Nature's Creations Absorb Water Vapor From Air

98% of the water in the atmosphere exists in vapor form. While most living creatures must forage for liquid water on a regular basis, Nature has equipped some creatures with specialized structures (unique body creations) that enable them to absorb water vapor directly out of unsaturated air. 


Ixodes Ricinus - Ticks

Source:database.portal.modwest.com

Ticks usually get their allowance of needed water from the blood of the creatures they feed on. However, under drought-like conditions, the Ixodes Ricinus tick absorb water vapor from the atmosphere. Ixodes Ricinus tick is unique in that they can satisfy their water need by drinking liquid water and absorbing water vapor

The Desert Cockroach
Source: bugguide.net 

The Desert Cockroach, Arenivaga Investigata

This cockroach absorbs water vapor from the unsaturated atmosphere. It has two bladder-like extensions in its mouth-parts that are assumed to accomplish vapor absorption and vapor condensation to liquid form - a form that the cockroach needs for survival.

Firebrat, Thermobia Domestica

Firebrat
Source: www.forestryimages.org

The greatest known concentration of mitochondria is found in the cells of what is believed to be the functionally mature water vapour-absorbing epithelium of the posterior rectal (anal) sacs of the firebrat, Thermobia domestica. Water Vapor Absorption from sub-saturated air down to as low as 43% relative humidity (RH) is essential for the growth, development and survival of the Firebrat in hot, dry environments where liquid drinking water is lacking. (source: Journal of Insect Physiology)


The Mealworm Tenebrio molitor 

mealworm Tenebrio molitor
Source: http://www.ozanimals.com/Insect 

Water gain in several xeric insects, like the Mealworm, is accomplished through absorption of water vapor from the atmosphere. This absorption is predominant at the larvae stage of beetle development and is less predominant in the mature beetle.




Soil-Dwelling Anthropods

SnowBug
Source: http://soils.usda.gov 

Arthropods balance their water budget by actively absorbing water from highly unsaturated atmospheres. This animal maintains its body fluids hyperosmotic to its surroundings so that net water uptake occurs by passive diffusion along the gradient of water potential. The animal's basically manges glucose and myoinositol to effect large increases in osmotic pressure. This allows it to stay active in the same ranges of drought intensity like plants are capable of surviving. 



The above creatures are but a handful of nature's creations that live off water vapor in the atmosphere using  a specialized "condensation sac" and/or managing naturally occurring sugars (glucose) and materials synthesized from sugar e.g. myoinositol.


Do the above creations of nature hold the keys that we can use to guide our development of artificial machines that extract water vapor from the atmosphere?