> [!quote] [The Lotus Effect](https://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/the-lotus-effect-18917) (2021-10-24) > Self-cleaning leaves use a nanotechnologic trick to "block" water. You can see this best with the Lotus plant, it is called the "Lotus Effect". > > The process undermines the popular belief that smooth surfaces are best at repelling dirt. When water drops on a smooth leaf surface, it shifts the dirt particles without washing them away. But the lotus is different. The waxy surface of the lotus leaf is actually quite rough. Observed at the microscopic level, it is coated with a thick bumpy layer of wax. > > This 'wax', or lipids, creates an interface between the plant surface and the surrounding environment. The contact area between water and dirt is reduced, making the leaf highly water repellent, or hydrophobic. The wax is also capable of self-regeneration. When water drops fall on this surface, they roll down, carrying dirt particles with them. Even glue cannot stick to the surface of the lotus leaf. Meanwhile, the bumpy surface of the wax layer creates air gaps on the surface. These gaps prevent dirt particles from sticking to the leaf, leaving them free for the water to wash off. ## Readwise - [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01fjs7bx2zeheyr905182xdxjs) - [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01fjs7bm2p5ta8xm4xd2spxtg6) - [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01fjs76wmyfp56eqk4p0yw6a9d)