The new membranes, developed by researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), could reduce the cost of desalination by 75 percent, compared to reverse osmosis methods used today, the researchers say. The membranes, which sort molecules by size and with electrostatic forces, could also separate various gases, perhaps leading to economical ways to capture carbon dioxide emitted from power plants, to prevent it from entering the atmosphere.
(Via Beyond the Beyond.)
If this works as advertised, it's certainly good news for humans here on Earth. But something this potent has got to have some impressive off-world applications as well.
My prediction? Look for carbon nanotubes to lead the way to the Moon and Mars . . . and to keep us alive and kicking once we decide to stay.
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