These are independent reviews of the products mentioned, but TIME receives a commission when purchases are made through affiliate links at no additional cost to the purchaser.
Designed by Colombian renewable-energy startup E-Dina, WaterLight harnesses a chemical reaction between abundant resources salt water and magnesium to create an electrical current for generating light or charging mobile devices. Just a half-liter of saltwater can provide light for up to 45 days. E-Dina recently launched a crowd-funding campaign with the goal of selling more than 100,000 units when it goes into production. WaterLight already has garnered thousands of preorders, along with three patents. “There are [millions of] human beings on the planet who do not have electricity,” says E-Dina founding partner Nicolas Pinzón Cordoba. “We seek to be light where today there is only darkness.”
More Must-Reads from TIME
- How Donald Trump Won
- The Best Inventions of 2024
- Why Sleep Is the Key to Living Longer
- Robert Zemeckis Just Wants to Move You
- How to Break 8 Toxic Communication Habits
- Nicola Coughlan Bet on Herself—And Won
- Why Vinegar Is So Good for You
- Meet TIME's Newest Class of Next Generation Leaders
