The best designs are simple

(via Neatorama)

It's amazing how the effects of a good design can ripple out into a culture.

Imagine having this problem:

You have a steady supply of produce, but no refrigeration. You have clay pots, dirt and no electricity.

Your mission: Keep your fresh produce cool so it lasts longer.

I'm betting I'd wimp out and try drying the produce to preserve it.

Enter Mohammed Bah Abba. He opted to make a refrigerator:

You take a smaller pot and put it inside a larger pot. Fill the space in between them with wet sand, and cover the top with a wet cloth. When the water evaporates, it pulls the heat out with it, making the inside cold.

Check it out.

It gets better. People wanting the pots will boost the pottery business. People who can chill their foods have more time to do things like go to school.

How cool clever is that?