"Solid Rain" could solve world's drought problems

Solid Rain is a new product which has been designed and tested in Mexico, where arid farmland is a huge problem for the population. It's a polymer that looks like salt, but absorbs water and turns into a gel. When mixed into the soil it absorbs up to 500 times its own weight in water, which can then be absorbed by plants over time. The Mexican government has done some pilot tests with amazing results.

Could this stuff solve the world's drought problems? Here's hoping. In 2011, up to a quarter million people died in just one drought in east Africa. And with climate change, droughts are slated to get a lot worse.

Image copyright Solid Rain