowed her boat for miles, circling her oars. Her body and mind were beyond exhaustion. And still, she rowed.

“It’s been a really hard day, but I am really proud of the effort that I put in,” she said that evening. “I kept rowing and now it’s more comfortable to row than it is to try to sleep. I’m listening to Harry Potter. So all in all, life is good.”

Smith partnered with Girls on the Run throughout the journey, raising funds for the nonprofit that helps girls in grades 3 through 8 build confidence through running and community programs. With each stroke, she embodied the message she hoped to send: big goals are worth chasing, even when they’re scary. Especially when they’re scary.

On January 29, Smith rowed into Antigua’s harbor with an American flag flying behind her and a flare raised in victory. She finished in 46 days, 3 hours, and 37 minutes—days faster than even her best-case prediction.

She was the first solo woman to finish. And she did it before turning 26.

“Everything is more within reach than we think,” Smith said. “I hope people understand that you should take on your biggest challenges, even if it means being alone. Even if it’s scary. You can do it—and you probably won’t be alone for very long.”

A few years ago, she was reading about ocean adventurers in a landlocked city. Today, she’s become one.

Nebraska Woman Rows Into History, Becomes the First Female to Solo Cross Atlantic in 3,000 Mile Race

While most of the mid-Atlantic was stuck indoors after recent ice storms, two 13-year-olds in Maryland turned freezing weather into a reason to connect.

Adeline Sutich and her friend Maeve Ritchotte spent hours building an igloo in front of a home that had been destroyed by fire months earlier. Their goal: to bring the community back together—one ice brick at a time.

“We built an igloo to create unity in the community and bring people together,” Adeline said in a phone call with GNN. “It brought joy to all the neighbors when the snow was frustrating and very difficult to cope with.”

Located on Helena Drive in the Sligo Woods neighborhood of Silver Spring, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C., the igloo became a snowy symbol of hope. “I feel like this igloo is a good representation of hope—and how things can be rebuilt,” Adeline said.

The project started with a shovel and a sled. The girls carved dozens of rectangular bricks from the snow and hauled them over to the symbolic spot. As the sun dipped behind the trees, Adeline’s dad Stefan outfitted them with headlamps to finish the job in the dark. Her mom documented the build with videos and photos.

Inside the igloo, they crafted seats and a table out of ice, turning it into a mini hangout for neighbors. They even left a guest book, which quickly filled with kind notes and warm memories.

“I did this as a kid, too,” wrote one visitor named Melinda.

“My three kids love it!” added another, Jen.

“Many neighbors have come up and talked with us about the igloo and how much they’ve enjoyed it,” Adeline said. “We’ve had more visitors sign the book today!”

One woman who had watched the build from her window finally stopped by the next day, under clear skies. “It brought back so many childhood memories,” she wrote.

The igloo has stood not just as a snow fort, but as a gentle reminder that even after loss and hardship, rebuilding can begin in unexpected ways—sometimes with two friends, a flat shovel, and a whole lot of snow.

These Teens Built an Igloo To Unite Their Community After an Ice Storm — Here's How It's Working

Jeff Tweedy has released more than two dozen albums over his career, but his latest might be his most ambitious yet: a triple album called Twilight Override. “It’s a heaping helping!” he joked in a recent interview with CBS News. “We whittled it down from almost five records.”

The new solo project arrives from the 58-year-old frontman of Wilco, the beloved indie rock band known for its loyal fanbase and quietly enduring presence. Sitting among a wall of guitars at The Loft, Wilco’s studio and rehearsal space in Chicago, Tweedy looked perfectly at home—though he admits his wife is less thrilled by his sprawling collection of instruments. “She gets so angry!” he laughed. “It’s not necessarily money. I think it’s just the gluttony.”

But for Tweedy, instruments are fuel for creativity. “It’s almost like that scene in Willy Wonka when you open the [door] and see the chocolate river,” he said. “I open that door every day and go, ‘Oh, what’s gonna happen?’”

That approach—equal parts work ethic and wonder—has helped make him a songwriting icon. He keeps a running list of odd phrases and lyrical fragments. One line that didn’t make the cut: “Grated parmesan in my eye.” One that did: “In the window I have a twin / I look out, he sees in.”

