Raindrops Carry Electrical Charges, Study Finds

6:02 PM ETDeveloping

Science Desk

In Short: Raindrops are not just water but tiny lightning bolts, according to a new study that reveals their corrosive power on car surfaces.

Raindrops are not just water but tiny lightning bolts, according to a new study that reveals their corrosive power on car surfaces. A team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz, Germany, has shown that water drops routinely arrive at a surface carrying an electrical charge large enough to punch through an insulating coating. This phenomenon, known as 'slide electrification,' has only been properly quantified in the past few years, as noted by Ars Technica. The study, published in the journal PLoS ONE, suggests that the standard explanation for rain corrosion, which involves water carrying dissolved salts and acids, may need to be reconsidered.

The study's findings could have significant implications for industries dealing with corrosion, including automotive manufacturers. 'Water drops routinely arrive at a surface carrying an electrical charge large enough to punch through an insulating coating,' said Zhongyuan Ni, Rüdiger Berger, and Hans-Jürgen Butt, the lead researchers. This charge, combined with the abrasion caused by the constant drumming of raindrops, can accelerate the corrosion process, leading to faster degradation of protective coatings.

However, the study does not stop at rain's corrosive effects. It also explores the electrical responses of photoreceptors in insects, as reported by Sci.News. Dr. Rigosi and co-authors from Lund University and the University of Adelaide 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, according to the researchers, has to do with how energy-producing structures called mitochondria move through nerve cells.

Meanwhile, 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. Researchers found that for every extra hour of prolonged sitting in the day, people in the study faced a significantly higher risk of cancer and cancer mortality. 'The good news is that breaking up your sitting time with something as simple as a short walk could be protective,' said a researcher from ScienceAlert. The study analyzed data from more than 91,000 people who took part in the UK Biobank study, tracking the health of about half a million people in the UK.

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Sources

Ars Technicalink