Engineers from Adamson University, the University of the Philippines Diliman, and the University of Santo Tomas have successfully converted a common kitchen scrap into a powerful tool for environmental cleanup. By transforming discarded saba banana peels into a specialized biochar, the team has created a low-cost, sustainable adsorbent capable of efficiently removing diesel oil from water. This approach not only addresses the significant challenge of hydrocarbon pollution from industrial activities and accidental spills but also provides a valuable new use for agricultural waste, aligning with the principles of a circular economy.

Foundation models are transforming financial engineering, with specialized financial foundation models emerging to tackle domain-specific needs. Categorized into three types, they excel at text processing, time-series analysis, and visual-text integration. This survey unpacks their progress, real-world uses, and key challenges, offering a vivid roadmap for AI-driven finance innovation.