Could detecting static electricity be a factor in explaining why treehopper insects have evolved such bizarre body shapes?

People quickly recognized electricity’s potential usefulness. Of course, in the 18th century people mostly made use of static electricity in magic tricks and other performances.

Static electricity often just seems like an everyday annoyance when a wool sweater crackles as you pull it off, or when a doorknob delivers an unexpected zap. Regardless, the phenomenon is much mor… ...

This seemingly trivial observation was the first documentation of static electricity. For over 2,600 years, scientists have grappled with understanding what caused this strange effect in detail.

Science Physics After 2,600 years, we finally know how static electricity really works It all comes down to nanoscale-level variations. Andrew Paul Sep 18, 2024 2:51 PM EDT ...

Not that electricity can’t hurt or kill you. But static electricity is to lightning what a drop of water is to a roaring river. Why is it happening now? Blame it on the dry air and cooler ...

Summary: Static electricity was first observed in 600 B.C., but researchers have struggled to explain how rubbing causes it. In 2019, researchers discovered nanosized surface deformations at play.

Static electricity is harmless most of the time, but if you are electrically charged and touch something conductive, you pass that charge on. If you touch metal, you pass the electricity to the metal.

Animals Insects Butterflies and moths suck up pollen with static electricity These insects generate a hair-raising amount of charge. Laura Baisas Jul 23, 2024 7:01 PM EDT ...