Dye tracing

[Joe Duxbury]

Several years ago, there was an article in the NSS News about a revolutionary new dye that could be used to trace water upstream! The dye was made of a tightly-coiled molecule that would rapidly uncoil when added to water. It would be so rapid it could travel up waterfalls!
I quote this amazing development to people, but I wish I had kept the original reference, as proof. Can any of you help me locate this article?

[bobby49]

I don't know about any NSS reference, nor do I know about this as a dye. However, I think the substance that you are after is Polyethylene Oxide. This is a long-chain molecule that is mixed in water, and then it can flow _slightly_ uphill. For example, it can flow uphill 6 inches if there is a 12-inch drop on the other side of the flow. I know it seems hard to believe.

One would assume that an ordinary water soluble dye can be mixed with the Polyethylene Oxide and water. I do not believe that it can be made to flow substantially uphill.