Lotus effect

The lotus leaves have a special quality that makes water drops slide off them like magic. This is called the lotus effect. Think of it as if the leaves have a magical power to keep themselves clean and dry.

Let's imagine you spilled some water on a regular leaf. The water would get stuck there and make the leaf wet, right? But if it was a lotus leaf, the water would immediately and effortlessly slide off it, leaving the leaf dry.

That's because lotus leaves have a special rough surface covered in tiny bumps and waxy coating, which makes water forms into little balls and roll off easily. This surface is so effective that even dirt and dust have a hard time sticking to it.

Scientists have taken inspiration from the lotus effect, and now they are creating lotus-like surfaces for stuff like roofs, car windshields, and clothes. These new surfaces use the same method as lotus leaves to make water and dirt slide off them, which means they stay clean for longer and need less cleaning!

So remember the lotus effect is like a magic power that makes water slide off the lotus leaves and now scientists are using it to create stuff that stays clean and dry. Cool, huh?