Globally, we are all trying to find alternative means to generate power and wean off of fossil fuels. Wind power and hydroelectric power are helpful, but many engines still rely on oil and gasoline to work. With that said, researchers at Colombia University and Loyola University Chicago might have found a possible solution.

The research teams have built tiny experimental machines that operate autonomously when exposed to moist air. Harmless bacterial spores in the air expand when expose to water molecules then contract when they’re dry. The researchers have been able to capture the energy expounded during the evaporation to power tiny engines, but hope to recreate their results on a larger scale. For a full article on this research, click here:: Engines that run on spores and water