In the desert, the line between life and death is sharp and quick
July 19, 2013 12:53 AM   Subscribe

Unicef Sweden have developed a machine that turns sweat into drinking water. They are asking participants in the Gothia Cup to hand in their sweaty clothes to produce water and are hoping they will "drink some sweat to support clean drinking water. The expectation is to gather sweat from more than 70 different nations". The goal is to raise awareness about the lack of clean water in the world, with the main purpose of raising money for water purification tablets for children. 780 million people still lack access to clean drinking water.

The machine (video) builds on similar technology that is already in use on the ISS to reprocess urine.

Unfortunately, a stillsuit is not available yet.
posted by arcticseal (19 comments total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
Muad'Dib!
posted by Brian Lux at 1:38 AM on July 19, 2013 [16 favorites]


Hmmm, I got one of those super expensive ceramic kitchen knives, and it chipped and shattered after my girlfriend put it in the washer...so that's kinda like a crysknife, right? Other than that, we already have stone burners (yeah yeah, not the same as atomics, fuck off). What's next? Shields?
posted by GoingToShopping at 1:41 AM on July 19, 2013


The slow blade penetrates the shield.
posted by Samuel Farrow at 1:48 AM on July 19, 2013 [4 favorites]




Now, if we could only turn pee into electricity!

oh...wait...
posted by HuronBob at 2:46 AM on July 19, 2013


We're at 50% of comments being Dune references - I'm guessing the final tally will end up being higher.
posted by grajohnt at 3:32 AM on July 19, 2013 [2 favorites]


Pocari Sweat
posted by Segundus at 3:32 AM on July 19, 2013 [1 favorite]


780 million?

That's like two United States of people without access to clean drinking water.
posted by notyou at 3:35 AM on July 19, 2013


OK, I'm waiting for actual sweatshops to open. Children will drink water straight from the Ganges, run on a treadmill all day, and sweat for this machine so the owners can sell "Calcutta Nights" bottled water to people who think drinking bottled water is a good idea.
posted by pracowity at 3:37 AM on July 19, 2013 [4 favorites]


Making undrinkable water drinkable is pretty simple if you have sunshine and a piece of plastic sheet. A glass funnel would be more durable, probably.
posted by DU at 3:46 AM on July 19, 2013


What can they do with the substance that is extracted from the sweat? Make bouillon cubes?
posted by orme at 5:33 AM on July 19, 2013 [4 favorites]


Let them drink sweat?
posted by symbioid at 6:41 AM on July 19, 2013 [1 favorite]


780 million?

That's like two United States of people without access to clean drinking water.


Yeah, but it's only half of China, which makes me think the number is low, because at least half of China lives in the desert, industrial wastelands, overstripped arigultural backwaters, or malarial jungles, so there's 3/4 of a Billion right there!
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 6:44 AM on July 19, 2013 [1 favorite]


orme: I gagged.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 10:41 AM on July 19, 2013


Faeces collects in the thigh pads. For recycling.

But, you've worn a stillsuit before?
posted by Happy Dave at 12:56 PM on July 19, 2013


Lyle will be excited to hear about this.
posted by zoinks at 1:48 PM on July 19, 2013


I live a ten minutes walk from this machine but nope, I won't stop by to taste the product. You see, I also used to play and sweat in that tournament and smelt the locker rooms. Maybe they can handle the shirts, but what if a shin guard slips in by accident? There is no saving the person who drinks that.
posted by springload at 3:13 PM on July 19, 2013


We're at 50% of comments being Dune references

Star Wars home of Anakin Skywalker threatened by dune
posted by homunculus at 6:28 PM on July 20, 2013


Star Wars home of Anakin Skywalker threatened by dune

You know when that set gets uncovered in a couple hundred years it is really going to freak some archeologists out.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 5:00 AM on July 22, 2013


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