Researchers at Columbia University are working on a new way to keep buildings cool. They got inspiration from an unlikely source: a heat-resistant ant called the Sahara silver ant. It lives in the hot desert.

Yu: "They only move around at noon on the hottest surface of the desert."

In 2015, physics professor Yu Nanfang discovered that the silver hair of this ant can reflect sunlight and radiate heat back into the sky.

Now, he and his colleagues have developed a paint-like material that mimics these functions.

Yu: "So this coating will not become hot in the sun."

When applied to a roof, it can reflect up to 99% of sunlight and radiate heat back to the atmosphere.

Yu said this helps to cool down the building below. So far, it is more effective than white paint that only reflects certain wavelengths of solar radiation.

Yu: "If you apply this kind of coating on the roof, it might save electricity in the summer."

He said that before this technology is widely used, more research and testing are needed. But if successful, it may help reduce the demand for energy-intensive air conditioners.

Report source: Sarah Kennedy/ChavoBart Digital Media.

Diana Madson has been a regular contributor to Yale Climate Connections since April 2014. She likes to explore American stories about climate change accidents and innovative solutions. Also... more Diana Madson