It’s funny how this works. While sitting at my home in Atlanta, Georgia, a rain storm in China prompted me to think about water-repellent glass. Here’s how it all went down…

It was at home over the past weekend and it was raining. In fact, it was raining just hard enough to prevent most outdoor activities. So, I switched on the television and within seconds I was watching a broadcast of the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix. Now, if you happened to watch this race yesterday, then you may already know where I’m going with this — it was raining in Shanghai, China, too. Actually, for the first several laps of the race it was pouring. Yeah, I knew the speeds were going to be reduced for the track conditions, but I kept watching. Seeing these world-class drivers (at speed) attempt to keep their million-dollar racing machines on the track surface and away from the grass, gravel, walls and other cars made me wonder aloud (several times), “How can these guys possibly see anything?”