Physicists at the University of Liège have developed a method using 3D-printed structures to sculpt water surfaces, creating "landscapes" that can guide floating objects like microplastics for water purification or precise industrial assembly.
A study by the University of Vienna's Department of Meteorology and Geophysics, published in Nature, has refuted the long-held belief that oceans are the primary source of airborne microplastics. Analyzing 2,782 atmospheric samples from around the world, researchers found land-based sources—particularly tyre abrasion and synthetic textile fibres—contribute approximately 20 times more microplastics to the atmosphere than ocean-based sources. The study also revealed prior models overestimated microplastic prevalence by several orders of magnitude.
