For some places, like California, summer can mean drought.

Every drop of water counts.

California also uses a lot of energy sending water to people and places that need it, through a long system of canals.

A research team in California has an idea: put solar panels over those canals to save water.

The panels would act as sun shades, keeping water that would otherwise evaporate in the heat in its liquid form.

Lead researcher Brandi McKuin says that putting solar panels over all of California’s canals would save 63 billions of water a year, enough for 2 million people.

Covering the canals would also stop weeds and algae from growing, which requires costly maintenance.

And these are solar panels, so they’d generate electricity.

Probably a lot of electricity, enough to power the canal system and well beyond.

There’s actually a system like this in place over a canal in India, and there’s been a push for a similar project in Tijuana, Mexico.

An article in Popular Science says these projects could turn solar panels and water canals into a – wait for it – power couple.

via GIPHY

Rochester, New York is home to the Strong Museum of Play, and that museum is going to be home to the National Archives of Game Show History.

They hope to use artifacts, video interviews and interactive experiences to let visitors walk through the rich history of game shows.

Or they can trade it all for what’s inside this box!

Solar canals create renewable energy and save water at the same time (Popular Science)

Game Show History to Be Preserved With National Archives at Strong National Museum of Play (Variety)

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UN Photo/Mark Garten via Flickr/Creative Commons