Scientists have unveiled a device that can literally turn thin air into water. Yes, we’ve written about such devices before, but this one is showing more promise than any before it. In fact, the device can pull more than five cups of water from low humidity air per day per 2.2 pounds of water-absorbing materials, which is enough water to live for a day.
So, you might be asking: how exactly does this work? Apparently, the star of the process is the metal-organic framework which is essentially a pile of powder full of organic molecules and metals. Scientists leave the mixture out overnight so that the wealth of water molecules floating around in the atmosphere can attach itself to the metal-organic framework—acting as a sponge that extracts water from the air and collects it in a water-tight tank.
The company behind the project, Water Harvester Inc., will soon begin marketing a device about the size of an oven that can churn out 7 to 10 liters of water per day, enough cooking water for two or three adults per day. Ultimately, the company hopes to produce a village-scale harvester that can produce 20,000 liters of pure water per day.
