The behavior of dripping fluids may seem of more concern to plumbers than to Ph.D.s. Yet studies of how drops elongate and break loose help scientists understand phenomena ranging from atomic fission to cell division (SN: 7/30/94, p. 79). Drip research also advances droplet-related applications such as ink-jet printing and depositing DNA on biochips. Now, two new studies are extending scientists’ understanding of drips.
