Beetle Inspires Clean Water Tech

It becomes spectacular when MIT gets involved, but a primary school (that Aus kids under 12 yo) competition near Bellingen published similar results nearly two years ago.

The kids had a working example and it was shown on the news media here and even commented that it might be applicable in more arid areas where fog was common.

The kids even had a working prototype and had conducted trials with woven wire (insect screen) and found that parallel fine wires was more effective as the droplets followed the wires to the bottom, while the insect screen held the moisture in the spaces.

They commented that each morning as the fog begins to move up the valleys, the collectors become very effective, and even commented that it would not be practical in areas with low humidity (and thus no fog).

Sorry to be such a dampener, but it would seem the information is already public domain. I believe that I could direct the MIT people so they can get in touch with the kids.

Interested persons should have a look to the Canarian Pine - found on Teneriffa -that lives mostly on water that is caught by its needle-bundles from mist and clouds. Water droplets accumulate until at a size of near 1mm start rolling along to the tips of the needles and drop down to wet the soil.

RHABE