A traditional heat pump used to heat a house often must be replaced after 10 to 20 years of use. But now a team of Norwegian engineers has developed a new type of pump that they say will last for at least 10,000 years. The pumps may be assembled in a variety of shapes and sizes. Together, they cooperate to generate heat.

Scientists say that the tiny pump’s long life is due to the fact that it only has one part, whereas a traditional pump consists of many parts, which introduces the potential for greater wear and tear. The new pumps only require the exchange of many fans that help spread heat through the building, and will likely be inexpensive to mass-produce because of the simplicity inherent in building just a single component. The researchers estimate that the pumps will be ready for sale within five to 10 years.