India, Sept. 29 -- The Government of India has issued a release:

A new siphon-based thermal desalination system can now transform salty seawater into clean drinking water-faster, cheaper, and more reliably than existing methods.

Traditional solar stills, which mimic nature's water cycle, have long been promoted as simple water purifiers. However, they face two persistent challenges:

* Salt buildup, where crusts form on evaporator surfaces, blocking water flow.

* Scaling limits, as wicking materials can only lift water about 10-15 cm, restricting system size and output.

A research team from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has addressed both challenges using a deceptively simple principle-siphonage.

At the heart of their system...