Raised in Southern Illinois, Tweedy says his family background shaped his outlook. His father was a railroad worker in East St. Louis. “The idea was, if this didn’t work out, I guess I’ll work on the railroad,” he said. “Maybe after I won a Grammy, that’s when the penny dropped: I think that it might be something legitimate.”

He doesn’t romanticize the rockstar life. Instead, he leans into routine, recovery, and reflection. That clarity came after a battle with opioid addiction, which landed him in a mental hospital 20 years ago. There, a simple piece of advice stuck with him: “Do not postpone happiness.”

“It just made the most sense to me of anything anybody had said up to that point,” he said. “Anything that reminds you not to postpone joy is maybe helpful... in terms of inspiration, and just building a strategy for survival.”

These days, Tweedy says music is where he feels most powerful. “It’s the only place I feel like I have... I’m powerful in any kind of way.”

On Twilight Override, he’s joined by his sons Spencer and Sammy. They grew up around music, and now they’re part of it. “Some of these songs, we heard about many of them the day that they were written,” said Sammy. “He would just show us the voice memo or play it on guitar, like, right after writing it.”

Spencer compared it to childhood play: “We didn’t do a lot of playing catch, but we did do a lot of playing music together.”

Tweedy says singing harmony with family is “very grounding.” It’s part of why he keeps making music—not just with Wilco, which has now been together for more than 30 years, but through his own projects, like this one.

Wilco’s never had a massive hit, but they’ve built something rare. “We’re the rare band in that strata that I think has never really had a massive hit, or what has sustained it hasn’t necessarily been radio play,” he said. “It’s really been kind of like this steady touring endeavor.”

He calls Wilco a “middle-class band.” Maybe “upper middle class,” he added. But it’s not about labels—it’s about consistency, and about showing up for the fans who show up for them.

“The camaraderie, the connection that they have, we can’t compete with that,” Tweedy said. “All we can do is not let that down.”

Does that feel like a responsibility? “It feels, yeah, like having a congregation of some sort. Yeah, I wanna feel like I deserve it. And part of wanting to feel like I deserve it means maintaining some sense of gratitude.”

Gratitude for the fans, for the music, and even for small pleasures—like enjoying an Italian ice on a park bench. Twilight Override is streaming now.

Wilco Frontman's New Triple Album Is Big, Bold, and Full of Gratitude

At a rehabilitation center in northern India, veterinarians are turning to an ancient technique to help elephants recover from injuries and long-term pain. Acupuncture, first developed in China more than 2,000 years ago, is now being used at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre in Mathura to treat everything from nerve damage to arthritis.

The technique may be old, but the results are very current. The center’s team says acupuncture has helped ease chronic pain, improve mobility, and even restore digestive function in elephants rescued from begging, circuses, and grueling labor.

“Many elephants rescued by Wildlife SOS have pain pathways overstimulated by years of abuse, poor nutrition, and untreated injuries, making chronic pain a major challenge to treat,” said Natasha Ashok of Wildlife SOS. “Once our team gained expertise in acupuncture principles, we began applying it at our Elephant Hospital Campus, yielding remarkable improvements in several elephants.”

Wildlife SOS, which runs 12 rescue centers across India, first explored acupuncture while trying to help Bani, a baby elephant who was left partially paralyzed after an accident. Determined to help her walk again, the team began experimenting with ayurvedic massage, hydrotherapy, and eventually, acupuncture.

They reached out to experts in Thailand and the United States, including Dr. Porrakote Rungsri at Chiang Mai University and Dr. Huisheng Xie, founder of the Chi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. With their guidance, the team in Mathura learned how to adapt acupuncture to elephants.

In animals as in humans, acupuncture works by inserting small needles at specific points along the body’s meridians—energy pathways that, when stimulated, can improve blood flow, reduce inflammation, and ease pain. Some treatments also involve moxibustion, in which mugwort is burned near the skin to warm certain points and promote circulation.

Since adopting the technique, Wildlife SOS has used it to treat a growing number of patients:

Holly and Zara, two elephants rescued from the begging trade, suffer from chronic arthritis and severe joint pain. Holly injured her knee in a fall. Vets used a technique called “circle the dragon,” placing needles around the joint to reduce inflammation and encourage healing. For both animals, they also used dry needling and electro-acupuncture to ease hindlimb pain.

