• Nobel laureate invents machine that pulls 1,000 liters of water from air daily Yaghi developed an off-grid device that harvests water even at 20% humidity. • In some of the driest regions on Earth, a new technology is proving that drinking water can be drawn directly from the sky, even when the ground is parched. • Professor Omar Yaghi, a chemist at the University of California, Berkeley and a 2025 Nobel Prize winner, has invented a machine that can harvest up to 1,000 liters of clean water daily from thin air. • Developed by his technology company Atoco, this device operates effectively even in areas with less than 20% humidity, offering a potential lifeline to regions struggling with severe water shortages. • Science of the “super-sponge” This breakthrough is based on reticular chemistry, a field conceived by Yaghi. • The key to the invention is Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs)-synthetic, porous materials that act like advanced sponges.
Article Summaries:
- Professor Omar Yaghi, a 2025 Nobel Prize‑winning chemist, has developed an off‑grid device that can harvest up to 1,000 litres of clean water daily from the atmosphere, even when humidity is below 20 %. The machine, produced by his company Atoco, uses metal‑organic frameworks (MOFs) - porous materials engineered at the molecular level - to absorb water vapour. Solar heat or low‑grade thermal energy releases the moisture, which condenses into liquid water without the need for electricity. The technology is intended for deployment in arid regions and disaster‑affected areas, offering a portable, eco‑friendly alternative to conventional water‑generation methods.
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