Book 26, Question 37
How does a pitcher plant inspire slippery surfaces?
A pitcher plant has a slippery rim, and insects that land on it slide into the plant’s watery pool.
Scientists at Harvard studied it around 2011 and made a surface soaked with a thin layer of liquid that stays locked in place. Honey, ketchup, and even oil slide right off. Companies now explore this idea for bottle linings, pipes, and coatings so things do not stick.