This Chilean community catches fog in giant nets and turns coastal mist into water; the unusual idea now harvests up to 650,000 litres a year in a drought-hit region

This Chilean community catches fog in giant nets and turns coastal mist into water; the unusual idea now harvests up to 650,000 litres a year in a drought-hit region

A drought-hit community in northern Chile has found an unusual source of water in something that usually passes unnoticed. On the hills above Peña Blanca, in the Coquimbo region, giant mesh nets are positioned to intercept coastal fog, locally known as camanchaca, as it moves inland from the Pacific. Tiny droplets suspended in the fog … Read more

In 2024, England turned old fishing nets into a 16-metre footbridge; the 3.5-tonne structure needs smaller foundations and less maintenance than a conventional bridge

In 2024, England turned old fishing nets into a 16-metre footbridge; the 3.5-tonne structure needs smaller foundations and less maintenance than a conventional bridge

The project used modular blocks, which mostly can be placed by hand, instead of traditional reinforced-concrete retaining walls. The blocks fit together like a Lego system, with little or no mortar needed. Old fishing nets seldom find a second life. But in Kent, England, the nets are being turned into something much more ambitious. The … Read more

Moroccan women once walked hours to collect water; now giant nets harvest drinking water from mountain fog

Moroccan women once walked hours to collect water; now giant nets harvest drinking water from mountain fog

Representative Image of engineered mesh capturing fog droplets on Mount Boutmezguida for water collection (AI-generated image) High on Mount Boutmezguida in southwest Morocco, more than 4,000 feet above sea level, rows of black mesh stand directly in the path of Atlantic fog rolling through the Anti-Atlas Mountains. As the fog passes through the mesh, tiny … Read more