Rochester laser panels turn ocean water into fresh water with no brine waste
A solar-thermal desalination system built at the University of Rochester produces fresh water without chemical additives and without leaving behind brine, the concentrated saltwater byproduct that harms marine life when returned to the sea. The panels are made of black metal etched by femtosecond lasers, making their surface super light-absorbing and superwicking. A thin film of water is drawn across the active region, nearly all solar radiation is absorbed, and leftover salts are channelled away to a passive zone so they never clog the system. "Other researchers have developed solar-thermal desalination techniques," said Chunlei Guo, professor of optics and physics at URochester, implying existing approaches still leave problems his team's method avoids. The findings were published in Light: Science & Applications.
Communities in water-scarce regions could gain a clean, waste-free source of drinking water without harming nearby ocean ecosystems.
Source: New method turns ocean water into drinking water, without waste (rochester.edu).
Written by the HappyGood desk from the primary source linked above and checked against it. Every story links its source. Corrections: [email protected].
More from the archive
- Blind Herefordshire writer gains international acclaim for debut short film Blind Faith October 18, 2026
- At 91, Barrie man stays active every day at East Bayfield Community Centre October 18, 2026
- Wrexham care home residents take nostalgic train ride through Dee Valley October 17, 2026
- Roslin pupils sow wildflower meadow by hand at Roslin Glen October 16, 2026
- Oyster sanctuary network in North Carolina's Pamlico Sound reaches 500-acre goal October 16, 2026