❌

Normal view

Received — 9 September 2026 ⏭

Everything announced at today's Nintendo Direct — from a new 2D Metroid game to a surprise Mario Kart World update, and massive Kirby reveal

✇Techradar
By: dash.wood@futurenet.com (Dashiell Wood) · Dashiell Wood
9 September 2026 at 15:51

The latest Nintendo Direct has concluded, and what a cracker of a show!

It delivered a huge number of titles for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 owners to look forward to, with some big new entries in major franchises like Kirby and Metroid.

There were also plenty of exciting ports, like three new Resident Evil ports, two Far Cry games, and more. Lots of existing titles also got big upgrades in the form of new Switch 2 Editions or free updates.

There are more maps coming to Mario Kart World, for example, and Pikmin 4 is getting a comprehensive Switch 2 upgrade later today.

If you didn't manage to catch the show, you can see a bullet point list of all the announcements in the order that they happened below.

Everything announced at Nintendo Direct – 09/09/2026

  • Monster Hunter Wilds Nintendo Switch 2 port shown, includes all updates — launches on December 4
    • Ascendance expansion is also coming in 2027
  • Final Fantasy 7 Revelation trailer shown — launches on April 8, with pre-orders beginning later today
  • Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion launches on Nintendo Switch 2 later today
  • Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity Definitive Edition coming to Nintendo Switch 2 with visual upgrades and new modes — out February 25
  • Viral hit Meccha Chamelon is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 later today
  • Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass DLC is adding some cute new accessories later this year
  • Star Fox is getting a free update with four split-screen players in battle mode, plus three new stages
  • Star Fox Adventures from the Nintendo GameCube is coming to Nintendo Classics later today
  • Some Nintendo Switch 2 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Remastered footage shown — out September 29
    • Songs of the Past expansion also shown — coming in 2027
  • Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Royal Edition is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027
  • Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave new trailer shown — game still set to launch on September 17
  • Professor Layton and the New World of Steam finally gets a new trailer showing puzzle gameplay — set to have the biggest number of puzzles yet when it arrives on December 10
  • New Yokai Watch game revealed — Yokai Watch 2 Haunted Domain currently in development
  • Nintendo Switch 2 Edition version of Pikmin 4 confirmed — adds voice commands, new mode, and more when it comes out today
  • Onyx The Dead Grip — new horror game from Bloober Team launches as a Switch 2 exclusive next year, can only be played in handheld mode
  • New sizzle reel for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
  • Stage Fright, a new spooky game from the developers of Overcooked shown — comes to Switch and Switch 2 next year
  • Disney Dreamlight Valley: The Keepsake Sea — the game's next paid expansion with underwater areas
  • Ondeh Ondeh Kaya's Tasty Tale — a charming rhythm adventure out in 2027
  • Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight finally releasing for Switch 2 on September 18
  • New Kirby Air Riders amiibo will launch on November 12
  • Cairn port arriving in early 2027, with demo out today
  • Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition, Resident Evil 3, and Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition all coming on October 16
  • Tomb Raider Legacy of Atlantis Switch 2 trailer shown — out February 12, 2027
  • New Nintendo Switch Sports Resort trailer showing free island exploration — Switch 2 exclusive coming October 22
  • New 2D Metroid title revealed — Metroid Ravenous, out January 28, 2027
  • Big free update with ten new courses, plus two new knockout tour routes, is coming to Mario Kart World today
  • Mega Man: Dual Override gameplay trailer shows off Proto Man
    • New Mega Man and Proto Man amiibo also revealed
  • New RPG Eternal Anima shown — comes to Switch 2 on March 4, 2027
  • Danganronpa 2x2 port revealed with new 'Slayhem' mode out on January 14, 2027, for Switch and Switch 2
  • Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves port is on the way in October
  • Metal Slug Ultimate Collection revealed with loads of games — out for Switch and Switch 2 next year
  • Yo-Gi-Oh! Tag Force GX port revealed for Switch and Switch 2 — launches February 16, 2027
  • Romance Saga 3: Destinies United remake for Switch and Switch 2 also out February 16, 2027
  • 007 First Light is actually launching at some point this year, apparently
  • Far Cry 3 Classic Edition coming to Switch in 2027
  • Far Cry Blood Dragon Classic Edition on the way too
  • The Crew Motorfest Switch 2 port shown in the sizzle reel
  • The Apothecary Diaries: The First Imperial Brother out in early 2027
  • House Flipper 2 out October 15
  • Sonic Pico Park spin dashing on to Switch and Switch 2 on November 12
  • Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World out on December 3
  • Torneko's Mystery Dungeon Classic HD is available later today
  • Hela port launching on December 1
  • Criksholm The Stolen Dream is coming to Switch 2 on December 3
  • Stellar Blade Complete Edition shown with Bayonetta crossover costume
  • The Ascent Complete Edition is out in December
  • It Takes Two comes out on October 15 for Switch 2
  • Palia Nintendo Switch 2 Edition out in December
  • Bluey's Happy Snaps — brief bit of new footage shown
  • Hot Wheels Infinite Rush dropping on September 10
  • Fading Echo out on September 17 — demo later today
  • Hell is Us port shown, out October 8
  • Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy Encore Edition dropping on November 5 — pre-order today
  • Surprise Persona 4 Revival trailer shows off loads of new gameplay
  • Persona 6 logo shown on screen
  • The final announcement is a new Kirby game that looks almost open-world — called Kirby and the World Beyond and out in Spring 2027

