Measuring the deformation of a surface hit by a falling droplet offers insights into water’s erosive power.
06 August 2026
Measuring the deformation of a surface hit by a falling droplet offers insights into water’s erosive power.
Scientists have uncovered one of the mechanisms by which water droplets can erode stone. Credit: Frank Hoekzema/Alamy
How do water droplets erode rock over time? New research suggests that every droplet that hits a solid object acts as a tiny hammer, repeatedly damaging the surface in the first milliseconds after impact1 .
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