From water–hydrophobe interfaces to desert greening: turning deserts into fertile landscapes

 At a recent guest lecture at MIT, KAUST Professor Himanshu Mishra shared his team’s innovations that bridge fundamental science and large-scale sustainability.

Building on years of research into water–hydrophobe interfaces, his group has developed bio-inspired materials such as Superhydrophobic Sand (SHS) and engineered biochar CarboSoil™ to improve water retention, nutrient efficiency, and carbon sequestration in arid soils. These technologies are now being scaled by Terraxy, the startup he co-founded, and tested in field trials with Aramco, NEOM, and King Salman Park — bringing science-driven desert rehabilitation to life across Saudi Arabia.

Watch the recording