The Weird Science That Lets Insects Fly in the Rain

SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Imagine the scale of raindrops if you were the size of a small bird. Or mosquito. Flying through a drizzle should be deadly! Like flying through falling cars and boulders. And yet it’s not, because nature has given them a superpower—superhydrophobic surfaces that repel water and keep them airborne. How do these microscopic structures work? And how has modern engineering been inspired by them? References: https://sites.google.com/view/superhydrophobic-references/home Mosquito vs. Raindrop footage courtesy of David Hu and Andrew Dickerson ----------- High fives to all our Brain Trust Patrons: Olivia Ruiz Mike and Patty Loftis Ed Eyden Jennifer Burton Holly, Brett, and Ashe Bullion Jaap Westera Barbora Bei dani bowman David Johnston Baerbel Winkler Eric Meer Karen Haskell Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart