Scientists in Denmark have developed a substance that absorbs large amounts of oxygen and could eventually be used to help people breath underwater.
Studies on the crystalline substance – dubbed the “Aquaman crystal” after the comic book character who possesses the superpower of breathing underwater – found that a bucketful of the crystals were able to absorb all the oxygen in an entire room.
The substance has a sponge-like consistency and its key component is cobalt, which allows it to absorb oxygen. The stored oxygen can be absorbed from air or water and then released when needed by putting it under a small amount of heat.
Applications for the substance are seemingly endless, not just for obvious purposes such as scuba diving, but also in medicine.
“This could be valuable for lung patients who today must carry heavy oxygen tanks with them,” said Professor Christine McKenzie at the University of Southern Denmark.
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