Slashdot Mirror


Evaporation Prevention Using Molecular Blankets

Makarand writes "According to this article in the New Scientist, a Canadian company is testing a technology to reduce water evaporation from reservoirs by spreading an ultra-thin blanket of organic molecules on the surface to block the escape of water molecules into the air. Trials conducted in India and Morocco showed between 30 and 45 per cent reduction in evaporation using this method. However, the long term ecological effects of reducing evaporation in lakes or reservoirs is not yet clear as evaporation prevention can increase water temperatures and affect the exchange rates of gases such as oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide."

9 of 223 comments (clear)

  1. Great, the next "The Core" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Scientists working to stop evaporation accidentally unleash it on the world's ocean. This causes weather around the world to go crazy, and only a group of scientists doing something bizarre can fix it.

  2. Hey... by hazman · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's not a environment destroying oil spill, its a high tech water evaporation prevention film.

  3. Positive spin? by gerardrj · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...by spreading an ultra-thin blanket of organic molecules on the surface to block the escape of water molecules...

    Are they trying to place a positive ecological spin on oil spils/slicks? Oil is organic, and it does prevent the evaporation of the underlying water.
    I recall seeing/reading elsewhere that a few millileters is enough to create a minute slick over several square kilometers.

    --
    Article X: The powers not delegated... by the Constitution...are reserved...to the people
  4. More research? by mschaffer · · Score: 2, Funny

    How is this different than having suntan lotion come off in the pool?

    Isn't there alot of data on that?

    Geez! What are these researchers thinking about.

    Then next thing you know, Exxon will be dumping oil from their tankers to mitigate "global evaporation".

  5. Home improvement? by Shoten · · Score: 2, Funny

    Ah, just what I need for my new swimming pool...on Arrakis!

    --

    For your security, this post has been encrypted with ROT-13, twice.
  6. Have to say it... by metrazol · · Score: 2, Funny

    Okay, this sounds to me like vapor ware.

    Ok, sorry, had to...but really, doesn't this sound like the setup for a sci-fi world saving movie where the original cause of the disaster was something incredibly stupid a scientist (the one equipping the rescuers) did?

    "You bred the aliens on Earth?"
    "Doctor! You designed the Neutronomiconimeter Canon!?!"
    "My god! Humans spread the oil on the ocean, causing the sea monsters to attack from Atlantis!?!"

    --
    "Life's funny sometimes." "And sometimes it isn't." --Cat's Cradle
  7. Prior art ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    by spreading an ultra-thin blanket of organic molecules on the surface

    Isn't this an Oil Slick, some complanies have been doing it for years.

    Oops ultra-thin obviously, given oil prices and shortages, they cant afford the old style heavy slicks any more.

  8. Re:Weather too by dotwaffle · · Score: 2, Funny

    But you're American... Surely you're not suggesting you care about the environment of other countries? Nah....

  9. ultra-thin blanket of organic molecules=oil slick by stankulp · · Score: 2, Funny

    Didn't we already try this with the Exxon-Valdez?

    --
    We must be alert to the danger that public policy could become captive to a scientific-technological elite. - Eisenhower