Author Archives: Weronika Woińska

How can we harvest energy from the human body? – Overview

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Since the early 2000s, scientists have been working on developing new devices with the ability to harvest energy directly from the human body. Infections, risky procedures, and interfering cables are just a few of the most common problems with many medical devices, such as implanted electro-stimulators (e.g., diabetes treatments) and pacemakers, which are often necessary for many people’s survival. For instance, currently, 537 million adults (20–79 years old) are living with diabetes, with the number predicted to rise to 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045 (International Diabetes Federation, 2022), whereas the number of people requiring peacemakers is estimated to rise to 1.43 million by 2023 (Stewart, 2022). 

Fortunately, recent technological advancements have enabled those devices to consume significantly less energy, with the possibility of even becoming self-powered within the human body. As a result, overcoming the previously mentioned technical complications during recharging or battery exchange, which is often performed via intrusive surgeries to change the batteries in implanted devices such as pacemakers and electro-stimulators. That is exactly why these “electroceuticals” have the potential to transform the medical sector. Additionally, given the expanding market for wearable technology and the rising need for medical gadgets that promote healthy living, this invention is especially promising.

Here are some examples of solutions that will soon overtake the medical sector. 

Energy in an avalanche effect

One example of a company striving to harvest energy from the human body is the German start-up CELTRO. The company has developed microneedles that can extract energy located in the action potential cycle of the living cell, where sugar as the primary energy carrier is transformed into electrical current, which is then used in nerve and muscle action (CELTRO, n.d.). When this process is repeated in hundreds or even thousands of human body cells, nanowatt-power is produced, which can be stored and later supplied to any medical component, such as a pacemaker. CELTRO’s CEO, Gerd Teepe, explains that by harvesting energy at multiple points in the heart, the company can utilize the “avalanche effect” of a muscular contraction.

Pendulum in the heart

Another startup worth observing is CAIRDAC. Based in Paris, the company is designing a pacemaker that is powered by the heart itself. The leadless pacemaker is contained in a capsule and uses a piezoelectric energy harvester, a pendulum that swings through heartbeats and blood flow, to convert the kinetic energy of the heart’s vibrations into electricity. The electricity is then stored, and once the device detects unevenness in the cardiac cycle, it sends an electric impulse that the heart requires to reset the rhythm (Cairn Medical Devices, n.d.). Moreover, their most prominent product, ALPS, is not only autonomous but can also be implanted endoscopically, decreasing the risk of procedural complications.

Solar panels under the skin 

In addition to harnessing energy from heartbeats, researchers from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, have developed new solar panel cells that could be implanted under the skin. 

Experiments both under natural and artificial light sources have shown show that the solar panel covered by a 3 mm thick animal skin (porcine flap) can output tens of microWatts to a few milliWatts depending on the light conditions (Wu, 2018). This amount of electricity is enough to power an ultra-low consumption sensor, such as an implantable temperature sensor. Additionally, the results from tests on various body parts suggest that the optimal position for the implant is between the neck and shoulder. Moreover, those solar panels are not only extremely thin—10 times smaller than the width of a human hair—and flexible, but they can also be produced quickly and cost-effectively with continuous printing technology, which makes them perfect for wearable electronics (Monash University, 2018).

Extracting energy

Last, but not least, is a Swiss start-up. Mithras has redeveloped the application of thermoelectric generators, often used in high-temperature industrial solutions or even Mars rovers. Here, TEGs are used to create electricity through the Seebeck effect by exploiting the temperature difference between the body and the environment. As they point out, every day an adult body releases an average energy of 3 kWh, which is sufficient energy to run an LCD TV for 30 hours. Moreover, Mithras estimates that even a 5-degree Celsius difference between the body and the environment can generate enough energy to power, for instance, a cochlear implant (Mithras, n.d.).

What can we see in the future?

