20180522

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Scientist have discovered a new type of measuring tool, a tiny pipette, that can collect and move just a few drops of liquid at most. They can pick up water without the need for suction. These gauges are like scientific eyedroppers, they precisely move small amounts of fluid. However, research that relies on pipetted fluids may not be as reliable as researchers would like because the gauges of measuring are too small and difficult to read. The inspiration of scientists from creating these pipettes is a part of female liverworts, which looks like a tiny, pointy-topped umbrella. It is like a little hand holding water droplets downward. To grab liquid, the new inspired pipette only needs to have the tip dipped in to the fluid and pulled upward, in which the little “fingers” will hold the drop of water. To dispense fluid, researchers just need to tilt the new pipette and the fluid will come out. How much a pipette  can hold depends on the balance between a liquid’s surface tension and gravity. Still, scientists are now testing the usage of the new invention, and think the pipettes might have more potential uses outside the lab.

Gauge: a measuring device for size or volume.