At Stanford, researchers have done what sounds unthinkable: they’ve turned human urine into a clean source of both fertilizer and energy. Their solar-powered system, small enough to operate without a grid, separates ammonia from urine and converts it into ammonium sulfate—one of the world’s most common fertilizers. What makes the breakthrough even more impressive is its efficiency. By capturing and reusing the waste heat from solar panels, the process doesn’t just accelerate—it also boosts power output by nearly 60% while improving ammonia recovery by over 20%. The very act of keeping solar panels cooler makes them perform better, creating a virtuous cycle of energy and production.
Continue reading… “Turning Urine into Power and Fertilizer: Stanford’s Solar Innovation”World-first: Bio-bricks made from urine
The world’s first bio-brick made using human urine was unveiled at UCT this week. In picture are (from left) the Department of Civil Engineering’s Dr Dyllon Randall and his students, Vukheta Mukhari and Suzanne Lambert.
The world’s first bio-brick grown from human urine has been unveiled by University of Cape Town (UCT) master’s student in civil engineering Suzanne Lambert, signalling an innovative paradigm shift in waste recovery.
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Urine-soaked eggs a spring delicacy in China
A urine-soaked egg.
At the end of the school day in the eastern Chinese city of Dongyang, eager parents collect their children after a hectic day of primary school. That is also the start of busy times for dozens of egg vendors across the city, deep in coastal Zhejiang province, who ready themselves to cook up a unique springtime snack favored by local residents.
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‘Pee power’ – turning urine into electricity
Urine can be turned into electricity, according to scientists.
We each produce 2.5 liters of urine a day and a total of 6.4 trillion liters globally. But until now it has been widely regarded as a rather unpleasant waste product.
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DIY energy drink – Astronauts drink their own urine
Converts urine to an energy drink.
The internet is full of stories that astronauts on the current shuttle mission will be testing a new system for recycling their own pee and sweat into a sugary energy drink. But the pee-to-water converter that enables the recycling of human, or even animal, urine into drinkable water is not science fiction.
Continue reading… “DIY energy drink – Astronauts drink their own urine”
