Drinking water from air? Meet the MIT scientist behind the breakthrough idea
India Today
What if clean drinking water could be produced directly from the air? Scientists are exploring technologies that can capture moisture from the atmosphere and turn it into usable water. One of the researchers working on this idea is mechanical engineer Evelyn N. Wang.
Water shortages remain one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century. According to estimates by the United Nations and the World Health Organization, more than 2.2 billion people around the world still do not have reliable access to safe drinking water at home.
In many places, especially dry or remote regions, communities depend on pipelines, treatment plants, or groundwater systems to access clean water. When such infrastructure is weak or unavailable, securing safe water becomes extremely difficult.
Because of this growing challenge, scientists are exploring new ways to produce drinking water. One approach gaining attention is atmospheric water harvesting a method that captures water vapour from the air and turns it into liquid water.
Among the researchers working on this technology is Evelyn N. Wang, a mechanical engineer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology whose research focuses on developing systems that can generate drinking water directly from the air.
Evelyn N. Wang is an American mechanical engineer and academic known for her research in energy systems and heat transfer. She currently serves as the Ford Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
In April 2025, she was also appointed Vice President for Energy and Climate at the university. Her work focusses on solving energy and sustainability challenges, including finding new ways to produce clean water.
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