Water is essential to life on earth.

In some parts of the world access to water is relatively easy.

There's high rainfall, lakes and rivers.

But in drier climates, especially in arid deserts, the rainfall is very limited.

By 2025, the United Nations has forecast that 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with water scarcity.

And two-thirds of the world's population could be under conditions of water stress.

Climate change is likely to further aggravate water. of water availability problems caused by extreme weather events.

So the challenge is to find different ways of tackling these problems and this is where the extraordinary

behavior of a Navid beetle could come to our aid.

Hi I'm Patrick Aye, and this is 30 Animals that Made Us Smarter, an original

podcast from the BBC World Service, which explores how animals have helped us solve

problems and inspired some amazing inventions.

If you've enjoyed our podcast so far, please spread the word tell everyone you know.

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And please do leave comments and ratings where you can using the hashtag 30 animals.

In this episode number 13 Stenocara beetle and water collection,

we'll be discovering how a headstanding beetle can teach

us how to extract water right out of the air.

Stenokara Graselipis, also known as the Fogstand Beetle, is a species of beetle native to the Namib Desert in southern Africa.

This is one of the most arid areas of the world, with rainfall being both sparse and

unpredictable. But what it lacks in rainfall, it makes up for an a coastal fog that can reach as far as 100

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