Life saving science by very human scientists

Greater than Einstein

Even after his death last month, Norman Borlaug's remarkable lifetime efforts to feed millions of less fortunate around the world continue to inspire all those concerned with the misery of starvation. As the father of the "Green Revolution", he is credited with saving far more lives than any other person who has ever lived. His agricultural techniques have been adapted around the globe and he was honored with the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for his achievements. Now, a British researcher is claimed to be the next Borlaug. To grapple with the worldwide clean water problem, Michael Pritchard has come up with a masterpiece of innovation in science: the Lifesaver bottle


By LUAN GALANI (luan.galani@wavemagazine.net)
from Curitiba, BRAZIL


The "Green Revolution" that has fed much of the world, would never have happened save for the sheer force of will exerted by the American agricultural scientist Norman Borlaug (March 25, 1914 - September 12, 2009). Through his scientific breakthroughs, he developed a strain of wheat that saved upwards of one billion people from famine and starvation. "We made this choice in the hope that bread being provided, also peace will be brought to the world", said the Nobel Committee Chairwoman, Aase Lionaes, presenting the Nobel Peace Prize to Borlaug in 1970.

For the past twenty-seven years, he has collaborated with Mexican scientists on problems of wheat improvement and has also collaborated with scientists from other parts of the world, especially from India and Pakistan, in adapting the new wheats to new lands and in gaining acceptance for their production. Thanks to him, food production doubled between 1960 and 1990, and starvation has been kept at bay for millions of people in third world countries.

In his own words, it was "a temporary success in man's war against hunger and deprivation", a breathing space to deal with the "Population Monster" and the subsequent environmental and social ills that too often lead to conflict among men and nations.

A truly revolution

From Surrey, in the UK, a man that has sold Apple computers for ten years is today rumored to be the second Borlaug. This very same man is Michael Pritchard and he came up with by far the most important invention in many decades: the Lifesaver bottle.

Pritchard says the Lifesaver is very 'simple'. "You simply immerse the bottle in the water, close it, give a few pumps and then that is all it is necessary. When the cover is removed, clean water will get out", he explains. At this lecture, during TED 2009 (Technology, Entertainment, Design: Ideas worth spreading), he gives a great demonstration of his creation.

He developed lifesaver bottle after seeing the tragic waste of life and serious problems caused by the lack of safe drinking water in the wake of the Tsunami in December 2004, the following year when Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana and more recently the flooding in the UK. Unsatisfied with his feeling of impotence in the face of a multitude of refugees obliged to wait for days on end to clean water, Pritchard decided to do something about. And so, the Lifesaver appeared: a bottle capable of transforming into clean water any sort of water.

Pritchard's worries have basis. According to the UN, more than half of the world population is going to suffer from the shortage of water in 2025. However, Lifesaver bottle will have a significant impact on humanitarian and disaster relief operations. Its unique technology means local sources of water may be safely drunk. Importantly the Pritchard's bottle will reduce the spread of diseases and reduce the logistical support required when responding to events.

Moreover, it lowers the overall cost of response as in many cases no bottled water will be required. Less medicine, staff and transportation are needed and no landfill sites have to be created to dispose of the millions of waste plastic bottles. In future, deploying Lifesaver bottles to emergency situations will result in more lives being saved at less cost and with a faster response than has ever been possible before.

That said, even armies are possible to use the bottle, as many have already pointed out. The Lifesaver was recently voted 'Best Technological Development for Future Soldier System Enhancement' by Soldier Technology, the world's premier soldier modernization forum. One thing is also certain: Lifesaver bottle will revolutionize the battle space, reduce carried weight for the soldier, and lessen the traditional logistical demands of drinking water faced by militaries around the world, as defends Mark Richter, Programme Manager of Marine Corps Systems Command.

How does it work?

It took a little while and some very frustrating prototypes in his kitchen. But, eventually, he did it. Pritchard's bottle removes bacteria, viruses, cysts, parasites, fungi and all other microbiological waterborne pathogens without using chemicals. Likewise iodine or chlorine which leave a distinctive foul taste.

With its 6000 litres capacity, Pritchard tells that before the Lifesaver, the best portable filters were capable of filtering particles up to 200 nanometers (nm). The problem, according to him, is that the smallest bacterium reaches 200 nm and the smallest virus, 25 nm. "They will pass free and easily through the 200 nm pore. The Lifesaver pore has 15 nm. So, nothing can pass through them", recalls the filter creator.


(Published: 11.10.2009.)