It seems simple, but it generates electricity: scientists transform ambient humidity into electricity with gelatin and salt, and the generator still works for more than 30 days.

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 24/05/2026 at 00:40

Be the first to react!

Developed by researchers from Queen Mary, University of Warwick, Imperial College London, and Universitas Mercatorum, the Moisture Electric Generator uses gelatin, table salt, and activated charcoal to produce electricity from ambient humidity, achieving stable output for over 30 days and scaled performance of up to 90 volts

Developed with gelatin, table salt, and activated charcoal, the Moisture Electric Generator transforms water molecules from the air or skin into stable energy, reaching up to 90 volts in series and can also act as a biodegradable respiratory sensor.

Food-grade materials managed to transform ambient humidity into continuous electricity for more than 30 days, in a biodegradable generator developed by researchers from Queen Mary, Warwick, Imperial College London, and Universitas Mercatorum.

How electricity, ambient humidity, and simple materials connect

The device, called the Moisture Electric Generator, or MEG, uses gelatin, sodium chloride, and activated charcoal to harness water molecules present in the air or human skin. The proposal reverses a known problem in electronics: humidity ceases to be an obstacle and starts functioning as an energy input.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Technology seeks to reduce the impact of electronic waste

The advancement draws attention because it combines performance with widely available and non-toxic materials. In a scenario of growing global electronic waste, the MEG emerges as a lower-impact alternative compared to conventional batteries and energy systems based on components that are difficult to dispose of.

Ming Dong, postdoctoral research associate at the School of Engineering and Materials Science at Queen Mary University of London and the first author of the study, stated that high voltages usually depend on complex manufacturing or scarce materials. For him, the work shows strong performance with simple and sustainable components.

Generator also functions as a humidity sensor

In addition to producing energy, the material responds to small changes in humidity. This characteristic allows its use as a skin-compatible sensor, capable of tracking physiological signals related to breathing, speech, and proximity without touch.

The researchers demonstrated real-time respiratory monitoring and detection of changes associated with speech through variations in exhaled humidity. The technology can also pave the way for wearable health systems and battery-free human-machine interfaces.

Another advantage is at the end of life. The generator can biodegrade in soil within a few weeks or be dissolved in water, allowing components to be recovered and reused without hazardous chemical products. Dimitrios Papageorgiou, corresponding author, said the goal was to rethink electronic materials.

It seems simple, but it generates electricity: scientists transform ambient humidity into electricity with gelatin and salt, and the generator still works for more than 30 days.

How electricity, ambient humidity, and simple materials connect

Technology seeks to reduce the impact of electronic waste

Generator also functions as a humidity sensor

Study solves great ancient mystery: remains of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, are identified in Vergina and resolves the enigma of the Macedonian royal tombs that had lasted half a century.

Australia prepares to dredge 96.5 million m³ in Moreton Bay to deepen, widen, and realign channels of the Port of Brisbane, in a project of up to 25 years designed to accommodate larger ships and enhance maritime safety and regional port efficiency.

A 250-ton transformer traveled 1,929 km by road in India on a slow and planned journey that demonstrates how the power grid relies on giant loads, detours, and impossible routes for regular trucks.

Larger than the Toyota Hilux and with a towing capacity of 3.5 tons, the new MG U9 2026 features a 2.5 turbodiesel engine, 520 Nm, 4×4 traction with three locks, and an almost full-size build.

Portugal installs two giant underwater sockets to draw water from the Atlantic and create a €107.9 million desalination plant in the Algarve capable of producing 43.2 million liters of potable water per day with ocean intake 2 km from the coast.

Switzerland dug a hole the size of two football fields to install the most powerful underground battery on the planet, capable of releasing 1.2 GW in milliseconds, storing 2.1 GWh, and costing up to 5 billion Swiss francs.

Larger than Belgium and nestled at the mouth of the Amazon, Marajó Island is a giant that Brazil has forgotten, surrounded by water and energy on all sides, yet still isolated, poor, and dependent on diesel brought by barge.

Toyota Aygo X Hybrid arrives with a 1.5 hybrid engine of 116 hp and consumption of up to 27 km/l, more economical than many popular models sold in Brazil; the urban crossover showcases a compact, powerful, and economical Toyota that Brazilians do not find in European dealerships.

Soon, smartphones may be able to “see” objects hidden behind walls with LiDAR.

China is about to get its hands on one of Brazil’s largest nickel sources, but the European Union has decided to hold up the $500 million deal and may even block the sale permanently in the coming months.

The world could operate on clean electricity by 2050, but a study indicates that this would require up to 20 TW of renewable energy, more than 9 million hectares for solar, and strong cooperation between countries.

It seems simple, but it generates electricity: scientists transform ambient humidity into electricity with gelatin and salt, and the generator still works for more than 30 days.

How electricity, ambient humidity, and simple materials connect

Technology seeks to reduce the impact of electronic waste

Generator also functions as a humidity sensor

Study solves great ancient mystery: remains of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, are identified in Vergina and resolves the enigma of the Macedonian royal tombs that had lasted half a century.

Australia prepares to dredge 96.5 million m³ in Moreton Bay to deepen, widen, and realign channels of the Port of Brisbane, in a project of up to 25 years designed to accommodate larger ships and enhance maritime safety and regional port efficiency.

A 250-ton transformer traveled 1,929 km by road in India on a slow and planned journey that demonstrates how the power grid relies on giant loads, detours, and impossible routes for regular trucks.

Larger than the Toyota Hilux and with a towing capacity of 3.5 tons, the new MG U9 2026 features a 2.5 turbodiesel engine, 520 Nm, 4×4 traction with three locks, and an almost full-size build.

Portugal installs two giant underwater sockets to draw water from the Atlantic and create a €107.9 million desalination plant in the Algarve capable of producing 43.2 million liters of potable water per day with ocean intake 2 km from the coast.

Switzerland dug a hole the size of two football fields to install the most powerful underground battery on the planet, capable of releasing 1.2 GW in milliseconds, storing 2.1 GWh, and costing up to 5 billion Swiss francs.

Soon, smartphones may be able to “see” objects hidden behind walls with LiDAR.

For the first time in France, solar electricity will power metro trains without going through the public grid. The pioneering Rennes project will begin construction in June with 6,000 square meters of solar panels, and users themselves can invest and earn a 5% annual profit.

United States releases a $2 billion investment in quantum computing with IBM’s participation, strengthening strategic technological infrastructure and accelerating the development of advanced processors that can change the internet, digital security, and global financial markets.

A 3.2-million-year-old fossil found in Ethiopia forever changed our understanding of human evolution and showed that ancestors were already walking on two legs before having larger brains.

Extratropical cyclone brings storms to the South on Monday after a weekend with heavy rain, winds up to 100 km/h, and risk of hail, warns INMET forecast.

Larger than Belgium and nestled at the mouth of the Amazon, Marajó Island is a giant that Brazil has forgotten, surrounded by water and energy on all sides, yet still isolated, poor, and dependent on diesel brought by barge.

Toyota Aygo X Hybrid arrives with a 1.5 hybrid engine of 116 hp and consumption of up to 27 km/l, more economical than many popular models sold in Brazil; the urban crossover showcases a compact, powerful, and economical Toyota that Brazilians do not find in European dealerships.

Soon, smartphones may be able to “see” objects hidden behind walls with LiDAR.

China is about to get its hands on one of Brazil’s largest nickel sources, but the European Union has decided to hold up the $500 million deal and may even block the sale permanently in the coming months.

The world could operate on clean electricity by 2050, but a study indicates that this would require up to 20 TW of renewable energy, more than 9 million hectares for solar, and strong cooperation between countries.