REUTERS/Danish Ismail

Could Harvesting Fog Help Solve the World's Water Crisis?
CloudFisher is a system that harvests fog through a series of tall poles, hung with rectangular black polymer nets. These fog harvesters collect 17 gallons of water per square yard of netting in 24 hours. A small system such as this could provide a consistent water source for a group of rural families or a village.

Adapting to Climate Change: How USAID Is Connecting Cities to Find Solutions
More than half the world’s population lives in cities, and that number is growing at unprecedented rates. The urban poor are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change, living in unsafe housing and in areas most prone to flooding. By partnering with cities facing similar challenges, USAID helps them to increase their resilience, protect their citizens, and prepare for a changing climate.

Microbe with Stripped-Down DNA May Hint at Secrets of Life
Scientists have succeeded in deleting nearly half the genes of a microbe, creating a stripped-down version that still functions, an achievement that might reveal secrets of how life works. Researchers may be able to use such minimal-DNA microbes as a chassis for adding genes to make the organisms produce medicines, fuels, and other substances for uses like nutrition and agriculture.
  
How Is US Biotechnology Helping Indian Bananas Get Fresher?
Though India is one of the largest banana producers in the world, only a tiny fraction of India’s bananas make it into the global export market, largely due to poor post-harvest processes. To change this, BiOWiSH Technologies is helping India extend the shelf life of perishable foods like bananas by increasing the efficiency of natural biological processes.
 
Duke Energy Signs Deal to Turn Pig Poop into Electricity
Duke Energy is expanding its renewable energy portfolio through livestock, by collecting methane from pig and chicken waste—enough to power 10,000 homes a year. The project is one of the largest in a growing number of waste-to-fuel efforts and likely will draw mostly from swine operations.