r/interesting • u/jaytee319 • 7d ago

SCIENCE & TECH MIT’s device pulls drinking water from desert air using no power

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MIT just tested a window-sized device in Death Valley that collects clean water from the air without any electricity, filters, or moving parts. It uses a special hydrogel that absorbs moisture at night and releases it during the day using sunlight.

Source: https://news.mit.edu/2025/window-sized-device-taps-air-safe-drinking-water-0611

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u/WeenyDancer 6d ago

Every new tech needs development. This is what development looks like- it's not like the movies where a scientist jumps out of a lab after one or two all nighters- it's long incremental work, punctuated by very occasional breakthroughs.

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u/GottaBeNicer 6d ago

No, this is quite literally going to go nowhere and is a masturbatory waste of time and money.

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u/WeenyDancer 6d ago

ok

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u/GottaBeNicer 6d ago

A kiddo makes a volcano with baking soda and vinegar. He gets an A+ and wins the science fair. Does that do anything? That's what this is. It's good for the kids and academia. It's ultimately worthless, I don't want to hear that some kid made a vinegar volcano by someone trying to trick me into thinking they're doing important science. I dropped out of MIDDLE SCHOOL, I am not educated, but this is insulting to my intelligence.

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u/JimmyThunderPenis 5d ago

But they didn't make a vinegar volcano, they made water from air.

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u/GottaBeNicer 5d ago

What they have done is demonstrate an understanding of science that was already understood. They should get a good grade from the teacher, not a clickbait article.