VOD

You can also catch up with the video on demand (VOD) version of the stream via YouTube below.

What did you think?

GTA 6 PS5 controller pre-orders live — build-up ahead of two new DualSense pads dropping tomorrow

✇Techradar
By: rob.dwiar@futurenet.com (Rob Dwiar) · Rob Dwiar
9 September 2026 at 15:39

The giant of a video game release is nearly upon us, and Sony is getting well and truly involved with GTA 6 PS5 controllers beginning tomorrow on two very cool looking DualSense variations.

GTA 6 PS5 controller pre-orders

Custom three-way artwork showing the GTA 6 PS5 controllers and the GTA 6 logo

(Image credit: Future/Rockstar/Sony)

1. US pre-order quick links
2. UK pre-order quick links
3. Live updates

Two new limited-edition GTA 6 PS5 controllers are up for grabs tomorrow: one black, one white. Both share a lot of the same design sensibilities and features, but I think both look slick as heck. They are both unmistakably 'Vice City' with palm tree emblems and fronds draped over the pad, while the glints of pink shine wonderfully through on the white or black backgrounds, and the shimmering finish on both does a great job of evoking neon lights.

Both DualSense controllers will cost you $84.99 / £74.99 and will release alongside GTA 6 on November 19. However, there will be a slight variation in availability. The white GTA 6 DualSense will be "available in limited quantities globally at direct.playstation.com and at participating retailers", says Sony. The black GTA 6 DualSense will be "available in limited quantities exclusively through direct.playstation.com where available" — so that means in the UK and US.

We expect the usual suspects to get involved in pre-order listings on both sides of the Atlantic, and we will be casting our eager eye over those, and a wider net more generally, to make sure we get you the best links and info as soon as we see them. We're starting today to get our flag in the ground early, so you know where to be in the run-up to stock dropping.

US GTA 6 DualSense pre-orders – quick links

UK GTA 6 DualSense pre-orders – quick links

Grand Theft Auto 6 Dualsense Controllers

(Image credit: Sony / Rockstar)

Should you pre-order a GTA 6 Limited Edition PS5 controller?

This is perhaps an even easier recommendation to make than the one I did before the game was available to pre-order: in short, you should absolutely, 100%, definitely consider placing a pre-order on these GTA 6 DualSense controllers if you can, rather than waiting and hoping they remain available in the long run.

These are accessories — that will be available in "limited quantities", according to Sony — that will coincide with the release of the biggest thing in all of entertainment ever. As a result, the demand will likely be the highest on DualSense controller editions we've ever seen — and perhaps on any accessory ever.

Yes, there are two different editions which will hopefully spread the load of the demand, but I think placing a pre-order if you can is by far the safest option if you're at all interested in one of these PS5 controllers.

GTA 6 Limited Edition PS5 controllers: cut to the chase

  • Price: $84.99 / £74.99
  • Pre-order date: September 10, 2026; 10am ET / 10am local time in Europe
  • Release date: November 19, 2026
  • Design: Sony describes the limited edition DualSense controllers as pads that "each capture the essence of Vice City, from bright days along the coast to vibrant city nights. Both editions feature a shimmering, color-shifting finish that brings together the hues of a Vice City sunset and the glow of neon lights. They both also feature custom palm tree details molded directly into the controller, adding a unique tactile element alongside official Grand Theft Auto VI branding." There's no denying they do look pretty slick.

