Omar Yaghi’s invention uses ambient thermal energy and can generate up to 1,000 litres of clean water every day

A Nobel laureate’s environmentally friendly invention that provides clean water if central supplies are knocked out by a hurricane or drought, could be a life saver for vulnerable islands, its founder says.

The invention, by the chemist Prof Omar Yaghi, uses a type of science called reticular chemistry to create molecularly engineered materials, which can extract moisture from the air and harvest water even in arid and desert conditions.

Atoco, a technology company that Yaghi founded, said their units, comparable in size to a 20-foot shipping container and powered entirely by ultra-low-grade thermal energy, could be placed in local communities to generate up to 1,000 litres of clean water every day, even if centralised electricity and water sources are interrupted by drought or storm damage.

Yaghi, who won the 2025 Nobel prize award in chemistry, said the invention would change the world and benefit islands in the Caribbean, which are prone to drought. He added that it could be a solution for countries needing to get water to marooned communities after hurricanes such as Beryl and Melissa, which left thousands without water.

  • JustAnotherPodunk@lemmy.world
    1·
    13 hours ago

    I know as much as you do about it. All that either of us know is what we directly read in the article. And it has a clear bias and motive imo.

    I never said they shouldn’t seek funding. I’m calling out the article for being an obvious vehicle to solicit funding. They already published it. I don’t opposed that. I oppose the method and hype train mentality exhibited.

    It’s true, the idea isn’t utterly original, but I don’t think it’s meritless. But I’m not going to read into something like this article and fantasize this contraption as the ultimate solution to water scarcity in deficient locals.

    Please don’t mistake my skepticism for willful ignorance. But please do get off of your high horse