A federally funded research effort to revolutionize water treatment has yielded an off-grid technology that uses energy from sunlight alone to turn salt water into fresh drinking water. The desalination system, which uses a combination of membrane distillation technology and light-harvesting nanophotonics, is the first major innovation from the Center for Nanotechnology Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT), a multi-institutional engineering research center based at Rice University. NEWT’s “nanophotonics-enabled solar membrane distillation” technology, or NESMD, combines tried-and-true
Freshwater from salt water using only solar energy
More of Today's Solutions
The power of “solar balconies”: Germany’s solar revolution ...
In Germany's busiest cities, a quiet shift is taking place on apartment balconies. While rooftop solar has long been seen as a key component of ...
Read MoreThe science behind laughter in babies and children
Children's laughter is frequently interpreted as a simple display of joy, but scientific research reveals a deeper meaning lies beyond the surface. Contrary to ...
Read MoreStudy suggests an underripe banana a day lowers risk of a range of cancers
A new longitudinal study spanning almost two decades has produced some intriguing results regarding resistant starch. What you ask, is 'resistant starch'? It is ...
Read MoreOpting out: 4 alternative movements to redefine Black Friday
Right now, the Black Friday shopping festivities are undoubtedly engulfing our screens and storefronts. It's easy for consumerism to take center stage, but nonetheless, ...
Read More
