People often compare paper towels to sponges. But a sponge is more like a lazy couch potato—it just sits there and soaks up whatever is around it. A paper towel is more like an energetic vacuum cleaner.
Because of that strong adhesion and capillary action, a paper towel actively sucks the water in. It doesn’t wait for the puddle to come to it; it reaches out and pulls the puddle toward itself. You can feel this when you place a corner of a towel on a spill and watch the liquid crawl across the counter.
It’s a bit like watching a crowd of people in a subway train. Everyone squeezes in tight, but the paper towel keeps finding room for one more drop. And it does it all without complaining—or needing a battery.
