Scientistsmayhavefoundoneanswertotheproblemofwatershortages.Itisanewmaterialthatcollectswaterfromtheair.TheygottheirideafromasmallbeetlethatlivesinthedesertinAfrica.ThedesertsoftheSkeletonCoastinNamibiaareverydry,buttheNamibdesertbeetleisanexpertatsurvivinginhotanddryconditions.Itsshelliscoveredinsmallbumpsthatcollecttinywaterdropletsfromtheair.Thewaterisenoughtokeepthebeetlealive.Scientistsstudiedtheshapeandmaterialofthebeetle'sbumps.Theywanttousewhattheyfoundoutaboutthebeetletomaketheirownmaterialsthatcancollectwaterfromtheair.Thiswillhelppeoplewholiveinverydryareas.
Thescientistsbelievethisnewtechnologycouldhelpinmanyareasofourlife.Theysaiditcouldbeveryusefulforpowerplantsandfortheheatingandairconditioninginairplanes,carsandtrains.Oneofthescientists,PhilseokKim,said:"Thermalpowerplants,forexample,relyoncondenserstoquicklyconvertsteamtoliquidwater.Ourdesigncouldhelpspeedupthatprocessandevenallowforoperationatahighertemperature,significantlyimprovingtheoverallenergyefficiency."Anotherscientist,JoannaAizenberg,saidshewaslookingforwardtothefutureofgettingideasfornewtechnologiesfromnature.Shesaid:"Everybodyisexcitedaboutbio-inspiredmaterialsresearch."
Israelknowshowtodealwithdrought.ThesmallMiddleEasterncountryhasexperienceddryweatherconditionsandwatershortagesformanyyears.TheAmericanstateofCaliforniaisinthefourthyearofadrought.SoaJewishgroupproposedaconferencetoshowCalifornianswhatIsraeliscanofferintermsoftechnology,knowledgeandsupport.
BarryBroadisheadoftheSacramentoJewishFederation.HesaystheideaforthemeetingwasaproductofSacramento'sSisterCityrelationshipwiththeIsraelicityofAshkelon.
"WethoughtgivenCalifornia'swatersituation--we'reinaveryseriousdrought--andIsrael'sadvancedtechnologyinthisarea...thiswouldbetheperfectSisterCityeventtoplan.BringingexpertsfromIsraeltotelluswhatarethethingswecanlearnfromIsrael'slongerandmoreextensivehistorydealingwithlifeinapermanentlyaridclimate."
InCalifornia,hundredsofthousandsofpeoplepayaflatratefortheirwater.Inotherwords,theypaythesameamount,whethertheyusealotofwaterorverylittle.
Israeltreatswaterdifferently.EilonAdarisdirectoroftheZuckerbergInstituteforWaterResearchatBen-GurionUniversityintheNegevdesert.Hesayswaterisconsideredanationalresource,likeoilornaturalgas.TheIsraelWaterAuthoritysetsthepriceofwater.Mr.Adarsaysthatthemorewatersomeoneuses,themoretheymustpay.
"Inmycountry,whenIbuyaunitofwatertomyhouse,Ipayforthewaterasacommodity;Ipayforthetransmission,andIpayforthetreatmentofthewaterreleasedlateronfrommyhouse.Andthis,Ithink,isthekeyforsuccess."
Israelhasfivedesalinationplantsinoperation.Theyremovesaltfromseawatersoitcanbedrunkandusedtocookandcleanclothes.Morethanhalfofthewaterforhomes,farmsandbusinessescomesfromthisdesalinationprocess.
AdesalinationplantwillsoonbeginoperatingnearthecityofSanDiego,California.CaliforniaGovernorJerryBrownhascalledfora25percentreductionintheuseofwater.AndinNovember,votersapprovedaplanforthegovernmenttoraisemoneytohelpsolvethestate'swaterproblems.
Mr.AdarsaysthebiggestbarriertosolvingCalifornia'slong-termwaterproblemmayhavemoretodowithpoliticsthantechnology.Hesayslargecitiesinthesouthernpartofthestatedemandfreshwaterfromthenorthernpart.
DarrylSteinbergistheformerpresidentoftheCaliforniaSenate.Hesayscitiesthroughoutthestatehavetostopfightingeachotherforwater.
"Truthis,wedon'thaveroomfordivisionhere.It'sonestate.There'slesswater.There'smorepeople,andwe'regoingtohavetobemuchmoreaggressiveandcometogetherinamuchmoreeffectivewayovertime,ifwe'regoingtodealwiththis.AndI'mconfidentwecan."
Mr.Adarsaysfarmers,propertyownersandwatercompaniesmustworktogethertosavewater.HesaysIsraelwilluseitsadvancedtechnology,informationandexperiencetohelpanycountrythatasks.