💡 Kitchen foil could ditch costly terahertz polarizers

Australian researchers found a simple way to create terahertz polarizers using ordinary aluminium kitchen foil. The team at ANU developed this method by using a nanosecond laser to etch microscopic grids onto the foil. This process takes as little as 15 seconds and bypasses expensive cleanrooms and specialized fabrication. These tiny components are vital for controlling terahertz light, which can see through materials without X-rays. The new approach promises cheaper and faster production for these fundamental scientific tools. 🔬

🌍 how democracy evolved over the last 200 years

Elections, voting rights, and political competition have developed globally over the last two centuries. Historically, leaders were often chosen by inheritance or force in the late 18th century. By the second half of the 20th century, elections became the main way to pick leaders worldwide. Although progress is seen, dozens of countries have become less democratic in the last decade. The current trend shows a shift from rule by blood to rule by election. 🗳️

🔥 Hanuman Ansh's massive box office comeback 🚀

Hanuman Ansh, starring Chandan Anand, saw an unbelievable 595% jump in its third weekend compared to week two. Released on August 7, the film initially performed poorly, earning only 89 lakh in the first week. Screen counts drastically increased from 40 to 400 in week three due to positive word-of-mouth. The third weekend brought in 3.2 crore, with day 17 netting a massive 2.18 crore. Overall, the movie has now gathered 4.55 crore net at the Indian box office.

🎮 Dawnwalker finally gets 60 FPS mode after backlash

The Blood of Dawnwalker will receive a Performance Mode targeting 60 FPS across key consoles. This update was revealed by Bandai Namco and Rebel Wolves over the weekend. The feature will be included in the launch patch on Day 1 for PS5, PS5 Pro, and Xbox Series X. The developers acknowledged player feedback regarding console performance and prioritized testing. The game is set to launch on September 3 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. 🎮

🎬 Khalifa trails Aadujeevitham by 60% post opening weekend

Prithviraj Sukumaran's film Khalifa has seen a significant drop at the box office after its August 20 release. It was released in theaters, but poor word-of-mouth hurt its performance against competitors. Over its 4-day opening weekend, Khalifa earned a net total of 11.9 crore, with an overseas gross of 16.25 crore. This puts it trailing Aadujeevitham by 60% in the opening weekend comparison. The film might end up being Prithviraj’s third consecutive failure. 📉

🍪 Yeast turns plastic and crop waste into protein cookies

Scientists engineered yeast to convert PET plastic and crop residues into edible proteins and vitamins. This breakthrough was achieved by researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The process involves using genetically programmed yeasts on materials like discarded corn stalks. This technology offers a novel way to recycle plastic while aiding food production in tough spots. The team plans to present their findings at the ACS Fall 2026 meeting in Chicago. 🍪

🦠 Microplastics linked to rheumatic diseases 🔬

Evidence suggests microplastics, fragments between 1 nm and 5 mm, may harm people with rheumatic diseases. Stanford's Tamiko Katsumoto noted that gut barrier disturbance from ingestion could worsen inflammatory conditions. An estimate indicates 10-40 million tons enter the environment yearly, set to double by 2040. Studies show high microplastic exposure correlates with higher stroke and diabetes risks. Researchers are investigating if these particles act as environmental stressors amplifying inflammation.

🤒 Herpes zoster causes rare urinary issue in 10yo girl

Herpes zoster was documented to cause acute urinary retention in a young patient. This happened to a previously healthy 10-year-old Japanese girl at IMS Fujimi General Hospital in Saitama, Japan. Symptoms started nine days before admission, and she was admitted on the 10th day after symptom onset. This rare presentation highlights the need to consider herpes zoster when urinary symptoms appear with a vesicular rash. The patient was ultimately diagnosed and discharged on day 7 of hospitalization.

🔬 Higher BMI messes with RA drug effectiveness

Adults with rheumatoid arthritis showed worse clinical responses to JAK inhibitors when they had a higher Body Mass Index. This finding came from a meta-analysis of 16 phase 3 randomized controlled trials involving 11,883 patients across various weight categories. The research, published on August 3 in The Lancet Rheumatology, showed reduced ACR20 response in those with overweight or obesity classes 2 and 3. This suggests obesity significantly modifies how well these treatments work for RA patients. Future trials need to properly represent the full BMI spectrum to ensure treatment generalizability. 🔬

🧪 Yeast engineered to make cancer drug precursors

Researchers in China successfully engineered baker’s yeast to produce a precursor compound for two essential cancer medicines. The team, led by Yating Hu and Luqi Huang at Capital Medical University in Beijing, achieved this by reconstructing a 45-enzyme biosynthetic pathway inside the yeast. This process allows the yeast to generate the immediate precursor to etoposide from glucose in a simple three-day fermentation. This microbial synthesis bypasses the need for extracting podophyllotoxin from an endangered Himalayan plant. While scaling remains a future challenge, the study offers a new, efficient route for drug production. 🧪

🔬 Biologic choice impacts psoriasis to arthritis risk

A study found that specific biologic drugs affect the risk of psoriasis progressing to psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Researchers observed this in 393 adults treated in Greece between January 2008 and June 2025. While 22% developed PsA overall, TNF inhibitors showed higher risk compared to IL-17, IL-23, and IL-12/23 inhibitors. These IL-targeting drugs showed significantly lower risks of PsA development than TNF inhibitors. Future prospective studies are needed to validate these interesting findings.