Hello!

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the upcoming GTA 6 PS5 controller pre-orders which are dropping tomorrow!

We're getting our flag in the ground early to be in the best position to help you snag your one, or two, new DualSense controllers!

These are going to be hot stuff...

The DualSense Wireless Controller – Grand Theft Auto 5 Black Limited Edition

(Image credit: PlayStation)

Not only are these two controllers absolute beauties — at least, I think — they are tied to the biggest entertainment release in history.

As a result, I predict the demand for these is going to be huge; absolutely wild, in fact. I know that recent Limited Edition PS5 controllers haven't sold out like some, but surely the safe bet here is that stock will fly.

Because of that I reckon it'll pay to get in position early with bookmarking the above links, getting account information in order, and making sure you're fully informed ahead of stock dropping. tomorrow.

So let's begin with some key information...

What, and how much, are the GTA 6 PS5 controller pre-orders?

Key artwork from the PS Blog piece on the new GTA 6 PS5 controllers

(Image credit: Sony/Rockstar)

In terms of what, there will be two distinct GTA 6 PS5 controllers up for pre-order tomorrow.

Sony is attractively naming them, officially, as 'DualSense Wireless Controller – Grand Theft Auto VI Black Limited Edition' and 'DualSense Wireless Controller – Grand Theft Auto VI White Limited Edition'. The black and white overarching colorway is indeed the biggest thing that separates them, but they both look slick as heck in my view.

There's that shimmering blue look on both, palm tree fronds and forms draped over the pads, and pink accents that punch through the black or white really pleasingly. I think I prefer the Black one, but it's a close run thing.

There's no difference in price, though, and both will cost you $84.99 / £74.99 — the standard price for DualSenses right now.

When and where are the GTA 6 PS5 controller pre-orders?

Key artwork from the PS Blog piece on the new GTA 6 PS5 controllers

(Image credit: Sony/Rockstar)

OK, the first part of this is easy: GTA 6 PS5 controller pre-orders kick off at 10am ET in the US, and 10am local time everywhere else. Boom.

The second part, availability, is a little more complex, but only in the sense of the difference between the two variants. If my parsing of the PS Blog post is correct, it appears that the Black GTA 6 DualSense will be exclusive to PS Direct, while the white variant will be the one that's available at both PS Direct and other retailers.

The details are fabulous...

A close up of the new GTA 6 PS5 controllers

(Image credit: Sony/Rockstar)

I really like the flashy details of the glinty art style in both the black and white variants, and this close up of the white model really shows how the glimmering and shimmering speckles will change in the light too. Nice.

...and more than just a pattern

A close up of the new GTA 6 PS5 controllers

(Image credit: Sony/Rockstar)

And I also really like the look of the properly moulded and formed palm tree fronds that are raised off the surface of the DualSense.

A lot of previous designs haven't altered the physical feel of the PS5 controller that much, so I really like this change and feature of this particular limited edition design.

So: which one do you like the look of most?

As I said, I think the Black one just pips it for me in terms of my aesthetic tastes, but which one are you most likely to pre-order? Let me know in the poll below!

An early bit of advice to be in position, well, early

It sounds obvious, being ready early, but actually what I mean more specifically is that last time out with the Marvel's Wolverine PS5 collection of controllers and console covers, retailers in the UK, particularly, actually went live comfortably earlier than the 10am start time.

So much so, in fact,m that PS Direct itself also pulled the trigger before 10am in the end; such were the options available to customers before the official start time.

As a result, it'll definitely pay to be as ready to go as you possibly can earlier than 10am ET or 10am local time — perhaps aim for 9.30am and get poised.

Which retailers are the ones to go for first?

PlayStation Direct

(Image credit: Future)

If I'm understanding the PS Blog post correctly — and I think I am, I've done loads of these launches now, though Sony can be ambiguous — then I reckon you're best first port of call is going top be PlayStation Direct. And that's on both sides of the Atlantic.

US retailers have been pretty good on the last limited edition releases and all of Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and GameStop have reliably followed with stock. We'd still err toward the former three though for the best and likely-quickest shopping experience.

In the UK, things have been a bit different in recent times. Amazon UK has been very unreliable when it comes to limited edition PS5 hardware or accessory stock. For example, it still hasn't got Marvel's Wolverine DualSense stock. However, the likes of Smyths Toys, Currys,. and Very have all been reliable with the last release or two.

