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Butterfly wings are characterized by shingle-like scales and microgrooves.
Butterfly wings are characterized by shingle-like scales (above), which keep water from pooling, and microgrooves (below), which repel water and reduce surface adhesion. These features help keep the surface free of debris and contaminants.
Credit: Scanning electron microscope image (top) and optical profiler rendering (bottom), courtesy Bharat Bhushan and Greg Bixler, The Ohio State University
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