Raju and Taj came to the center with long-standing digestive problems—recurrent colic and constipation. Poor diets and limited movement had damaged their gut health. With acupuncture targeting digestion-related points, and moxibustion to warm the meridians, both elephants improved.

Another elephant, Vayu, arrived with painful swelling in his lower belly and chest. Acupuncture helped drain the fluid and improve circulation, reducing the edema.

Bani, the calf who started it all, has also shown progress. Her ability to move and stand improved once acupuncture was added to her treatment plan.

Wildlife SOS now calls the therapy a “valuable tool” that works well alongside conventional medicine. “Its integration has brought significant improvements,” the group said.

The organization held its first elephant acupuncture workshop last year at the Mathura facility, hoping to bring more attention to the technique’s potential. The team is careful to note that acupuncture isn’t a miracle cure—but for elephants like Bani, Holly, and Raju, it offers a new path to healing when traditional treatments fall short.

Donations for their ongoing care can be made through the Wildlife SOS website.

India’s Largest Elephant Rescue Center Is Using Acupuncture to Treat Pain and Paralysis

Euro News

A possible new Earth-like planet is making waves in the astronomy world — not because it’s teeming with life, but because it comes eerily close to mimicking our own planet’s size and orbit.

HD 137010 b, a planet candidate located about 146 light-years from Earth, has caught scientists’ attention thanks to a faint signal buried in old Kepler space telescope data. It’s just 6 percent larger than Earth and circles its star in 355 days — nearly a perfect match for our calendar year.

Its star? Nearly a twin of our sun, though dimmer and cooler by about 1,000 degrees. That lower output of energy means HD 137010 b receives less than one-third of the sunlight Earth does. Surface temperatures are estimated between minus 68 and minus 70 degrees Celsius, placing it far closer to Mars in terms of climate than Earth.

That frosty forecast doesn’t completely rule out the possibility of life. Climate models suggest that if HD 137010 b has a dense atmosphere rich in carbon dioxide, a strong greenhouse effect could warm the surface enough to allow liquid water to form — at least for part of the year.

“It’s not necessarily a dead ice world,” the authors of a new paper in The Astrophysical Journal Letters noted. They say it’s theoretically possible that a thick, CO₂-heavy atmosphere could push the planet into the outer edge of the habitable zone — the not-too-hot, not-too-cold region around a star where water could exist in liquid form.

But here’s the catch: no one’s entirely sure if HD 137010 b even exists.

So far, scientists have only detected one possible “transit,” the brief dimming of a star’s light when a planet crosses in front of it. That one 10-hour signal was captured in 2017 by the Kepler telescope, and it stood out thanks to the work of amateur volunteers from the “Planet Hunters” citizen science project. The data had been sitting in the archives for years before the team flagged it.

That single transit limits what astronomers can confirm. Normally, two or more transits are needed to make a confident planet detection. Still, the team led by Alexander Venner — now at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg — analyzed the signal and concluded that only one planetary configuration could explain it.

It’s why HD 137010 b is still officially labeled a “candidate” and not a confirmed planet. But its potential has astronomers paying attention.

Earth-like exoplanets are rare enough. Ones that orbit stars similar to our sun, with year-long orbits and Earth-like sizes, are even rarer. Most of the 6,000-plus exoplanets discovered so far are gas giants or searing-hot worlds that orbit extremely close to their stars. HD 137010 b stands out because it ticks so many of the right boxes — and it’s relatively close by cosmic standards.

Its location and the brightness of its star make it a strong candidate for future atmospheric analysis. Scientists hope that with powerful new telescopes, they might be able to detect gases such as oxygen or methane, which could signal biological activity.

But that’s still a long way off. With an orbit almost as long as Earth’s, any repeat transit won’t come around often. Future telescopes would need to be looking at exactly the right time to catch it again.

Even if it turns out to be the real deal — and even if its atmosphere proves life-friendly — HD 137010 b is well beyond human reach. Scientists estimate it would take tens or hundreds of thousands of years to get there with today’s technology.

Still, it’s the kind of find that fires the imagination: a cold, distant planet that mirrors our own in size and orbit, quietly circling a sun-like star on the outer edge of possibility.

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