Even the packaging looks dope — if it's real

Our friends at GamesRadar+ have spotted a social media post that shows an image of the packaging — and even that looks slick as heck! If it's real, of course...

Here's a new look at the #GTAVI DualSense controller boxSource: https://t.co/DEQ8Ul0gEI pic.twitter.com/fdboZqGFo4September 8, 2026

I'm off for now - but we're still going

I'm passing the steering of our GTA 6 PS5 controller pre-order ship to one of my excellent colleagues now, as I step away for the evening (and to prepare for a trip to BlizzCon too!).

Keep it right here for the best information and links in preparation for tomorrow's pre-orders kicking off!

Instead of convincing us digital-only games are secretly a good thing, Sony was just caught testing dynamic pricing again on PlayStation 5

✇Techradar
By: hamish.hector@futurenet.com (Hamish Hector) · Hamish Hector
9 September 2026 at 15:17
  • Sony has seemingly been caught testing dynamic pricing again
  • PS5 users are seeing different discounts for Star Wars games based on unknown account factors
  • Some regions seem unaffected by the experiment

Dynamic pricing is back in the gaming news, as PS5 players are yet again seeing the wild disparity between discount amounts for the same game — and its all-digital future feels ever more like a nightmare.

When looking at buying Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order while logged into their PlayStation account Reddit user Bluemonkey88 was told it would cost them CA$19.24, or a roughly 65% discount from its RRP. Meanwhile the sequel Jedi: Survivor would set them back CA$23.39 (a 74% saving). As soon as they logged out Fallen Order dropped to CA$10.99, an 80% drop from full price, and Survivor fell to CA$13.49, or an 85% discount.

In the replies, we can see folks being offered the games for CA$13.99 and CA$18.19, though further muddying the waters a couple of US users — one with PS Plus and another without — both see the games at $7.99 and $10.49, suggesting not every region or user is subject to the same price testing.

I really dislike these new pricing practices on the PlayStation Store
 from r/PS5

What is dynamic pricing?

If you haven’t heard before, dynamic pricing is where a product’s cost fluctuates based on who is buying the product, or when they’re buying it.

It goes by other names you might have seen like surge pricing on Uber — when everyone is trying to book a cab, say just as a concert ends or if the weather turns bad, you’ll see costs rise because demand is up.

Uber has introduced WA2R in Delhi

(Image credit: Uber)

In Sony’s case here the pricing seems more algorithmic. There’s an unending supply of digital games, so instead the discount amount folks are seeing looks to be based on how likely it is you’ll buy the product, and adjusting the sale until it just tips you over the edge.

For example someone who maybe plays a couple of games a year or isn’t a mega Star Wars or action adventure game fan might see a steep discount as they’ll need more convincing. Whereas a mega fan of Star Wars, or a gamer who digests a new title every other week might be willing to pay more.

It’s like how airlines and hotels are accused of upping costs for folks who have filled their search history with holiday plans to a dream destination — if they’re desperate to go to, say, Paris, then they’ll be willing to maybe pay that little bit extra compared with a more agnostic traveller.

No thank you

This isn’t the first time Sony has been caught testing dynamic pricing. In fact, some kind of experiment has been going on from as far back as November last year.

And it’s as scummy a practice then as it is now, and it will continue to be as awfully anti-consumer as some of Sony’s other recent moves (i.e. killing physical games media).

Though if you’re thinking of jumping ship to Xbox it too has been caught with its hand in the dynamic pricing cookie jar. In its case it appears Microsoft is offering deeper Game Pass discounts to some accounts than others, with current subscribers unable to see the deal at all.

Xbox Game Pass

(Image credit: Microsoft)

A digital-only gaming future already has so many downsides when it comes to ownership, game archiving, offline access and more, that we simply don’t need to add dynamic pricing to the mix.

Maybe Sony will reverse course, though its efforts for the past year suggest that dynamic pricing is here to stay. The best thing we can do is point it out every time it’s spotted, and making sure we don’t get suckered in with higher prices.

Steam achievements for multiple upcoming and unannounced games have leaked — and it's an ugly situation for Valve

✇Techradar
By: Isaiah Williams
9 September 2026 at 14:35
  • Steam achievements of upcoming and unannounced games have leaked
  • The achievements include spoilers for games like Control Resonant, Kingdom Hearts, and Persona 6
  • Valve hasn't commented on the achievements or recent prototype leak on Steam

Steam achievements for both upcoming and unannounced games may have been leaked by Valve and spotted on the third-party site Exophase.

