This is Scientific American 60 Second Science.

I'm Cynthia Graber.

Got a minute?

Not all solar energy capture devices make electricity directly.

For example, steam generated from solar energy can turn

turbines which then produce electricity. And in what could be especially useful in remote

regions, solar steam can desalinate water and be used in sanitation and equipment sterilization.

Now a new technique looks to be the most efficient way yet created to use solar energy to

generate steam.

To absorb sunlight, MIT researchers created a porous disk of graphite flakes.

Underneath the disk is a layer of insulating carbon foam that floats on water.

The foam prevents heat from being lost to the water and has a tangle of interconnected small pores.

As sun heats the graphite, it creates a pressure difference that pulls water up through the foam

pores like a sponge.

When the water hits the graphite hotspot, it turns into steam.

The scientists report that this inexpensive

system reaches 85% efficiency in converting the solar energy into steam. The study is

in the journal Nature Communications. The researchers hope to up the efficiency further with different materials or an improved design, all of which could cause

steampunk fans to update their wardrobes.

Thanks for the minute. For Scientific American 60 Second Science. I'm Cynthia Graber.