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ScienceSurprise 4/5Difficulty 3/5Reviewed on September 14, 2026

Wine tears are due to the Marangoni effect.

Why it is true

Wine tears or legs are droplets that run down the walls of the glass. They form because ethanol evaporates faster than water, creating differences in surface tension that pull the liquid upwards, a phenomenon called the Marangoni effect.

Source: Nature

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