As reported by PC Gamer, the leak includes nearly 90 games, including Control Resonant, Kingdom Hearts 4, Gears of War E-Day, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, and Persona 6.

The leaked achievements are listed for each title on Exophase, including spoilers for major plot points, character reveals, and even weapon unlocks (notably for Kingdom Hearts 4), despite missing full descriptions. It's effectively created a minefield of spoilers to avoid, which is made worse since the list includes games that don't even have a release date.

It's not exactly clear how this leak occurred on Valve's end, but it doesn't appear to be a breach of the Steam platform. Instead, it may very well be an issue with Valve's API exposure, at least according to Exophase owner Mike Bendel, who claims it's a "possible screw-up on Valve's end", which makes this the second slip-up in just a few weeks.

Recently, around 12TB to 13TB of early prototypes, unreleased titles, and scrapped builds of games between 2003 and 2013 were leaked from Steam, including games such as GTA 5, The Binding of Isaac, and even some of Valve's very own games like Left 4 Dead.

Mobile phone with logo of video game distribution platform Steam operated by Valve on screen in front of web page

(Image credit: T. Schneider / Shutterstock)

It's possibly the worst spell of game leaks for publishers launching games on PC platforms like Steam, especially with the leak of builds for games like Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Forza Horizon 6 before launch.

There's clearly a major security issue at hand with Steam, and until it's addressed, game leaks seem inevitable. Game achievements, while potentially spoiler-filled, are minor in comparison to the very recent game prototype leak.

Valve hasn't made an official statement on the Steam prototype or achievements leaks, but with its impact on both publishers and consumers, it wouldn't be surprising to see both cases addressed soon.

GOG brings back "big box" PC games, one printable template at a time

✇Ars Technica - All
By: Kyle Orland
8 September 2026 at 22:23

Those who remember PC gaming in the days before Steam may have fond memories of the "big box" packaging that made those games stand out as shelf eye candy and sought-after in-home collectibles. Today, PC gaming platform GOG is hoping to reignite some of the nostalgia for those days by adding downloadable 3D models and printable, foldable high-res packaging scans for a handful of PC games on the platform.

Thus far, the "Printable Big Box" collection on GOG is limited to just five games: Armikrog, Descent, Hitman: Codename 47, Myst, and Star Trek: 25th Anniversary. Players browsing those games on the GOG store will now see "3D Boxes" listed among the included "Goodies" before purchase. Owners of those games on GOG can download a ZIP file containing a version of the box art as an animated 3D object file (in an easy-to-open GLB format) and a "flat printable template" in PDF, SVG, and Adobe Illustrator formats. Those downloads allow for what GOG calls "a proper papercraft project for anyone who misses shelves full of PC game boxes."

The 3D model animates to show the front flap opening. Credit: GOG

"Physical media doesn’t survive the way software can—boxes get lost, crushed, thrown out," GOG writes in today's announcement. "Scanning them, and letting you print your own, is preservation in a different shape: the same mission that keeps these games running on modern PCs, applied to the objects they used to come in."

Read full article

Comments

© GOG

6 Months Into ChatGPT Ads, Advertisers Still Don’t Know What ‘Good’ Looks Like

✇Search Engine Journal
By: Brooke Osmundson
8 September 2026 at 13:00

Advertiser data now spans single-digit to $22 CPCs, but ChatGPT Ads still lacks auction insights, industry benchmarks, and reliable audience data to judge performance.

The post 6 Months Into ChatGPT Ads, Advertisers Still Don’t Know What ‘Good’ Looks Like appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

A polymer membrane that grows its own arsenic-catching surface

✇Mapping Ignorance
By: DIPC
3 September 2026 at 14:00

 

Arsenic contamination in drinking water poses a critical global public health hazard. Prolonged exposure to inorganic arsenic—predominantly present in groundwater as arsenate, where arsenic exists in its +5 oxidation state—can lead to severe dermatological lesions, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers. To mitigate these health risks, the World Health Organization has established a strict provisional safety guideline of 10 micrograms of total arsenic per liter of drinking water. Because arsenic occurs naturally through the weathering of rocks and minerals in aquifers worldwide, engineering low-cost, scalable, and highly efficient materials for water purification remains a central goal in modern materials chemistry.

