Last year about 300 million compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) were sold in the U.S., thanks to people being more concerned about global warming.

So despite their eco-friendliness, many people think that it is too risky to throw away these bulbs.

That is until engineering students and researchers at Brown University developed a material that could absorb the mercury.

What the students did was they created a prototype of a special lining that would be placed inside CFL packaging. That way if any bulbs broke inside the packaging the mercury would be absorbed safely. Or if the mercury spilled on the floor or a table, the packaging could be placed on top of it to absorb the liquid.

The students also created special lining for plastic bags that would soak up any mercury from broken glass that was thrown away.

You can read more details about the story here.

Let’s hope that the Brown University students continue improving this amazing discovery.