Fun way into a sticky subject
WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY KNOW about the physics of stickiness? Where do we see it in nature, and what technological advances has it enabled the human race to create?
In her new book Sticky, physicist Laurie Winkless brings the amazing world of surface science to the popular science market for the first time. Using her characteristic fun and relaxed tone, she introduces readers to the glues, adhesives and textures that rule and improve stickiness to give plants and animals an advantage, as well as uncovering the physics behind our sense of touch.
We asked her a few questions.
What inspired you to write Sticky?
There were a series of moments that led me to the idea. While writing Science and the City ,I explained why ‘leaves on the line' can cause problems for trains. Later, I rediscovered my lab notes from a research project I'd done on waterrepellent coatings. And then, while planning our move to NZ, I found myself pondering the mechanics of earthquakes. I realised that all of these seemingly unrelated topics were in fact linked by a single phenomenon – friction – something that we humans have been manipulating (and puzzling over) for millennia. I felt there might be an opportunity to use the surprising stories of what happens when two materials meet as a way to engage readers in a topic that might otherwise feel niche. That's where it started, and it really just expanded from there.
The subject is so broad, how did you decide what areas to focus on?
In truth, I mostly just followed my nose, and chose areas that I personally found fascinating! When I set out to write the book, one of my key priorities was to include topics relevant at different scales — from atoms to tectonic plates — to show how fundamentally important friction is. I also wanted to include a mix of everyday objects and topics that people might never have thought about or heard of. And I identified some key ideas that
I felt were critical to any book on friction and surfaces. These considerations provided the ‘boundary conditions' — the edges of the book's scope. Then within that, I had fun, and went hunting for interesting experts and surprising stories that I could craft into a narrative. Topics like Formula One and high-speed jets were obvious . . . because I was already interested in them. But the human sense of touch, geckos, and ice were all things I knew next-to-nothing about. Writing about them gave me the opportunity to learn and explore, and now they're some of my favourite things to talk about.
At the moment, I seem to be talking about ice on a daily basis . . . and that's very fun. In general, though, I think my favourite chapter in the book is the one focused on earthquakes. Before moving to Aotearoa, seismic activity was something that happened elsewhere – I'd never had any reason to ‘drop, cover, hold', and I had put little thought into what actually caused quakes. Getting to spend time with amazing geologists, visiting their labs . . . and reading their papers – it's just been a privilege.
Sticky: The Secret Science of Surfaces by Laurie Winkless, published by Bloomsbury, $29.99
What is your favourite topic you covered in Sticky? What do you hope readers take away from the book?
I hope that my readers will end up looking at the world a little differently, or at least, that they'll find some delight in topics that they might previously have considered mundane or ‘everyday'. I also hope that they'll enjoy meeting the incredible array of scientists, engineers, and historians that are featured in the book.
Who do you think would enjoy Sticky?
The book is targeted at adults, though I know some teens who have read and enjoyed it. Readers don't have to be technically minded at all. The only real prerequisite is curiosity! Topicswise, I think there's something in there for everyone — from aircraft and fingerprints, to paints, glues and geckos. Something that has surprised me is how well received it has been by the scientific community — I wrote it for a non-specialist audience, but I am really delighted that those working in some of the sectors discussed in the book also seem to be getting something from it.