Many species have evolved ingenious mechanisms to be able to improbably survive in the harshest conditions in the world. One company has taken inspiration from one of those species — the Namibian desert beetle — to create a device that can make drinkable water out of thin air, Interesting Engineering reported.
Kara Water makes an air-to-water device that uses an advanced desiccant (a material that sucks moisture out of the air, like the stuff contained in those little packs you find in bags of beef jerky) to replicate the process that keeps the Namibian desert beetle hydrated. The beetle is also able to suck moisture out of the air and collect it on its shell, which is known as vapor harvesting.
"[Access to clean water is] not just a third-world problem," Cody Soodeen, co-founder and CEO of Kara Water, told Interesting Engineering. "Even here in America, millions deal with water contamination, microplastics, and other pollutants every day. I knew there had to be a better way."
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Never 👎 Soodeen has firsthand experience to back up this claim. Growing up in Pennsylvania, he and his family relied on well water that turned out to be severely contaminated by farm pesticides — an all too common experience for people who live near a farm or an army base.
In many places, the problem of water insecurity is even more pronounced. Four billion people around the world, or almost two thirds of the world's population, experience severe water scarcity for at least one month each year, according to UNICEF.
In addition to its standalone air-to-water device, Kara Water is also making a Kara Pod coffee brewer, which can make coffee using water from the air — no refilling required.
The company has sold over 1,000 units so far. Those units have produced over one million liters of clean water, the company said.
"This is more than just a product; it's a movement. We've already prevented countless plastic water bottles from entering landfills and oceans, and we're just getting started. Our mission is to provide sustainable, reliable water solutions for people everywhere," Soodeen said.
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