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# The Weird Science That Lets Insects Fly in the RainThe Weird Science That Lets Insects Fly in the Rain
- URL: https://www.cascadepbs.org/show/its-okay-be-smart/episode/the-weird-science-that-lets-insects-fly-in-the-rainthe-weird-science-that-lets-insects-fly-in-the-rain-k4ophm/
- Published: 2025-02-25T16:30:48.000Z
- Updated: 2025-08-20T09:56:02.000Z
- Description: Insects and birds have an awesome superpower that repels water and keeps them airborne in the rain.
- Author: Cascade PBS Staff
- Tags: Be Smart, Season 13, Episode 1, #ZZZ_Episode_f304105f-7fb9-4d51-b27c-a811298f0be0, #episode, #ZZZ_Show_dc38a6e9-266e-43c1-b647-45e7445fad27, #v1.16

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?