Growing Crops in the Desert with Seawater | Freethink

Water is in short supply in much of the world - but what if we use seawater? It's been a dream for many years, but now technology is making it possible. This new seawater greenhouse uses a clever cardboard design to distill fresh water from salt water cheaply and efficiently. It's helping grow crops in Somaliland, and could help stop the water crisis in Africa and other parts of the world that are susceptible to drought. The founder of Seawater Greenhouse, Charlie Paton, explains how unlike traditional greenhouses - which are hothouses - this one is a “cool house“ that is ideal for growing temperate crops in deserts or other hot, arid regions. What do you think? Will this succeed at turning desert into farmland? What other projects have caught your eye? Let us know in the comments and subscribe for new videos every week. For more stories profiling pioneers of science and tech innovation, subscribe to Freethink at