When Plasma Meets Its Own Echo: UP Scientists Reveal Shock Wave Secrets in Copper LPP

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

In the vast realm of physics, where forces invisible to the naked eye dictate the behavior of matter, a team of University of the Philippines (UP) scientists has ventured into uncharted territory—investigating what happens when a laser-produced plasma collides with the very shock wave it created.

It sounds like science fiction—a cloud of charged particles, born from the violent kiss of a laser and a copper surface, racing outward like a miniature supernova. Around it, an unseen wave of compressed gas barrels forward, only to slam into a wall, rebound, and hurtle back toward its own creator. The collision, until now, was a mystery barely touched by scientific literature. But thanks to a groundbreaking study, that mystery is unraveling.

The Overlooked “Reflected Shock”

Scientists have long studied the outward expansion of laser-produced plasma (LPP) and its primary shock wave in surrounding gases. But the returning wave—the reflected shock—remained an afterthought, a secondary ripple in the grand explosion.

“Most research focuses on the first expansion,” explains Dr. Rommil Emperado of the UP Diliman College of Science’s National Institute of Physics (NIP). “But when that shock wave hits a surface and bounces back, it can dramatically change the plasma’s journey. We wanted to see exactly how.”

Simulating the Collision of Energy and Matter

To unlock the answer, Dr. Emperado joined forces with Dr. Myles Allen Zosa, Dr. Wilson Garcia of NIP, and Dr. Lean Dasallas from the Materials Science and Engineering Program (MSEP). Their tool of choice? The Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method—a sophisticated numerical approach that models particles using random number simulations, mimicking the chaos of nature at the atomic level.

The team simulated copper LPP behavior in a vacuum and in noble gases like helium and argon—common environments in pulsed laser deposition, where thin films and nanostructures are crafted. Their models traced how the plasma plume expands, how shock waves ripple outward, and how those waves transform after striking a boundary and returning.

A Tale of Two Gases

The results were as fascinating as they were counterintuitive.

In argon, the collision between the reflected shock and the copper plume actually boosted the plume’s mean kinetic energy—a surprising outcome for a process expected to drain energy through collisions.

In helium, however, the opposite occurred—the plume lost energy upon meeting its reflected shock.

This unexpected duality revealed that the background gas species plays a critical role in shaping plasma behavior, offering a new layer of control for scientists and engineers working with LPP.

Why It Matters

Laser-produced plasma isn’t just a laboratory curiosity—it’s a powerful tool with applications ranging from fabricating superconducting thin films to detecting trace elements on Mars. By understanding how reflected shock waves influence plasma before it reaches a substrate, scientists could revolutionize how nanomaterials are made.

The implications are enormous:

Nanofoams could be engineered with more precision.

Nanoparticles could be tailored for specific shapes, sizes, and functions.

The efficiency of pulsed laser deposition could leap forward, fueling advances in electronics, energy storage, and even space exploration.

“This research opens the door to predicting and controlling nanostructure formation before the plasma even touches the surface,” says Emperado. “That level of foresight is a game-changer.”

Beyond the Lab

In essence, the UP team’s work reframes a long-ignored phenomenon as a key player in plasma physics. By turning their focus on the echo of a shock wave, they have illuminated a subtle yet powerful interaction that could ripple through multiple industries.

The next time a laser pulse hits metal and a plume bursts forth into a chamber of noble gas, it won’t just be a spectacle of light and energy—it will be a carefully choreographed dance between creation and reflection, guided by the physics that UP scientists have begun to master.

In the universe of plasma, sometimes the loudest revelations come from listening to the echoes.

Young Budget Watchdogs to Government: “Babantayan Namin” the 2026 Education Budget

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Quezon City, Philippines — In a political climate where billions can be lost in the shuffle of bureaucracy, a group of determined young Filipinos is sending a loud, unflinching message to the government: “Babantayan namin.”

Today, Multiply-Ed Philippines, through its Amplify-Ed Coalition and Bantay Budget Network, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow civil society organizations (CSOs) as the House of Representatives turned over the 2026 Proposed National Budget documents. For the group, this symbolic handover is more than ceremony—it is a battleground for public participation, transparency, and accountability.

A Bigger Budget, But Still Not Enough

The Department of Education (DepEd) is set to receive a sizable boost—from ₱734 billion in 2025 to ₱928.5 billion in 2026. Yet, Multiply-Ed is quick to remind lawmakers that while the increase is welcome, it’s still far from the internationally recommended 6% of GDP for education spending. By their calculations, that benchmark should translate to around ₱1.71 trillion—nearly double the proposed allocation.

Grounded in its grassroots monitoring of 90 public senior high schools nationwide, Multiply-Ed estimates that filling all the gaps in basic education inputs for public senior high schools alone would cost ₱437.43 billion. If this estimate is scaled across all public schools in the country, the figure reaches a staggering ₱1.702 trillion—almost exactly what global standards demand.

From dilapidated classrooms to the chronic shortage of textbooks, teachers, laptops, and essential learner support programs, the group paints a sobering picture. In schools under Multiply-Ed’s Extended Education (X-Ed) program alone, urgent needs require an immediate ₱1.6 billion.

Demanding Open Books and Open Doors

“The ceremonial turnover is a step in the right direction,” the group said, “but it must be matched with real, ongoing public access. The national budget is public money—it should be open to scrutiny and participation at every stage.”

