By Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia
Ultra-light and buoyant, these multilayer sponges can harness solar heat to desalinate seawater. Additionally, they are capable of extracting and trapping water from humid air. Being reusable, they represent an effective system for providing drinking water sustainably and at low cost, with potential applications in arid regions, in maritime settings, and in any scenario where potable water is scarce.
When ingested, nanoplastics can accumulate in living organisms and pose a growing threat to health and ecosystems, particularly aquatic ones. To monitor their concentration, an innovative high-sensitivity sensor has been developed, capable of detecting the presence of nanoplastics in marine or freshwater environments—an essential tool for understanding their distribution in the environment.
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Perovskites are remarkably versatile materials: they can function as solar cells, converting light into electricity, or as LEDs, emitting light when supplied with energy. By modifying their composition, it is possible to alter their optical and electronic properties: in this way, they can be designed to absorb specific portions of the solar spectrum or be used as light sources of different colors.
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This is the world’s first rechargeable edible battery, made with ingredients such as almonds, capers, seaweed, and beeswax. Safe for both humans and the environment, once optimized and integrated it could become a key component of future electronics. For example, it could power ingestible active sensors capable of providing real-time diagnostic data on a patient’s health condition.
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