Did you know that as well as being completely adorable, springtails have super-smart skin?

The structures of their exoskeletons are so amazingly effective at repelling water, dirt and microbes that materials scientists are trying to reverse-engineer their surfaces to improve water filters, streamline ships' hulls and even make smudge-proof smartphone screens!

More info in a university article here here: https://www.dur.ac.uk/news/newsitem/?itemno=39286

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