Researchers have been striving to harness energy from the human body since the beginning of this decade. We are still exploring this sector, nonetheless, the potential implications for the future are enormous, especially as healthcare apps and gadgets are trending. Furthermore, those technologies have the potential to eliminate the need for invasive surgeries to replace or recharge batteries in implanted medical devices, hence, patients will have a lower risk of complications associated with the procedure and be able to stay healthy longer. Additionally, by utilizing the human body as a power source, devices can be more space-efficient, lighter, and self-sufficient, providing patients with a more comfortable experience and a glimpse of normal life.

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Bibliography:

Dunlevy, F. (2023, January 19). Wired. The Battery That Never Gets Flat. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://www.wired.com/story/the-battery-that-never-gets-flat/?fbclid=IwAR3xSdhI0i32NfYC7An8WY5gE9W05nG1E7M4An_S4Qm71b3fo9GCyzc6jms

International Diabetes Federation. (2022). Diabetes Atlas. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://diabetesatlas.org/

Stewart, C. (2022, April 20). Statista. Pacemakers Market Volume in Units Worldwide. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/800794/pacemakers-market-volume-in-units-worldwide/

CELTRO. (n.d.). Wireless Energy Transmission. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://celtro.de/

Cairn Medical Devices. (n.d.). Improving Lives Through Innovation. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://www.cairdac.com/

Wu, T. & et all. (2018, July 19). A Wireless Implantable Sensor Design With Subcutaneous Energy Harvesting for Long-Term IoT Healthcare Applications. IEEE Access. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://researchmgt.monash.edu/ws/portalfiles/portal/256379021/253854691_oa.pdf

Monash University. (2018). Ultralight, flexible solar cell keeps tech in shape. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/ultralight,-flexible-solar-cell-keeps-tech-in-shape

Mithras. (n.d.). Innovative Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Solutions. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://mithras.tech/

Nanotechnology as a revolutionary solution in drug delivery systems

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Nanomedicine as a field describes the implementation of nanotechnologies, i.e. nanoscale materials, particles or devices, to improve medical diagnostics, monitoring, control, prevention and treatment of diseases (DeFronzo, 2013). To better visualise this, let’s start with what is exactly nanoscale. In this case, it would include dimensions between approximately 1 and 100 nanometers, which is a billionth of a meter. In comparison, human hair is around 90,000 nm wide (National Geographic Society, n.d.).

The importance

Nanotechnology as a whole was described by the EU Science Hub, as one of the key enabling technologies, that has the potential to revolutionize many fields, especially medicine and health care.

Application and goals of nanomedicine in different spheres of biomedical research.
(Chen & Wang, 2018)

One of the most prominent successes of nanomedicine is advancements in drug delivery systems. Why is that? 

The usage of nanoscale particles allows for the targeted delivery of drugs to specific cells or tissues, resulting in increased effectiveness and thus, highly reduced side effects. The human body can consist of between 50 to 100 trillion cells, so how exactly can particles be targeted?

One of the instances is when nanoparticles are designed to bind to specific receptors, allowing not only for targeted delivery of drugs but also ensuring their sustained and controlled release. Since there is little to no drug leakage to untargeted cells or organs and the dosage can be more distributed in time, this solution can greatly increase the efficacy of the treatment while reducing side effects to healthy cells in many diseases. In addition, nanoparticles can be designed to protect drugs from degradation or clearance by the body, leading to increased bioavailability of the drug (Chen & Yang, 2021).

Nanoparticles in cancer treatment

One of the most progressive areas of applied nanotechnology in drug delivery systems is in the treatment of cancer. Several nanoparticle-based cancer therapies are currently in clinical trials, including those utilizing liposomes (small artificial spherical vesicles), dendrimers (highly defined artificial macromolecules), and polymeric nanoparticles (Wang & Yang, 2021). These nanoparticles are designed to easily reach cancerous cells and deliver anti-cancer drugs directly to the tumour site. One example of nanomedicine is Doxil, mainly used to treat ovarian cancer. It contains a chemotherapy drug enclosed in a liposome – a spherical vessel with a diameter of 90 nm. The liposome is able to stay longer within the bloodstream to find the targeted cancer cells and destroy them, which leads to high improvement in the effectiveness of the drug and reduction of side effects imposed on the healthy cells (Doudna & Charpentier, 2014).

