As I write this it is pouring with rain and has been for several hours. It is what seems to have become a typical summer’s day… But what do raindrops actually look like as they fall? A recent news item on the BBC Website (20 July 2009) reports on new research that has used high-speed cameras to film falling drops of water and the result is some fascinating footage of complex deformation and break-up (there is a viewable clip that accompanies the news item). It is thought that the research might improve rainfall models although apparently the drops used are on the large size for typical UK rain.
Tim O'Hare 