Is it better to run to class while it’s raining or walk? Myth busters did an episode about this myth a couple of years ago that can be seen here. In the video they say that walking is actually better. They said that when you walk only your head and shoulders get wet but when you are running the front of your body is also getting wet. They did an experiment that had them wearing cotton suits and walking in the rain. They did the same experiment and rain the 
second time. In order to compare their results, they weighed the cotton suits after each run and compared the numbers. After the experiments were done they concluded that by walking you in fact get less wet. This is not what logic would tell you what would happen and a lot of people challenged this conclusion.
While I was researching this I came across a video that said running is actually better, that can be seen here. This is what most people think would be the case because you are spending less time in the rain therefor you get less wet. In the video the man explains that while when walking you only get wet from the top if you were to just stand there you would in fact get less wet. Since the experiment has a moving element involved he shows that actually running gets you less wet because of the amount of time spent in the rain. Mythbusters revisited this myth years later and actually changed with what they originally went with. This is an example of something we have talked about in class of scientist challenging other scientist work. After revisiting their work, they redid the trails with real rain instead of artificial rain and found different results.
In conclusion, running in the rain is the better option than walking when you are trying to stay dry. This is an example of scientist challenging each other’s conclusions in order to get the best results. By the myth busters receiving feedback of them conducting the experiment wrong it made them re do it and come up with a new conclusion.
Picture source
http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/running-in-the-rain-minimyth/
This is awesome. I actually saw the original Myth Busters episode and have been telling people ever since that walking is better than running. This post really shows what we’ve been learning in class about how scientists check each others work. This is a prime example right here. Do you think there are other Myth Buster experiments scientists have found to be incorrect?
I literally just came back from running in the rain . Every time it starts raining I have to run I can’t just walk. I didn’t understand why I always did this I guess I thought that if I ran I wouldn’t get as soaked. Either way walk or run still will get wet. Also running in the rain isn’t safe because you could slip on something .
It is great to see non-scientists like the myth busters follow up on their work even after that episode was released and their money was already made. By following up they really add to the human knowledge base and become more like actual scientists. I know the second source said running is better and myth busters went back and redid the experiment, but is running in the rain better? I would like to see more sources. For example, this source also confirms running is better: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/23/walk-run-rain_n_1695627.html. Now I must ask, is an umbrella or a rain coat better?
I’ve actually almost always believed this for some reason. I always thought it didn’t make any sense to run through rain. You’re essentially letting the rain whip you in the face harder than it would’ve if you had simply walked (or brought an umbrella..). Plus! What’s a little bit of rain in the whole scheme of things? Don’t let a little rain stop you from loving life! According to the article below, rain can actually be good for you.
http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/health/20140301/rain-brings-health-benefits
I think that this is very relevant especially today with the flash floods we were having! I was running home in the rain and thinking about this! Should I have been running or walking? I am still a little confused by your conclusion. However, I have always thought that walking makes you get less wet! Also Mythbusters are awesome so it was cool for you to include their experiment. Also I like that you related it to the concepts we covered in class. This Link argues that it is better to run in the rain.
I have heard the opposite many times. To me I always believed it was better to run but many of my engineering friends say with the physics behind it, it is better to walk. I am glad to see your study confirm what I was thinking. Do you think that the rate at which it is raining and the wind may play a factor?
Oh wow I would have never guess that you get less wet when you walked instead of ran in the rain. I thought the opposite actually because eI guess since you’re moving faster I just thought you were outrunning the water! Interesting topic and I love Mythbusters!