Science Friday: Penguin Preening

This afternoon we got a chance to feel what is like to have our skin covered in oil, similar to how the penguins preen their feathers. Each student's right hand was covered in petroleum jelly (oil) and they dipped both hands in a bucket of ice water. When they pulled their hands out, they saw how their left hand was wet while the water on their right hand rolled off. More importantly, when attempting to wash the oiled hand, they found this to be very difficult. This helped students to understand how, even though penguins are in the water a lot, the oil they place on their feathers won't rub off and will continue to keep them dry.