Iron-based compounds, particularly iron oxyhydroxides, are among the most effective materials for trapping arsenate. At a fundamental chemical level, arsenate ions readily substitute for surface hydroxyl groups on iron oxyhydroxides, forming strong chemical bonds that permanently anchor the contaminant to the solid surface. However, translating this surface chemistry into practical filters presents a persistent engineering hurdle: maximizing the amount of active iron exposed to water. Simply increasing the iron concentration during material synthesis causes iron nanoparticles to aggregate into large, dense clusters. As these clusters grow, much of the iron becomes buried within the interior bulk, leaving only a tiny fraction accessible at the surface to bind arsenate.

A promising design strategy 1 overcomes this limitation by decoupling the nucleation of iron particles from their subsequent growth on a flexible, high-surface-area polymer matrix. The foundation of this system is a composite fibrous membrane fabricated from poly(vinyl alcohol) and pectin via electrospinning. In electrospinning, a high-voltage electric field draws a liquid polymer mixture into ultra-fine threads, which solidify into an interconnected, highly porous mesh of nanofibers. Poly(vinyl alcohol) provides structural integrity and water stability upon heat treatment, while pectin—a natural polysaccharide rich in carboxyl and hydroxyl functional groups—serves as a molecular anchor capable of capturing iron ions from solution.

arsenic
Proposed mechanism for anisotropic growth by an Fe seed. Source: A. C. Santos (2026) Small Methods doi: 10.1002/smtd.70975

To grow high-density nanostructures without triggering particle agglomeration, a sequential, two-step chemical treatment is applied. First, the electrospun membrane is immersed in a solution containing iron(II) ions (Fe2+). The carboxylate groups on the pectin molecules coordinate with these cations, forming uniformly dispersed, nanometer-scale iron seed clusters (~2 nanometers in size) across the nanofiber surfaces as the material dries and oxidizes. In the second step, the seeded membrane is placed in a solution containing iron(III) ions (Fe3+). Instead of forming isolated new particles in solution, the newly added iron deposits onto the pre-existing seeds, driving controlled anisotropic growth along preferred crystallographic axes.

This seed-mediated approach yields an extraordinarily high density of surface-exposed iron nanostructures, achieving a 12-fold increase in surface atomic iron content compared to single-step doping methods. High-resolution electron microscopy reveals that these nanostructures adopt an elongated, rice-grain morphology measuring approximately 29 nanometers in width and 110 nanometers in length. Structural characterization using X-ray scattering, X-ray diffraction, and Mössbauer spectroscopy identifies the predominant active iron phase as akaganeite (β-FeOOH), a tunnel-structured, poorly crystalline iron oxyhydroxide known for its exceptional binding affinity toward arsenate.

arsenic
Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) micrographs for comparison of the morphologies of the composite mats with that of the reference PVA + PE membrane (a.b), which exhibits the typical electrospun nanofibrous structure. PVA + PE + Fe2 (c,d) and PVA + PE + Fe3 mats (e.f) retain a morphology similar to that of the pristine mats, whereas the PVA + PE + Fe2+Fe3 mat (g,h,i) is the only one exhibiting rice-grain-like structures along the nanofibers. The presence of these nanostructures indicates that the growth of the Fe-based structure was successfully achieved. Source: A. C. Santos (2026) Small Methods doi: 10.1002/smtd.70975

When evaluated in water purification tests, the nanostructured membrane demonstrates exceptional superadsorbent performance. Using a minimal material dosage of 1 gram per liter, the membrane reduces initial arsenate concentrations from 1000 micrograms per liter down to below 10 micrograms per liter within 24 hours at pH 6, achieving roughly 99% arsenic removal and satisfying WHO safety limits. The material retains high efficiency across a broad operational pH range of 5 to 8, and ICP analysis confirms that iron leaching into the treated water remains safely below 5 micrograms per liter.

Kinetic and isotherm analyses reveal that arsenate removal occurs via surface chemisorption governed by cooperative binding behavior. As initial arsenate molecules bind to active sites on the akaganeite surface, local chemical and electrostatic interactions make adjacent sites even more receptive to further adsorption, resulting in accelerated uptake kinetics. Furthermore, the material performs reliably in complex water environments. Naturally occurring co-contaminants such as fluoride do not interfere with arsenate capture, and the presence of heavy metal cations—such as copper and cadmium—actually enhances arsenate removal by forming secondary surface complexes that create additional binding sites. Although chemical regeneration using sodium hydroxide solution results in a slight decrease in capacity over repeated cycles due to incomplete desorption, the membrane maintains an 81% to 87% removal efficiency, demonstrating strong potential for practical, reusable water remediation systems.