Genetic disorders vs nanotechnology

Another quickly advancing area of nanotechnology in drug delivery is in the treatment of genetic disorders. Nanoparticles can be used to deliver genetic therapies to specific cells or tissues and either silence the gene (eg. through siRNA) causing disease or correct genetic mutations (with CRISPR). For example, the company Moderna Therapeutics (yes, the same as from COVID vaccines) is developing a nanoparticle-based mRNA therapy for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (Moderna Therapeutics, 2020). CF is one of the most common genetic disorders, mainly causing overproduction of mucus in the lungs, with almost 200 000 cases globally and only a 53-year-old life expectancy (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 2022). The therapy aims to deliver mRNA encoding with the missing CFTR protein (which regulates the production of the mucus) directly to the lungs via nanoparticles, allowing for the correction of the genetic mutation that causes the disease. Even 10 years ago, people with CF were to solely live up to 38 years in dreadful health conditions with an untreatable disease. However, with new solutions in targeted delivery nanomedicine, their chances for a better life are greatly increasing.

How about vaccines?

Nanotechnology can also be used for delivering nanoparticle-based vaccines for the treatment of various infectious diseases, and allergies. These vaccines use nanoparticles to mimic the structure of viruses, leading to a stronger immune response (Wang & Li, 2022). This application of nanomedicine may become especially important given the unpredictability of global outbreaks and the constant need to enhance human immunity.

Preparing for the future

Taking all the above into consideration, nanotechnology has the potential to become a revolutionary solution in drug delivery systems. The ability to target specific cells, tissues, or organs, as also prevent drugs from premature degradation can greatly increase the efficacy of treatments while reducing side effects on healthy cells. Destroying solely cancerous cells, attempting to fully treat CF, and further enhancing human immunity make something that was thought to be impossible possible. As the field of nanotechnology continues to advance, we can hopefully expect to see more and more nano-based therapies entering markets and helping humanity fight for one of the most important parts of life – their health.

Bibliography:

DeFronzo, R. A.,  (2013). Insulin resistance: a multifaceted syndrome responsible for NIDDM, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The New England Journal of Medicine, 328473-491. doi: 10.1111/nyas.12403

National Geographic Society. (n.d.). Nanotechnology. [Online]. Available from: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/nanotechnology

Chen, H., & Wang, J. (2018). Progress and perspectives of CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing in plants. Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 16(1), 1-9. doi: 10.1186/s12951-018-0392-8

Chen, C. Y., & Yang, Y. (2021). CRISPR-mediated genome editing: a powerful tool for crop improvement. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 19(2), 464-476. doi: 10.1111/pbi.13359

Wang, H., & Yang, H. (2021). CRISPR-mediated genome editing in animals. Journal of Genetics and Genomics, 48(1), 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.jgg.2020.12.001

Doudna, J. A., & Charpentier, E. (2014). The new frontier of genome engineering with CRISPR-Cas9. Science, 346(6213), 1258096. doi: 10.1126/science.1258096

Moderna Therapeutics. (2020). Moderna and Vertex establish new collaboration to treat cystic fibrosis using gene editing. [Online]. Available from: https://investors.modernatx.com/news/news-details/2020/Moderna-and-Vertex-Establish-New-Collaboration-to-Treat-Cystic-Fibrosis-Using-Gene-Editing/

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. (2022). People with CF are living longer—what does this mean for our care? [Online]. Available from: https://www.cff.org/community-posts/2022-08/people-cf-are-living-longer-what-does-mean-our-care

Wang, J., & Li, Y. (2022). CRISPR-based gene therapy for genetic diseases. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 21(1), 53-68. doi: 10.1038/s41565-022-01129-w

How could you grow kale on Sahara? The magic of hydroponic farming.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Over the last 20 years, there could be seen a quite steady decline in the number of people with any level of malnutrition, or even starvation. However, the disruptions in recent years, caused those numbers to rise high up again. According to WHO (World Health Organization), the number of people experiencing any form of hunger increased to 828 million globally in 2021, which is an over 46 million difference in comparison with 2020 and an over 150 million increase since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (World Health Organization, 2022).  

