Dr. Omar Farha of Northwestern University and NuMat Technologies talks about Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOF's) that he prefers to call "programmable sponges." Hailed as a potential defining material of the 21st century, these nano-sized structures can be used to neutralize toxic materials, pull water out of the moisture in the air and eventually, capture carbon emissions that threaten the planet. The Pentagon is investing in this technology to create military clothing that can be used on chemical warfare battlefields. "The sky's the limit," says Dr. Farha, in discussing the potential uses of programmable sponges. Dr Farha's personal story is a classic: the immigrant from a poor family in the West Bank of the Palestinian Territories who overcomes big obstacles and achieves great things that could change our world.
