Eduardo Neira Del Mar

Peruvian engineer who revolutionized fog-catching technology for arid regions

This Lima-born innovator (1938-2017) developed mesh fog catchers that harvest up to 600 liters of water daily from coastal fog. Tested first in Chile's Atacama Desert, his ‘atrapanieblas’ systems now provide clean water to 30+ communities across Peru, Morocco, and Nepal.

Key milestones:

1. 1987: First functional fog collector in Bellavista
2. 2005: World Bank adopts tech for Ethiopian highlands
3. 2021: NASA-approved prototype for Martian water extraction

Despite receiving multiple international awards, Neira refused to patent his designs, stating: "Water belongs to thirsty people, not inventors." His open-source blueprints continue to combat drought in climate-vulnerable regions.