📉 Engineering appeal dipping in Tamil Nadu, experts say 📉

Student preference for engineering careers appears to be declining in Tamil Nadu compared to the previous year. Career counsellors noted a significant drop in demand, especially for colleges located in rural areas. Specifically, only 112 colleges filled over 90% of seats this year versus 164 last year, according to TNEA 2026 data. This trend is further supported by a four percentage point lower total student intake across all three counselling rounds. Moving forward, institutions with low seat fillings face operational challenges amidst current economic shifts.

🔬 New sensor spots pesticide toxins

Researchers developed a non-enzymatic Ag/CuS-MWCNT-chitosan/SPCE sensor for detecting pesticides. This was achieved by synthesizing Ag/CuS nanoparticles using orange peel extract at Thammasat University. The sensor showed reliable detection over a 5–30 ppm concentration range, with R2 values of 0.95943 and 0.99328. This method was compared against HPLC, which also showed excellent linearity for both compounds. The research paves the way for faster and more accurate environmental monitoring. 🔬

😥 Microsoft 365 down: Outlook, Teams facing issues

Widespread issues are affecting Microsoft 365 services, including Outlook and Teams. Thousands of users across the US, including Virginia and Texas, reported problems starting around 12:15 p.m. EDT on Monday. As of 3:15 p.m. EDT, the company was investigating an issue with an authentication component impacting multiple services. Microsoft is currently testing a remediation strategy to fix the problem. It is still unclear exactly when all affected Microsoft 365 services will be fully restored. 😥

💊 Sun Pharma among 9 firms to cut drug prices

Nine pharmaceutical firms, including Sun Pharma, have signed agreements with the Trump administration to lower prescription drug prices for Americans. This move involves Sun Pharma contributing antibiotics to the US Strategic Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Reserve. The deals expand the total MFN pricing partners to 26, covering 89% of the branded drug market as of Monday. These agreements target costly chronic and rare diseases, promising billions in savings for state Medicaid programs. The administration aims to bring US drug prices in line with those in other developed nations. 💊

⚛️ Quantum light steers electrons in graphene

Researchers demonstrated optical control over electrons within light-dressed graphene using quantum circularly polarized light. The team, from several institutes, achieved this by focusing femtosecond laser pulses on monolayer graphene. They observed these unique quantum properties on a date around the time of the study, showing strong sub-cycle phase-sensitivity. This method introduces tunable topological insulators directly into solid-state materials, unlike previous synthetic systems. This breakthrough paves the way for ultrafast control in topotronics and attosecond physics. ⚛️

🔬 Echoes unlock identity in hidden audio settings

Researchers developed a new framework to identify people in non-line-of-sight (NLOS) environments using acoustic echoes. This study was conducted at a controlled multichannel acoustic setup involving 10 different subjects. The research used data collected through 8 speakers and 8 microphones, analyzed on August 31, 2026. The method combined spectral (STFT) and topological (LPVG) features, achieving a mean accuracy of 96.17% ± 4.07%. This confirms secondary echoes carry unique patterns even when direct signals are blocked. 🔊

💧 Darjeeling's water crisis: Commons vs. enclosure

Darjeeling faces chronic water shortages across three systems: municipal, private, and community springs. Research highlights that the samaj-managed springs are the most resilient ecological commons in the Eastern Himalaya. These springs are under threat as other systems promote enclosure and extraction logics. The crisis demands more than just infrastructure spending, but institutional support for commoning. Actively resisting these encroaching enclosures is key to solving the city’s water challenges. 💧

🩺 J&K medical interns strike over low pay

MBBS and BDS interns in Jammu & Kashmir initiated an indefinite strike on Monday. The protest is happening across medical colleges in Jammu & Kashmir to demand a stipend hike. Currently, the interns receive Rs 12,300, but they want it increased to Rs 30,000. Protesters noted their stipend hasn't changed in seven years, unlike other states where it ranges from Rs 25,000 to Rs 45,000. Congress' J&K unit chief Tariq Hameed Karra urged CM Omar Abdullah to look into the issue immediately.

🌳 Old chains are choking Revolutionary War oak tree

Specialist arborists are carefully restoring a 300-year-old southern live oak at the Eutaw Springs battlefield in South Carolina. This massive tree witnessed a major battle on September 8, 1781, during the American Revolutionary War. Support systems installed decades ago, including heavy iron chains and steel cables, have now become detrimental to its health. These embedded metals are putting pressure on the cambium layer, effectively choking the tree by blocking nutrient flow. The intensive restoration, initially $20,000, is expected to take at least a year for the oak to recover. 🌳

🤖 ChatGPT Work and Outlook are down

OpenAI and Microsoft reported user outages for their key products on Monday. OpenAI's ChatGPT Work experienced errors and latency for about three hours, while Microsoft had issues with Exchange Online. Over 1,100 users flagged OpenAI problems on Downdetector around 2:24 p.m. ET, and Microsoft Outlook reported nearly 4,600 issues shortly after. ChatGPT Work is an enterprise AI agent that competes with Claude Cowork to help with complex tasks. Both companies are actively working on implementing fixes for the ongoing service disruptions. 🛠️

💡 NC student makes batteries from dirty water

North Carolina student Prakhar Purohit developed a project titled ‘Tiny Batteries from Dirty Water.’ He achieved this recognition at the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, becoming the 2026 North Carolina State Merit Winner. This project merges the environmental concern of dirty water with the need for small electrical power sources. The concept reframes a contaminant as a potential energy source for practical applications. This achievement showcases how everyday problems can inspire innovative scientific research. 🔋