What can be done?

In places, where there is little access to water or lack of suitable land, the number of possible options is limited. Hence, here comes hydroponic farming. 

By definition, hydroponic agriculture is a process of growing plants by exchanging traditional soil for nutrient-rich water solutions, which may include an aggregate substrate, or other growing media, such as vermiculite, coconut coir, or perlite (National Agricultural Library, USDA, n.d.). Even though researchers suspect that this technique found its origin over 100 years ago, it started to gain afresh popularity in recent years, as a sustainable and efficient way to cultivate crops. 

Why is that?

One of the greatest advantages of hydroponic farming is water conservation. Traditional farming methods can be considered very water-intensive – for instance, there is needed over 1600 litres of water to produce 1kg of cereals (Armstrong, 2021) – yet hydroponics can use up to 90% less water than standard soil-based farming (Boylan, 2020). Moreover, this infrastructure for the process can be equipped with various sensors that enable full control of the environment – water, temperature, amount of nutrients or light. 

Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) allows for the optimisation of growth factors for a given plant, so any crops can be grown efficiently throughout the whole year. Furthermore, if plants will be cultivated hydroponically and indoors, they can be used as a fresh and nutritious source (eg. broccoli, cucumber, or kale), even in regions where water is scarce, such as the Sahara Desert. In addition, hydroponics can also help to reduce the use of pesticides and other chemicals, as the controlled environment of a hydroponic system can be developed to minimize the presence of any pests and diseases. 

All those features could contribute to mitigating the dangers to food production caused not only by the global warming crisis and increasing temperatures but also the disruptions within the global supply chain. 

Farms in the city

Due to its efficiency, hydroponic agriculture can also be employed to grow crops in urban areas and indoor spaces. This is particularly useful in cities where, as most of us know well, the land is minuscule and expensive. Anyone can build their own hydroponic farm, no matter if it’s indoors, on the balcony or in the garden. Growing your own vegetables or fruits at home can save you expenses, provide fresh sustenance, and decrease carbon emissions normally associated with transportation. You also can become an urban farmer, check the video below!

The Straits Times: Teen grows sustainable hydroponic farm at home

What are the challenges?

As always, despite the many advantages of hydroponic agriculture, there are also some challenges that must be overcome in order for it to become a feasible alternative to the traditional farming approach. One of the main challenges in hydroponic systems is the high cost of infrastructure – both its construction and maintenance. When summed, the total cost of used technologies, equipment and power can become significant. 

This is directly caused by the lack of research and innovative development in the field of hydroponic agriculture. While there has been some research in this area, it is still a relatively new area and there are still many advancements needed to fully optimize the growth of plants in a hydroponic system.

Future of farming

Despite these challenges, the future of hydroponic agriculture looks hopeful. Currently valued at US$12.9 billion, the hydroponics industry is expected to grow even up to US$58.1 billion by 2032, especially in growing economies like India, Brazil, South Africa, and Thailand (Future Market Insights, 2022). This technology is not only essential to end the world’s starvation, but also as the population constantly grows, the demand for food (especially fresh food) will also increase, making sustainable agriculture methods such as hydroponics more important than ever. 

As mentioned earlier, the United Nations’ data proves that at the given moment, the world population is moving further away from achieving the SDG’s 2030 goal to end hunger and malnutrition in any form (United Nations, 2022). That is why innovations in technologies such as hydroponic, or related vertical, farming are especially needed to provide a high yield of nutritious crops to anyone, anywhere on earth, at any time of the year. 

Hence, wherever you are in the city, suburbs, or rural area, try it. We need to raise awareness and invest in this technology to make it accessible to everyone, in every corner of the world.

