Scientists in South Korea have developed an artificial gill system that extracts oxygen from water — no batteries, no external power, just pure diffusion. The research team at UNIST (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology) and KIMM created a theoretical model and built a working prototype inspired by the plastron mechanism — the way underwater insects breathe. The system uses a gas-permeable membrane and a steel scaffold to separate and extract dissolved oxygen from water. They mimicked the lamellar structure of fish gills to increase surface area. Different membrane materials (PDMS, PMSP, and breathable fabric) were tested to enhance gas permeability and oxygen concentration. The result? A stag beetle (the test subject) survived underwater for over 60 hours using only the oxygen extracted by the artificial gill. Carbon dioxide did accumulate over time, but it didn't significantly affect the insect's survival. Why this matters: Current oxygen extraction technologies rely on external energy, which reduces efficiency. This system is passive — no energy input needed. That means it could one day lead to lightweight, portable artificial gills for human divers, allowing them to breathe underwater without heavy scuba gear. It's still early-stage research, but the proof of concept is there. Humans breathing underwater without tanks? Closer than you think. 🌊
*** Disclaimer: This Post is for Informational, Educational and journalistic Purposes only, based on Publicly Available Reports. Views expressed do not represent any official stance. Always verify with official sources. The image/Video is AI generated and is just for reference. ***
Comments