Illinois is ‘kind of the place to be with periodical cicadas,’ researchers say as 17-year brood’s coming out party expected in one corner of the state
Alleyne has studied the wings of annual cicadas, which are superhydrophobic. Meaning, Alleyne said, “that when water lands on it, it just stays in a bubble and then it kind of rolls away and then it maybe can clean any dust particles or even microbes off.” Engineers are looking to these properties to create water repellent and antimicrobial surfaces.
chicagotribune.com