This morning I met Maurico.

He’s probably 11 or 12, and he’s from near Mexico City. He’s built an engine that runs on compressed air, and it’s made of wood because that’s easy to work and there is no combustion involved. He realises that internal combustion engines are polluting Mexico City, so this one doesn’t release any pollution where it operates (the air is compressed using energy generated outside the city). It doesn’t overheat as expanding air decreases in temperature. He’s figured out that air storage tanks are probably not a big deal as people already know how to make tanks to hold compressed gases.

Maybe next year Maurico and his mates will design a little car that is powered by this engine.

That’s Maurico’s story.