‘Reimagining matter’: Nobel laureate invents machine that harvests water from dry air

A Nobel laureate’s environmentally friendly invention that provides clean water if central supplies are knocked out by a hurricane or drought could be a life saver for vulnerable islands, its founder says. The invention, by the chemist Prof Omar Yaghi, uses a type of science called reticular chemistry to create molecularly engineered materials, which can extract moisture from the air and harvest water even in arid and desert conditions.

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Yaghi, who won the 2025 Nobel prize in chemistry , said the invention would change the world and benefit islands in the Caribbean, which are prone to drought. He added that it could be a solution for countries needing to get water to marooned communities after hurricanes such as Beryl and Melissa, which left thousands without water.

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The invention, Yaghi added, could provide a climate-friendly and sustainable alternative to other water sourcing options such as desalination, which may pose a threat to ecosystems when concentrated salty brine is released back into the ocean.

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Yaghi, who grew up in a refugee community in Jordan, said he was inspired by the hardships he endured in a home with no running water or electricity. Giving his Nobel prize banquet speech, he recalled water arriving at his desert community from the government once every week or two.