Researchers at Harvard University, United States, have created an omniphobic material that mimics the slick surface structure of the pitcher plant. The material repels simple liquids such as water and hydrocarbons, complex fluids such as crude oil and blood, and even solids. According to Joanna Aizenberg, who created the material along with her colleagues, “We envision the use of these surfaces for biomedical fluid handling, for fuel transport, and as a surface that repels ice and can therefore be used to reduce energy in refrigeration.” The material, called slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS), is made by impregnating a porous network of Teflon nanofibers with a water- and oil-repellant lubricating liquid. It is self-lubricating, self-healing, and can be made transparent. “Nature has so many different, very smart solutions that can be used in engineering and technology,” Aizenberg said. She noted that her product, in comparison to other liquid-repelling surfaces, such as those inspired by lotus leaves, is inexpensive. “SLIPS are really easy to make and would be quite cost-effective,” she said. Philippe Brunet, an expert on omniphobic materials at France’s University of Paris Diderot, praised the work of Aizenberg and colleagues, saying, “In my opinion, this study does not simply represent an improvement in liquid-repellent surfaces, but rather a revolution in the field. I am sure many researchers reading this paper would think as I do: ‘I wish I would have thought about these surfaces before.’”