Turning polluted water into electricity: An Egyptian professor has invented a microbial fuel cell (MFC) able to purify wastewater and generate electricity, Attaqa reports. Nasser Ali Barakat has created a small microbial cell using a three-dimensional electrode of ultrafine carbon fibers proven to be effective in producing electricity using microbes from polluted water sources like sewage and industrial wastewater.

How it works: The technique sees electrons discharged from wastewater through biochemical reactions facilitated by the metabolic power of bacteria, according to research published in Science Direct. MFC enables the purification of wastewater while generating 420-460 milliwatts of electricity per square meter of sewage water.