Record oil prices are making headlines for weeks. But water is even more precious, because it is essential for our lives — at least when it’s drinkable. This means it has to be disinfected and purified. And traditional methods, such as the use of chlorine, are showing up their limits.

But, according to IsraCast, an Israeli start-up company, Atlantium, has developed a new laser-based water disinfecting system. Unlike chlorine, which can kill bacteria but can produce carcinogenic by-products, this technology “uses ultra violet (UV) light to disinfect water and is 10,000 more effective then existing techniques.”

In fact, this system doesn’t kill bacteria and viruses, but invalidates their DNA, preventing them to reproduce. This has another beneficial effect because the presence of these infertile bacteria can boost the human immune system. Read more for other details about this environmental-friendly technology.