Multiply-Ed is calling for the full and immediate release of the 2026 budget documents in a format accessible to ordinary citizens, not just policymakers and technical experts. Transparency, they argue, is not an optional courtesy—it’s a democratic right.

Their demands also extend to the most guarded part of the budget process: the bicameral conference committee (BiCam) deliberations. Traditionally conducted behind closed doors, these meetings determine the final shape of the budget before it is signed into law. Multiply-Ed insists it is time to “Open the BiCam” to public view, dismantling the culture of secrecy that allows last-minute insertions and questionable reallocations to slip by unnoticed.

Funding the Margins for True Inclusion

For Multiply-Ed, an “inclusive education system” means one that doesn’t leave behind the most marginalized learners. As part of its 2026 Inclusive Education Budget Agenda, the coalition is pushing for higher allocations to chronically underfunded programs:

Indigenous Peoples’ Education (IPEd)

Madrasah Education Program

Special Education (SPED)

Gender and Development (GAD) initiatives

“These programs serve the students who are most at risk of being left behind. If we want a truly inclusive education system, we must fix the gaps and fund the margins,” they stressed.

From Ceremony to Citizen Power

The turnover of budget documents might have looked like a formal handshake between legislators and CSOs, but Multiply-Ed sees it as a call to arms—a reminder that citizen vigilance must be constant, not seasonal.

Their commitment is crystal clear: they will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the education budget and actively engage throughout the legislative process to make sure public money serves the public good.

“Babantayan namin,” they vowed—three words that carry the weight of both a promise and a warning. For those in power, it’s a reminder that the nation’s youth are not just students of politics—they are watchdogs of democracy.

8 Years After Minamata: The Hidden Poison Still Lurking in Skin Lightening Creams

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

On August 16, the world marks the eighth anniversary of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, a landmark global treaty that promised to protect humanity and the environment from the toxic legacy of mercury. Yet, even as this date passes, dangerous products continue to slip through digital marketplaces and cosmetic shelves — silently poisoning those who seek nothing more than smoother, lighter skin.

In Quezon City, the EcoWaste Coalition has sounded the alarm once again. The watchdog group released a damning report listing 48 skin lightening products — imported from China, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Thailand — each adulterated with mercury, a chemical so dangerous that even minuscule exposure can lead to irreversible harm.

The Treaty and the Broken Promise

The Minamata Convention, adopted on October 10, 2013, and enforced starting August 16, 2017, was meant to phase out mercury-added products such as skin lightening cosmetics. The original target was 2020; the revised goal is now 2025. At COP5 (the Fifth Conference of the Parties), global leaders went further — eliminating even the one part per million (ppm) threshold to make it absolutely illegal to manufacture, import, or export mercury-laced skin lightening products.

But the treaty’s intent is being undermined by the sheer scale of illicit production and online trade. Despite a clear ban, these hazardous creams remain just a click away for consumers — their availability fueled by the lingering belief that fairer skin equals beauty, success, and social acceptance.

“We call for and support strengthened global and local action to fight the illegal production and trade of mercury cosmetics and address colorism and other socio-cultural issues driving the demand for products to lighten the skin color,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator of EcoWaste Coalition. “We need to put an end to the racist notion that equates beauty, cleanliness, and success with being white.”

A Catalogue of Contamination

Among the banned creams is the notorious Goree Beauty with Lycopene, prohibited by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 2017. But EcoWaste’s investigation uncovered far more — 29 brands, ranging from Feique’s herbal creams to Temulawak night products, from Pakistan’s Faiza Beauty Cream to Thailand’s Dr. Yanhee series.

The mercury content found in these creams is staggering — up to 44,450 ppm in one Thai product, Lady Gold Seaweed/Gluta Super Gluta Brightening. That’s over 44,000 times the allowed limit, which now stands at zero.

These products were purchased mostly from third-party online sellers and tested using an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer before being reported to regulators. But the fact they are still openly sold highlights a dangerous gap between policy and enforcement.

Invisible Danger in Every Touch

The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that mercury exposure from these creams can lead to:

Kidney damage

Skin rashes, discoloration, and scarring

Reduced resistance to infections

Anxiety, depression, and psychosis

Peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage)

Women — the primary targets of these cosmetics — face even higher stakes, particularly those of childbearing age, as mercury can harm unborn children.

And the danger doesn’t stop at the user’s skin. Mercury vapor can fill the air in poorly ventilated homes, contaminating shared towels, bedding, and surfaces. Infants and children are at risk simply by breathing or touching items tainted by these creams.

A Call for Urgency

The continued availability of mercury cosmetics is not just a public health scandal — it’s a betrayal of a global promise. The Minamata Convention was born from the tragic history of Minamata disease in Japan, where mercury poisoning devastated an entire community. Allowing mercury creams to circulate today risks repeating history in slow motion, with victims spread across millions of homes.

For the Minamata Convention’s eighth anniversary to mean more than words on paper, stronger enforcement, stricter penalties, and proactive monitoring — especially on e-commerce platforms — must be prioritized.

The battle against mercury cosmetics is more than a fight against toxins in jars. It’s a struggle against the deep-seated prejudice of colorism, the exploitation of beauty ideals, and the corporate greed that trades human health for profit.

Until the last jar of mercury cream is pulled from circulation, the promise of Minamata remains unfulfilled — and every application of these creams is another quiet act of self-harm.