This aerogel and some sun could make saltwater drinkable

The article discusses a new type of aerogel that could potentially make saltwater drinkable using solar energy. Aerogels are lightweight, porous materials that have been explored for water purification, but previous versions were not scalable enough to be practical. The new aerogel, developed by researchers at the University of Sydney, is made from a type of clay and can efficiently evaporate saltwater and collect the fresh water vapor when exposed to sunlight. The process is powered solely by solar energy, making it a potentially cost-effective and sustainable solution for producing drinking water in areas with limited freshwater resources. The researchers claim that the aerogel can produce up to 10 liters of fresh water per square meter of material per day, which is a significant improvement over previous designs. The article notes that further optimization and testing are still needed, but the new aerogel represents a promising step towards addressing global water scarcity issues using renewable energy.