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Energy Harnessed From Humidity Can Power Small Devices

Posted by Soulskill on from the send-them-to-the-midwest-for-infinite-energy dept.

sciencehabit writes: Scientists have built small devices that generate electricity by harnessing changes in the ambient humidity. This is done through the use of dormant bacterial spores which expand when they absorb moisture from the air. To prove the concept, researchers attached the spores to one side of a curved polymer sheet, and when the spores absorbed humidity from the air, the sheet straightened out. Coupling this movement with an electromagnetic generator allowed them to harvest enough energy to power small devices like an LED and a 100-gram toy car.

2 of 41 comments (clear)

  1. Great idea! by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can power my ancient Sony Walkman with the black spores from inside my bathroom.

  2. So... by Arkh89 · · Score: 4, Funny

    We will now get energy from the cloud, literally...