Simulating microswimmers in nematic fluids
New research shows how control over self-propelled microswimmers could be achieved using exotic materials named 'nematic liquid crystals' - whose viscosity and elasticity can vary depending on the direction of an applied force......»»
Sleeping more flushes junk out of the brain
Rhythmic activity during sleep may get fluids in the brain moving. Enlarge (credit: OsakaWayne Studios) As if we didn’t have enough reasons to get at least eight hours of sleep, there is now one more. Neurons are still.....»»
New method achieves 4D imaging of fluids in pores
A method based on CT (computed tomography)—a type of imaging that is widely used in hospitals—can help improve our understanding of CO2 storage, batteries, and processes in the body such as nutrient uptake......»»
Novel tech captures disease markers in a snap: The future of early diagnosis
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as promising biomarkers for non-invasive disease diagnostics, offering an alternative to conventional biopsies. However, the challenge has been the efficient and pure isolation of EVs from biological fluids,.....»»
Tiny cracks in rocks may have concentrated chemicals needed for life
The gentle flow of warm fluids could have given pre-life chemistry a boost. Enlarge / Active geology could have helped purify key chemicals needed for life. (credit: Christof B. Mast) In some ways, the origin of life is.....»»
Simulating magnetization in a Heisenberg quantum spin chain
The rapid progress of quantum simulators is now enabling them to study problems that before have been limited to the domain of theoretical physics and numerical simulation. A team of researchers at Google Quantum AI and their collaborators showed thi.....»»
Physics of complex fluids: Ring polymers show unexpected motion patterns under shear
The shearing of fluids—meaning the sliding of fluid layers over each other under shear forces—is an important concept in nature and in rheology, the science that studies the flow behavior of matter, including liquids and soft solids. Shear forces.....»»
Astronauts from NASA"s Expedition 71 to conduct research aboard space station
Studies of neurological organoids, plant growth, and shifts in body fluids are among the scientific investigations that NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Tracy C. Dyson will help support aboard the International Sp.....»»
Study shows cells respond quickly to small light-induced micro-environment movements
Life sciences and photonics researchers at Tampere University have made a remarkable discovery in studying superficial cells' response to mechanical stimuli. By simulating the deformation of the extracellular matrix below the cells, researchers have.....»»
Shape of water jet found to influence sound of impact on still water
A trio of mechanical engineers at Seoul National University has found that the shape of a water jet dropped into a glass of water is the determining factor in the noise that results. In their paper published in the journal Physical Review Fluids, Mou.....»»
Stripes in a flowing liquid crystal suggest a route to "chiral" fluids
Hold your hands out in front of you, and no matter how you rotate them, it's impossible to superimpose one over the other. Our hands are a perfect example of chirality—a geometric configuration by which an object cannot be superimposed onto its mir.....»»
From "liquid lace" to the "Drop Medusa," researchers compete for the best image of fluid flow
Each year at its annual meeting, the American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics sponsors a contest for the best images in a variety of categories, all related to the flow of fluids......»»
Discovery of magnetic liquid crystal: First direct observation of spin quadrupole moments in a spin-nematic phase
Liquid crystal is a state of matter that exhibits properties of both liquid and solid. It can flow like a liquid, while its constituent molecules are aligned as in a solid. Liquid crystal is widely used nowadays, for example, as a core element of LCD.....»»
New understanding of "oobleck-like" fluids contributes to smart material design
If you mix cornstarch and water in the right proportions, you get something that seems not-quite-liquid but also not-quite-solid. Oobleck flows and settles like a liquid when untouched but stiffens when you try to pick it up or stir it with a spoon......»»
Shape-changing helical microswimmers could revolutionize biomedical applications
Artificial helical microswimmers with shape-morphing capabilities and adaptive locomotion are promising for precision medicine and noninvasive surgery. However, current fabrication methods are slow and limited......»»
Study suggests nature may have had a hand in shaping Great Sphinx of Giza
A trio of experimental physicists and applied mathematicians at New York University has found evidence that Egypt's Great Sphinx of Giza may have originated as a natural formation. For their study, published in the journal Physical Review Fluids, Sam.....»»
Simulating space to explore the great mystery of interstellar chemistry
The universe is more than 13 billion years old and space is often depicted as a vast, empty vacuum. Other than planets and stars, there's nothing there, right? Actually, space is littered with complex, carbon-based molecules. However, the range of mo.....»»
Geotechnical centrifuge modeling for simulating long-term radionuclide migration in large-scale fractured rocks
Deep geological disposal is a globally recognized and safe method for long-term management of high-level radioactive waste (HLW). However, over extended periods of nuclear waste storage, there is the potential for the waste canister to experience lea.....»»
New method may accurately identify body fluids at crime scenes
Identifying different types of body fluids can help forensic experts reconstruct a crime scene, but it's difficult to do so. In a study published in Electrophoresis, researchers developed a method using two different types of RNA—called microRNA (m.....»»
The dance of organ positioning: A tango of three proteins
In order to keep track of their environment, cells use cilia, antenna-like structures that can sense a variety of stimuli, including the flow of fluids outside the cell. Genetic defects that cause cilia to malfunction and lose their sensory abilities.....»»
New quasi-particle bridges microwave and optical domains
In a paper published today (Sept. 18) in Nature Communications, researchers from the Paul-Drude-Institut in Berlin, Germany, and the Instituto Balseiro in Bariloche, Argentina, demonstrated that the mixing of confined quantum fluids of light and GHz.....»»