Phenomena

Flowing Uphill

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Science Friday takes an inside look at self-propelled Leidenfrost droplets like those we’ve featured previously. The Leidenfrost effect takes place when a liquid comes in contact with a surface much, much hotter than its boiling point. Part of the liquid is vaporized, creating a thin gas layer that both insulates the remaining liquid and causes it to move with very little friction. Over a flat surface, this underlying vapor will spread in any direction. But by covering the surface with ratchets, it’s possible to direct the vapor in a particular direction, which propels the droplet in the opposite direction. Check out the video and our previous posts for more! (Video credit: Science Friday; via io9 and submitted by Urs)

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