News

Scientists Discover Bacteria That Makes Toxic Water Safe To Drink

Treating wastewater using the newly discovered bacteria doesn’t require expensive equipment and chemicals, so it can be done at scale at a reasonable price.

Published

5 years ago

September 25, 2021

David Morelo

scientists discover bacteria that makes contaminated water safe to drink

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UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that 1 in 3 people in the world don’t have access to safe drinking water. In places where safe drinking water is scarce, nutrition-related problems are prevalent, children have trouble staying focused in school, and diseases caused by bacteria and unhygienic practices are common.

Solving this global problem is one of the greatest challenges of our time, which is why many scientists from around the world are researching all kinds of methods for making unsafe water drinkable.

Among them are Dr. Vishal Mishra and PhD student Veer Singh from the Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU). Recently, the two scientists have published a paper in the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, describing their discovery of a bacteria capable of separating toxic metal from wastewater and making it safe to drink.

They named the bacteria “Microbacterium paraoxydans strain VSVM IIT (BHU),” and described it as very effective when it comes to the elimination of hexavalent chromium, a known carcinogen and a reproductive toxicant present in many water sources around the world.

“It is very effective for removal of hexavalent chromium from wastewater compared to other conventional methods,” said Dr. Mishra. “This bacterial strain showed fast growth rate in the Hexavalent chromium Cr (VI) containing aqueous medium and gets easily separated from the aqueous medium after the treatment process”.

Also Read: Istanbul Fights Disease-Carrying Mosquitoes Using A Smartphone App

Treating wastewater using the newly discovered bacteria doesn’t require expensive equipment and chemicals, so it can be done at scale at a reasonable price.

In India, the country from where the two scientists come from, less than 50 percent of the population has access to safely managed drinking water, and water contamination is present in more than 1.96 million dwellings. Hopefully, this and other similar discoveries will eventually help reduce these numbers to zero.

News

Syria Just Got Its First Super App Featuring Built-In Digital Payments

Built by UAE-based Syrian founders with the Ministry of Tourism’s backing, My Syria lands as visitor numbers more than double.

Published

4 days ago

August 1, 2026

Nour Nasir

syria just got its first super app featuring built-in digital payments

For most of the past decade, paying for anything in Syria with an international card was effectively impossible. Sanctions, a collapsed banking sector, and years of isolation left the country running on cash. That is what makes the launch of My Syria — the country’s first super app — more than a routine product announcement.

Developed by 121 Living, a company founded by four UAE-based Syrian entrepreneurs — Rami Kaiem, Feras Kaiem, Waseem Qudmani, and Kinan Madi — the app launched in Damascus on July 30 under the patronage of Minister of Tourism Mazen Al-Salhani. It bundles hotels, restaurants, transport, attractions, food delivery, and other lifestyle services into a single platform, currently offering eight services with plans to expand to more than 40 verified tourism and hospitality providers across the country.

Although the app already sounds enticing, the headline feature is its built-in payments. My Syria is the first platform in Syria to support cross-border digital payments through Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express — familiar tools for international visitors, and a route into the digital economy for local businesses that have long operated outside it.

my syria super app launch event

The launch rides on a sharp rebound for the troubled country. Syria’s tourism sector recorded 3.52 million visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, a 111 percent increase over the 1.67 million during the same period in 2025 — a mix of returning expatriates, regional visitors, and international tourists.

Also Read: This UAE Platform Wants To Replace Fashion Photo Shoots With AI

The Ministry of Tourism, which supported and supervised the app’s development, frames the launch as proof of concept for a wider strategy. “Digital transformation is one of the Ministry’s strategic priorities because it enables us to build a more competitive, connected and investment-ready tourism sector,” Al-Salhani said, inviting technology companies “globally, regionally and locally” to explore opportunities across the wider economy.

For 121 Living, this is phase one, with additional services and expanded geographic coverage planned. Whether a super app can flourish in a market still rebuilding its infrastructure is an open question, but for the first time in years, a visitor to Damascus can pay for dinner with their phone.