An innovative liquid that turns the desert into arable land in just 7 hours"

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) - In early March, a team traveled to Dubai to plant watermelons, squash, and pearl millet on a desert patch of land. After 5 months, the barren land was filled with rows of green leaves punctuated with fresh fruits and vegetables.

This is made possible by a substance called Liquid Nanoclay (LNC), a new innovation produced by the Norwegian startup Desert Control.

Nanoclay consists of only water and clay, and the company has designed it to be sprayed on sand or sandy soil. 

The liquid adheres to the sand particles in a way that promotes water retention, and enriches the soil with essential nutrients for plants.

According to Desert Control, this mixture increases the fertility of sandy soil, which is poor in nutrients, and can reduce water use by half.

Besides, the liquid can turn barren lands into arable land in just 7 hours, according to the company.

Transforming the desert into a green oasis

And the Norwegian scientist Christian Olesen invented the liquid "Nanoclay" in the middle of the first decade of the 21st century.

'Desert Control' turns thick clay into a liquid that is "almost as thin as water", according to the company's CEO, Ole Christian Severtsen.

When sprayed in sand, the liquid could "seep down and percolate" thanks to its texture, he said.

The company has reduced the size of the clay particles, so Severtsen pointed out that they are as small as possible.

"You can apply it (Nanoclay fluid) using any known irrigation technique," said Severtsen, adding, "You can even use a sprinkler".