Some of these inventions will make you wonder why it took so long for us to come up with the ideas. They show that technology can, in fact, be used for good. While it might not be enough to fully counter our effects on the environment, it’s at least a step in the right direction!
1. A high-tech sieve that makes the ocean drinkable
Yes, you can already turn the ocean into drinkable water through existing, industrial-scale desalination plants.
But these plants are often costly and can damage the environment.
So, researchers in the UK have developed a sieve made out of graphene.
2. A drone that pollinates
So much of what you eat and drink every day — apples, carrots, chocolate, even coffee — relies on pollination, which allows plants to reproduce.
In fact, about 75% of the world's crops are produced with the help of pollinators, like bees and butterflies.
Yet these insect pollinators belong to a group that's facing extinction, according to a UN report.
The researchers' drone was able to pollinate a very large flower, but there's still a lot more work to do.
3. Biodegradable bullets
The current spent rounds — the bullet casings that are ejected from a weapon after it's been fired — are believed to take hundreds of years to biodegrade, according to the Pentagon, and they contain components that could harm the soil and water.
So the US Department of Defense is asking for new ammunition that contains seeds to produce food for animals.
4. A plant-based ‘plastic' that doesn't pollute
In 2014, Kumala launched Avani Eco, which produces four tons of cassava-plastic products each day. He hopes to secure funding to produce a lot more.
Kumala is so confident in his product that he will dissolve and drink his bioplastic creations.
5. A plane that emits only water
OK, so it fits only four people, including the pilot — but this sleek-looking plane runs on an electrical current from a supply of hydrogen and oxygen, aided by a battery.
The result? Its only emission is water vapor.
The hope is to create emission-free air taxis — like the HY4 — that can easily travel from city to city in the near future.
Have you researched any other inventions that harness technology to help the environment? Let us know in the comments!
Article Source: CNN
