Drinking water is a resource that we are quickly running out of. There is water all over the plant of course but it’s ocean water and desalination is an expensive and energy consuming process. New research has lead to a prototype that uses solar energy to complete the process.
The process is inspired by plants. The prototype is a floating device that soaks up water using inexpensive materials. The water it collects is then heated with solar power, that is what removes the salt from the water, and then the clean water is collected.
This process is much more cost efficient but it isn’t as efficient of a process as the standard ones we use now making this option one that can likely not be applied on a global scale. That being said, it can be of great use to coastal regions where there is an abundance of sun and salt water. Check out the full report for more information.