TLDR · SCIENCE & FUTURISTIC TECHNOLOGY
IN A SURPRISING FINDING, LIGHT CAN MAKE WATER EVAPORATE WITHOUT HEAT
Summary from the TLDR newsletter
Researchers have been puzzled for years over the fact that water held in hydrogels evaporates at a significantly higher rate than could be explained by the amount of heat that the water was receiving. New research has concluded that under certain conditions, light can directly bring about evaporation without heat at an even more efficient rate than with heat. The phenomenon may play a role in the formation and evolution of fog and clouds, so climate models will need to consider the new factor to improve accuracy.