Scientists from the Georgia Institute of Technology have discovered how mosquitoes and other fragile insects survive during the rain. Their bodies are so tiny and lightweight, that when they collide with a raindrop, they absorb little of its energy. Rather, they combine with it and begin falling to the ground. They just need to extract themselves before the droplet smashes them into the ground.

“As well as helping explain how the insects thrive in damp, humid environments, the research could ultimately help researchers to design tiny, flying robots that are just as impervious to the elements,” the BBC reports.