Water is one of the most precious things on Earth. We need it to drink, to grow food, and to stay healthy. But in many parts of the world, clean drinking water is very hard to find. In fact, 2.2 billion people around the globe don’t have access to safe drinking water. But what if we could get water right out of the air?

An Invention Inspired by Nature

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have invented a device that can do just that! It’s a special panel, about the size of a window, that can pull water vapor from the air and turn it into clean, drinkable water. The best part is that it works even in very dry places, and it doesn’t need any electricity to run.

According to a report from MIT News, the device was successfully tested in Death Valley, California, one of the hottest and driest places in North America. [1]

This incredible invention is made from a special material called a hydrogel, which is super absorbent, like a sponge. The hydrogel is filled with a type of salt called lithium chloride, which is great at trapping water molecules. The whole thing is enclosed in a glass chamber.

How Does It Work?

The process is simple and works all by itself. At night, when the air is cooler, the hydrogel soaks up moisture from the air. During the day, the sun heats the panel, and the water that was trapped in the hydrogel turns into vapor. This vapor then condenses on the inside of the glass, forming pure water droplets that trickle down into a collector. It’s a completely passive system, meaning it doesn’t need any batteries or to be plugged in.

The design of the hydrogel is inspired by origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. It has small, dome-shaped structures that swell up as they absorb water and then shrink back down as the water evaporates.

A Solution for a Thirsty World

This technology could be a game-changer for people living in areas with water scarcity. Because it’s a simple and low-cost device, it could be used to provide clean drinking water to remote villages, disaster areas, or any place where water is hard to come by. The team at MIT is working on making the device even more efficient so that a larger version could provide enough daily drinking water for a whole family.

Q&A

Q: How much water can the device make?

A: The current version is a prototype, but the scientists believe that a larger version could produce several liters of water per day, enough for a family’s drinking needs.

Q: Is the water safe to drink?

A: Yes! The process of evaporation and condensation purifies the water, leaving behind any dust or contaminants.

Q: What can I do to save water?

A: There are many simple things you can do to conserve water at home, like turning off the tap when you brush your teeth, taking shorter showers, and fixing any leaky faucets. Every drop counts!

Sources

[1] Chu, J. (2025, June 11). Window-sized device taps the air for safe drinking water. MIT News. https://news.mit.edu/2025/window-sized-device-taps-air-safe-drinking-water-0611

[2] Bregel, S. (2025, June 12). This window-sized device can pull clean drinking water out of the air. Fast Company. https://www.fastcompany.com/91138829/this-window-sized-device-can-pull-clean-drinking-water-out-of-the-air

[3] Wilkins, A. (2025, June 11). Water-collecting device works even in the driest air in the world. New Scientist. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2485300-water-collecting-device-works-even-in-the-driest-air-in-the-world/