Guillemot eggs are self-cleaning

By Victoria GillScience reporter, BBC News, Valencia, Spain

Guillemot eggs have special structures on their shells that make them self-cleaning, according to new research.

The study began after scientists noticed the liquid-repelling properties of a batch of eggs that had water spilled onto them.

Further analysis revealed tiny cone-shaped structures on the eggs’ shells were responsible for this property.

The findings were presented at the Society for Experimental Biology conference in Valencia, Spain.

Dr Steven Portugal from the Royal Veterinary College in London who conducted the research told BBC Nature that the project started with a “minor spillage” in the lab.

“I accidentally spilled distilled water over a batch of eggs,” Dr Portugal recalled.

“And I noticed that the eggs from the guillemots stood out in terms of how the water droplets reacted on the surface.

“They formed little droplets – they didn’t run down the egg.”

The formation of water drops into perfect spheres is typical of hydrophobic or water-hating surfaces.

The best-known example of this in nature is a lotus leaf.

“It’s been copied in engineering, because it’s self-cleaning” said Dr Portugal.