Author: César Tomé López is a science writer and the editor of Mapping Ignorance

Disclaimer: Parts of this article may have been copied verbatim or almost verbatim from the referenced research paper/s.

References

  1. A. C. Santos, S. Cerveny, C. Iacovone, C. P. Ramos, A. J. Marzocca, and S. Goyanes (2026) High-Density Iron Nanostructures Grown on Electrospun PVA/Pectin Fibers via Seed-Mediated Strategy for As(V) Remediation Small Methods doi: 10.1002/smtd.70975 ↩

The post A polymer membrane that grows its own arsenic-catching surface appeared first on Mapping Ignorance.

Podcast Rewind: Folding iPhone Possibilities, Portable Gaming on a Folding Phone, a Headphone Problem, and Classic Game Revivals

✇MacStories
By: Devon Dundee
14 August 2026 at 20:27

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, John is joined by Christoper Lawley to discuss uses for a folding iPhone and Parchment, Lawley’s daily agenda app.

On AppStories+, John and Chris dig into audio and video workflows for podcasting and YouTube.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, folding phones and gaming, updates on upcoming handhelds, and GammaOS on the RG Rotate.

On NPC XL, John and Brendon revisit the Playdate via Crankboy.

Comfort Zone

Matt has some pretty good but not perfect Switch 2 controllers. Niléane has a new set of headphones and assures us she doesn’t have a problem. And everyone tries to make the best gaming recommendations for their co-hosts.

On Cozy Zone, the gang has a lively discussion about the new The Mandalorian and Grogu movie.

MacStories Unwind

This week, Federico returns from the beach, he and John discuss the explosion of classic videogames being ported to the iPhone, iPad, and Android, and they share a couple of Apple TV picks.

AppStories, Episode 497, ‘Folding the iPhone into the Creator Economy’ Show Notes

This episode is sponsored by:

The Foldable iPhone

Apple and the Creator Economy

Parchment and Other Agenda Apps

Automating Email and Support

Follow Chris Lawley Online

AppStories+ Post-Show: Audio and Video Production Workflows

Subscribe to AppStories+

Visit AppStories.net to learn more about the extended, high bitrate audio version of AppStories that is delivered early each week and subscribe.

NPC, Episode 92, ‘Can A Folding Phone Replace Your Handheld’ Show Notes

Folding Phones

The Latest Portable Gaming News

Subscribe to NPC XL

NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the “regular” NPC episodes. You can subscribe here.

Comfort Zone, Episode 113, ‘I Respect Wood’ Show Notes

Things Discussed

Cozy Zone

For even more from the Comfort Zone crew, you can subscribe to Cozy Zone. Cozy Zone is a weekly bonus episode of Comfort Zone where Matt, Niléane, and Chris invite listeners to join them in the Cozy Zone where they’ll cover extra topics, invent wilder challenges and games, and share all their great (and not so great) takes on tech. You can subscribe to Cozy Zone for $5 per month here or $50 per year here.

MacStories Unwind, ‘Coding Agents Revive Classic Games’ Show Notes

AI Assisted Ports and Homebrew Drama

Pokémon Gen 1 Recomp

Native iPhone and iPad Ports

Handheld Setup and Dual Screen Mods

Coding Agents and Models

Picks

Unwind Deal

MacStories Unwind+

We deliver MacStories Unwind+ to Club MacStories subscribers ad-free with high bitrate audio every week. To learn more about the benefits of a Club MacStories subscription, visit our Plans page.

MacStories launched its first podcast in 2017 with AppStories. Since then, the lineup has expanded to include a family of weekly shows that also includes MacStories Unwind, Magic Rays of Light, Comfort Zone, NPC: Next Portable Console, and First, Last, Everything that collectively, cover a broad range of the modern media world from Apple’s streaming service and videogame hardware to apps for a growing audience that appreciates our thoughtful, in-depth approach to media.

If you’re interested in advertising on our shows, you can learn more here or by contacting our Managing Editor, John Voorhees.

❌