Water

New evidence has emerged in the debate about whether there’s liquid water on Mars. In a study led by the University of Cambridge, scientists examined the topology of Martian ice sheets and found signatures that match subglacial lakes here on Earth.

Scientists studying the biology of the tardigrade have filled in important new details around how the tiny aquatic creature can survive the harshest of conditions, highlighting a newfound mechanism that kicks into gear as dehydration sets in.

NASA engineers have developed a tiny but powerful laser that could one day help astronauts find water on the Moon. Smaller than a US quarter, the laser makes use of quantum mechanical effects to produce a THz beam that can highlight hidden water.

Engineers at the University of Vienna have developed a new composite material that makes an efficient filter for removing organic pollutants from water. The system uses super-porous “nano-sponges” embedded on a sheet of graphene.

Everyone knows that the application of heat is necessary to boil water, but thanks to new research, much less heat may soon be required. A novel surface treatment allows water to reach a boiling point more easily, thus requiring less energy to do so.

When cooking oil is extracted from peanuts and sunflower seeds, a waste product known as oilseed meal is left behind. New research shows that proteins harvested from that meal can be used to filter heavy metals out of contaminated water.

Today's filtration technologies do a wonderful job of producing potable water, but the spread of plastic waste means there are new threats to contend with. A new study suggests a technique called slow sand filtering may be up to the task.

Water scarcity is a major problem around the world, but with the right equipment drinking water can be wrung out of thin air. Researchers have now demonstrated a low-cost gel film that can pull many liters of water per day out of even very dry air.

A new type of desalination membrane uses a series of nanoscale tubes lined with a Teflon-inspired material that repels salts while allowing water to flow through with little friction. The team says it's fast, and requires little pressure and energy.

Invasive freshwater zebra mussels are a problem in many areas, clogging structures such as water intake and water treatment pipes as they rapidly reproduce. A new technology could help, by getting them to eat "eco-friendly" poison disguised as food.

The Moon may look like a big dry ball, but there’s more water up there than you might expect. In a new study, scientists have shown that at least some of it could have been showered onto the lunar surface from the Earth’s atmosphere.

Although there are already portable systems that create drinking water by desalinating and purifying seawater, they typically utilize filters that have to be replaced. A new MIT setup, however, just requires a small amount of electricity.