Raindrops Carry Tiny Lightning Bolts, Study Finds

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Science Desk

In Short: A new study reveals that raindrops carry electrical charges large enough to damage surfaces, potentially explaining why cars corrode more quickly in rainy climates.

Raindrops are not just water; they are tiny lightning bolts, according to a new study. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Germany have shown that water drops routinely arrive at a surface carrying an electrical charge large enough to punch through an insulating coating. This finding could explain why cars corrode more quickly in rainy climates.

The standard explanation for car corrosion is that water carries dissolved salts and acids to a surface, constant drumming of raindrops abrades whatever protective coating is on it, and oxygen does the rest. However, the new study led by Zhongyuan Ni, Rüdiger Berger, and Hans-Jürgen Butt at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz, Germany, has shown that the electrical charge carried by raindrops can also contribute to corrosion.

The study, published in the journal PLoS ONE, used a technique called intracellular recording to measure the electrical responses of individual photoreceptors in four bee species and both sexes of each. The reason for this phenomenon seems to have to do with how energy-producing structures called mitochondria move through nerve cells.

The findings of the study could have implications beyond just car corrosion. The electrical charge in raindrops could also affect other surfaces and materials, potentially leading to increased wear and tear in various industries. The researchers suggest that understanding this phenomenon could lead to the development of new protective coatings and materials.

According to Dr. Rigosi and co-authors from Lund University and the University of Adelaide, the starting point of the study is a phenomenon called 'slide electrification,' which has only been properly quantified in the past few years. This phenomenon occurs when a charged raindrop hits a surface, creating a small electrical discharge that can cause damage.

The study's findings could also have implications for the medical field. While a first-of-its-kind study published in PLOS Medicine shows that the way we break up and accumulate periods of prolonged rest throughout the day may have a huge impact on health, the electrical charge in raindrops could potentially be used to develop new protective coatings and materials to prevent corrosion and wear and tear.

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