Pets provide joy and companionship, but costs can add up quickly, especially if you’re a first-time owner and don’t know what to expect

One day they are little bundles of joy, the next mood-swing monsters called teenagers with spots, identity crises...

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 13, 2023--

A 3-D-printed toilet has been invented and the surface is so slippery that nothing can leave a mark on it. Cleaning the toilet has to be one of the grimmest household chores, but thanks to new material, you may never have to scrub a loo again. The toilet is the invention of Yike Li at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China, who, alongside colleagues, invented a toilet whose surface is so slippery that nothing stains it and uses less water for each flush. The team created a prototype of the toilet around 10 times smaller than a real one. It was made using 3D printing technology, where particles of plastic and hydrophobic sand grains were fused together with lasers. The surface of the toilet was lubricated with a type of silicon oil that also penetrated the surface due to the complex structure of the material. The team tested the toilet with a variety of substances, including honey, yoghurt, muddy water as well as synthetic faeces. They found that none of the substances stuck to the toilet bowl. Amazingly, the toilet was just as slippery after having been rubbed with sandpaper over 1,000 times, which Li believes is due to the oil being able to penetrate the material of the toilet. Li believes the technology would be suited for settings in which a toilet gets a lot of use, such as on modes of transport and in public toilets. He explained: “The reduced flushing volume would result in less wasted water during transportation to the processing facilities, thereby saving transportation costs.” But, before that can happen, Li says the technology needs to be adapted for use on a full-sized toilet and also needs to be cheaper to make. You can see the toilet in action below courtesy of New Scientist. Nothing can stick to this 3D-printed slippery toilet youtu.be Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

France's highest court on Thursday upheld the government's ban on students in public schools from wearing the abaya, a long, robe-like garment often worn by Muslim women, in a decision that rights groups warn will lead to more discrimination.

Turkey’s current account swung back to a wider deficit than forecast in July after a rare surplus the

Twitter’s ad revenue in the US has plunged by more than half since Elon Musk took the company over, according to reports. Internal documents show that Twitter made $88 million worth of ad sales between April and May this year, The New York Times reported, marking a 59 per cent drop from the same period last year. Shortly after Mr Musk’s takeover in October 2022, several key sales executives at Twitter where fired, while controversial figures like Donald Trump and Andrew Tate were allowed to return to the platform. Following the sackings and change in policy, several high profile brands confirmed that they would no longer be advertising through Twitter due to concerns with the platform and its leadership. Twitter’s valuation also plunged in the months following the $44 billion takeover deal, with Mr Musk saying in March that the company was worth $20 billion. Investment firm Fidelity has since estimated Twitter to be worth $15 billion. In April, Mr Musk said the firm was “roughly breaking even”, claiming that “almost all advertisers have come back or said they are going to come back”. Last month, Mr Musk announced that he would be stepping down as CEO of Twitter in order to focus on overseeing product, software and sysops as the company’s chief technology officer. His replacement, Linda Yaccarino, appears to have been selected based on her success and connections within the advertising world, having served as an executive for NBCUniversal. Ms Yaccarino and Mr Musk appeared together at a public event earlier this year, giving an indication that her focus will primarily be aimed at developing and improving relationships with advertisers, whose purchases make up the majority of Twitter’s revenue. One potential route to achieving this is by reinstating Twitter’s Influence Council of marketers and advertising executives, which allowed industry figures to give direct feedback on how they wanted the platform to look before it was disbanded. Read More What is superintelligence? How AI could wipe out humanity – and why the boss of ChatGPT is doomsday prepping

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Accessories are like the cherry on top of a delicious fashion sundae. Are they optional? Of course. But do they take things to the next level? The answer is almost always a resounding yes. And while you may have your jewelry or shoe game on lock, we’re christening this fall as the hat’s big comeback season. Yes, the humble topper that keeps you warm during brisk weather can also take an otherwise bland outfit and turn it into a veritable lewk.

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It should have been a quiet day on the farm. But something wicked is grazing