How to address the issues of drought, population explosion, and energy scarcity? International scientists have proposed the following five projects.
Constructing a Giant Building
By the year 2050, the global population is expected to increase by 50%. How will our planet accommodate all these people?
The leaders of the Taisei Corporation (Japan) have come up with an innovative idea to tackle this issue: building a structure the size of a mountain! This building would stand 4 kilometers tall, with a base diameter of 6.5 kilometers, capable of housing 1.6 million people. Many engineers will surely be pulling their hair out before this colossal structure is erected on our planet.
Harnessing Solar Energy from Space
How do we find alternative energy sources when oil reserves are running out? The solution certainly lies in solar energy. This energy can be harvested through space stations equipped with large solar panels. These stations operate above the clouds surrounding the Earth, thus capturing more solar energy than those stationed on the ground. Through a space cable and in the form of microwave waves, the aforementioned space station could transmit the collected energy back to our planet. NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) has been nurturing this idea for over 30 years, and Japanese aerospace experts have recently reiterated it. Japan plans to launch a solar energy-harvesting space station before 2040.
Growing Bridges
Roelof Schuiling, a Dutch geochemist, has proposed a technique that allows rock to grow like a plant. By injecting sulfuric acid into drilled holes in limestone, he claims to be able to make the rock expand and form a real bridge. Schuiling intends to stimulate the limestone layer until it rises above the water’s surface, creating a roadway for vehicles and trains to traverse. This road could be equipped with a series of turbines powered by water and wind, thus generating additional energy for an entire city.
Extracting Water from the Air
Water is often referred to as green gold. This is particularly true in certain areas of our planet where water scarcity is severe. The idea of harvesting water from dew has emerged. Even in places that never see rain, there is still moisture in the atmosphere. Scientists suggest converting this vapor into liquid using dew collectors. The organization Opur has proposed creating large panels coated with a rapidly cooling plastic film. This material can lower temperatures below the threshold at which water vapor condenses into liquid, allowing moisture to coalesce into droplets. Similar devices have been tested in numerous arid regions from Bangladesh to Ethiopia, passing through Israel, and will soon be tested in India.
Turning Deserts into Fertile Land
Gordon Sato firmly believes that it is possible to transform deserts into fertile land. This American biologist has committed to converting a drought-stricken area in Africa into arable farmland. Specifically, he is focusing on the coastline of Eritrea along the Red Sea. Under the Manzanar project, he has planted approximately one million mangrove trees over seven years. This scientist hopes to create a real mangrove forest, a transitional area between land and sea that brings numerous benefits to local communities.
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