In Norway, they figured out how to turn desert sand into fertile soil in just 7 hours (4 photos + 1 video)

Norwegian startup Desert Control claims that with the help of their development - "liquid nanoclay" (Liquid NanoClay, LNC) - can be effectively combat desertification. This miracle compound turns sand into soil in a matter of hours. Not in black, of course. But in sandy soil which retains moisture and in which something can be grown.





The secret behind Desert Control's amazing achievements is liquid nanoclay invented in the early 2000s by a Norwegian scientist Christian Olesen. When sprayed with a composition of liquid nanoclay loose sand, it literally turns into sand in seven hours soil that holds water.



Farmers used clay to increase the fertility of their land for for thousands of years, and the Nile Delta is famous for its fertility thanks to its clay, but the processing of thick, heavy clay is less fertile land, not to mention sand, has always been labor intensive and required a lot of effort. Startup Desert Control managed to overcome this is an obstacle by making the clay particles in NanoClay as small as possible.

The name Liquid NanoClay sounds nice, but the composition is only made from water and clay. The secret of the company lies in the technology of transformation thick clay into a clay liquid that can be sprayed onto sand and which soaks its upper layer by several tens of centimeters. Clay binds to sand particles and forms water-retaining soil, which can definitely support plant life.





Desert Control is currently targeting the UAE. It is a rich market that currently imports about 90 percent of their food, because growing anything in a desert environment very difficult. The technology has already proven itself, turning the barren desert into the soil, but is still too expensive, which limits it application.

The cost of "treatment" of sand is from 2 to 5 dollars per square meter, which is not exactly cheap, given the huge areas, that need to be processed. Recognizing this problem, Desert Control plans to develop devices capable of producing large the amount of liquid nanoclay, which will significantly reduce its price. "If they will be able to lower the price and make it more affordable, this may huge impact on the food security of many countries, located in dry regions. These countries will be able to grow own cultures, not relying only on imports, Ismahan said Eluafi, CEO of Dubai International Center biosaline agriculture. “The results can be amazing.”



Every year, 12 million hectares of fertile land are lost due to desertification. lands, and the Desert Control solution is a real miracle. Possibility turn sand into soil for plants in just seven hours sounds unrealistic, but it works.

According to Desert Control, Liquid NanoClay lasts about five years, after which the artificially created soil needs to be recharged.