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Resources:

World Health Organization. (2022, July 6). UN Report: Global hunger numbers rose to as many as 828 million in 2021. https://www.who.int/news/item/06-07-2022-un-report–global-hunger-numbers-rose-to-as-many-as-828-million-in-2021

National Agricultural Library, USDA. (n.d.). Hydroponics. https://www.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-agricultural-production-systems/hydroponics

Armstrong, M. (2021, June 7). Which foods need the most water to produce?. Word Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/06/water-footprint-food-sustainability

Boylan, C. (2020, November 9). THE FUTURE OF FARMING: HYDROPONICS. PRINCETON STUDENT CLIMATE INITIATIVE. https://psci.princeton.edu/tips/2020/11/9/the-future-of-farming-hydroponics

Future Market Insights. (2022). Hydroponics Market Outlook (2022-2032). https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/hydroponics-market

United Nations. (2022). Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022. Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal2

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What is Getir and how this Rapid grocery delivery app is taking over Europe?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

According to a survey by MasterCard, the global gig economy generated over $204 billion in gross volume in 2019, with 58% of those activities being transport-related services, and is predicted to reach over $455 billion by the end of 2023 (Mastercard, 2019). The change in societal approach and digitalization in recent years, mostly caused by the pandemic, made the grocery delivery sector flood with additional funding since many investors bet on the continuity of lockdown shopping habits. High demand for fast, convenient, and affordable shopping has resulted in over $5 billion in additional funding since 2020 (Wired, 2023).   

Naturally, someone had to take advantage of this founding, and that is how Getir almost monopolized the European market. In recent years, this Turkish delivery company has been creating a stir in the region, mostly because of its human-centric business model and remarkable expansion. Even though the company was founded in 2015, it has quickly become one of the leading players in the rapidly growing delivery industry. This is clearly shown in over 28 million downloads, solely on Android, worldwide in contrast to only 5.4 downloads of GoPuff their closest competition. 

(Sifted, 2020)

Getir’s competitive advantage lies in its unique business model based on centralized distribution. The company uses a network of couriers to deliver goods from local distribution centers directly to customers in as little as 10 minutes, providing quick and efficient solutions for users, especially in metropolitan areas. This is contrary to their previous competition, which usually utilized third-party shops to obtain the products. Consequently, this caused a significant variety in delivery time due to possible register lines, different shop outlines, and a lack of substitutes. While Getir has full control over storage units, therefore, being able to unify packing procedures and ensure a shorter delivery time. The storage units also enable the company to uphold a sustainable approach to business. This can be seen from their Hunger Action Day in 2022, when by diverting the 84,404 pounds of perfectly edible donated food from landfills, Getir donated 70,336 meals, reduced 377,284 pounds of CO2, and saved 8,355,957 gallons of water (Getir, 2023). 

Furthermore, Getir’s human-centric approach and concern for their employees, particularly drivers, has contributed to the company’s rapid rise to the top. They offer a pay rate of $13 per hour, as well as holiday and sick leave. Moreover, to maintain a sustainable approach, the company supplies employees with electric scooters to ride during their shifts and covers their insurance.  

However, nothing is perfect. The overall fast delivery sector is surrounded by many questions, regarding its influence and future: Is it necessarily good that we demand almost everything to be quick, easy, and cheap, including our groceries? How does this influence our foresight ability and, thus, our ability to maintain resilience? How does the increased number of couriers rushing to maintain a 10-minute delivery affect traffic safety? How can I, as an easily replaceable employee, find my own unique talent? 

These are just a few of the potential issues with the gig economy’s fast services. Nevertheless, Getir is well-positioned to take advantage of this trend and further solidify itself as a major player in the field as the delivery industry continues to expand.

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Bibliography:

Wired. (2023). The delivery wars heat up as Europe’s Getir joins the fray. Wired.co.uk. Retrieved from https://www.wired.co.uk/article/getir-europe-delivery-wars?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories&itm_content=footer-recirc

Mastercard. (2019). Gig Economy White Paper. Mastercard Newsroom. Retrieved from https://newsroom.mastercard.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Gig-Economy-White-Paper-May-2019.pdf

Getir. (2023). Getir and Copia reach milestone addressing food insecurity. Getir.com. Retrieved from https://getir.com/us/press-releases/getir-and-copia-reach-milestone-

Sifted. (2020, October 26). On-demand grocery delivery markets. Retrieved from https://sifted.eu/articles/on-demand-grocery-delivery-markets/

THE LINE – VERTICAL CITY OF THE FUTURE

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Imagine you wake up and everything you need is within 5-min walking distance from your house. The weather is perfect all year round. You breathe the cleanest air and are surrounded by the most thriving ecosystems you’ve ever seen. There are no roads or cars. However, you can always take a high-speed rail that can take you over 170 km further in only 20 min. Sounds like a futuristic dream? 

