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Membrane technology

Poseidon Water employees stand between rows of reverse osmosis filters at the Western Hemisphere's largest seawater desalination plant, currently under construction in Carlsbad, California.

Desalination is an expensive energy hog, but improvements are on the way

Environment

Desalination — taking the salt out of seawater so humans can drink it — is becoming more important as the Earth warms and drinking water gets more scarce, but it’s not a cheap or simple process. Here are some ways it might get more affordable and environmentally friendly.

Mysterious kidney disease killing thousands of laborers in Central America

Health & Medicine
The World

Design for the Real World: Dialysis Machine

Health & Medicine
The World

Mystery Kidney Disease in Central America

Business, Economics and Jobs
The World

Design for the Real World: Dialysis Machine

Arts, Culture & Media
The World

Assignment: your picture or sound of the year

Arts, Culture & Media

There’s only a few weeks left before the end of 2010 year, and we’re asking you, our listeners, to tell us what stood out the most to you this year. So far we’ve received videos, photos and phone calls, creating a growing spectrum of thoughts.

The World

Geo answer ? Norway’s new energy

Business, Economics and Jobs

Our Geo quiz asked for where a prototype ?osmotic power plant? is. The answer is Norway, as The World’s Marina Giovannelli explains.