Today’s Solutions: April 20, 2026

Upwards of 40% of food produced in developing countries is wasted due to lack of electricity and poor refrigeration. With that in mind, four University of Calgary students have invented a fridge that doesn’t require electricity to run. Inspired by the way animals cool themselves, the machine uses a funnel catch air brought through a pipe immersed in fluid to cool the air inside. That air is then moved to a below ground refrigeration chamber to chill the food, similar to how a meerkat burrows into the ground to avoid heat. The inexpensive fridge recently won an international competition that seeks solutions to sustainability problems, and could potentially help reduce food waste in developing countries.

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