NEOM | What is THE LINE?
https://youtu.be/0kz5vEqdaSc

Well, it won’t be soon, because that’s everything that promises – THE LINE. This new venture was announced in January 2021 by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a part of a $500 billion Neom mega-city project in the Saudi Vision 2030 scheme. As the name suggests, The Line will be a vertical city of barely 200 m wide, 500 m high – which is over 50 m more than the Empire State Building – and stretched 170 km along Tabuk Province in the northwestern desert. 

By 2030 it is already planned to accommodate 1.5 million people, rising up to 9 million upon the project’s completion. Divided into layered communities, residents will be able to meet all of their daily needs within a 5-min walking distance or simply use a high-speed rail for end-to-end transit through the whole city that will solely take 20 min. Moreover, services will be autonomous due to the advanced AI solutions, even more increasing time efficiency. 

All the intelligent solutions and 95% of space preserved for nature, including almost 34 km2 of plant-covered rooftop surface, ensure natural ventilation, creating a constant micro-climate. Moreover, 100% of water and energy supplies will be renewable. Taking also into consideration the lack of cars and even streets, this vertical city is to have zero carbon emission, making it the perfect response to the global climate crisis. 

However, it cannot be that perfect. There is still a lot of controversy surrounding the whole project and it’s not solely from its bold vision. There are also ethical aspects that create heated discussions around the world, starting from enforcing relocation on over 20 000 natives, living on the path of The Line, even though the authorities claimed it to be a ‘virgin land’, ending with missing activists who openly oppose this project. 

An additional, potentially negative factor could be enhanced surveillance in a kingdom such as Saudi Arabia, not exactly known for its liberal approach to the citizens. The countless sensors embedded within this smart city’s infrastructure enable accurate tracking of every move, activity, or even possibly thought (based on quite accurate predictive algorithms) of each individual. Access to such data gives providers almost unlimited power over the life of the residents, which can become catastrophic.

Nevertheless, nothing can be certain until it happens. Will The Line and the overall concept of vertical urbanization become the ultimate solution to our current climate crisis? Or will it simply dive us into dystopian reality and provide authorities with the power to obtain full control over the people they govern? Only time will tell. One is sure, the world is changing and something that could be thought to be out of a sci-fi movie can soon become our reality.

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Bibliography:

Writer, S. (2022, December 21). Oil and Gas Middle East. Saudi Arabia’s Futuristic Emissions-Free City: The Line – 5 Facts You Need to Know. Retrieved January 3, 2023, from https://www.oilandgasmiddleeast.com/news/saudi-arabias-futuristic-emissions-free-city-the-line-5-facts-you-need-to-know

Moon, M. (2022, July 26). Engadget. The Line: The 1,000-km city in Saudi Arabia. Retrieved January 3, 2023, from https://www.engadget.com/the-line-neom-saudi-images-134030730.html

Al Arabiya English. (2021, January 10). YouTube. The Line – Introduction to the World’s Most Sustainable City. Retrieved January 3, 2023, from https://youtu.be/eXEnS-u3fAY

Air Products. (n.d.). NEOM Green Hydrogen Complex. Retrieved January 3, 2023, from https://www.airproducts.com/campaigns/neom-green-hydrogen-complex

Chulov, M. (2022, July 27). The Guardian. Saudi Arabia plans 100-mile-long mirrored skyscraper megacity. Retrieved January 3, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/27/saudis-unveil-eye-popping-plan-for-mirrored-skyscraper-eco-city

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