Last update:
Soft Matter news
How measuring Reynolds similitude in superfluids could help demonstrate existence of quantum viscosity
Every fluid—from Earth's atmosphere to blood pumping through the human body—has viscosity, a quantifiable characteristic describing how the fluid will deform when it encounters some other matter. If the viscosity is higher, ...
Soft Matter
Jan 30, 2024
6
121
How does a 'reverse sprinkler' work? Researchers solve decades-old physics puzzle
For decades scientists have been trying to solve Feynman's Sprinkler Problem: How does a sprinkler running in reverse—in which the water flows into the device rather than out of it—work? Through a series of experiments, ...
General Physics
Jan 29, 2024
3
59
Supercomputers shine new light on ocean turbulence
As an ocean wave laps up against a beach, it contains innumerable swirls and eddies. The seawater forms complex patterns at each level, from the waves that surfers catch to ripples too small and fast for the human eye to ...
General Physics
Jan 26, 2024
0
18
Using dragonfly wings to study the relationship between corrugated wing structure and vortex motions
Scientists from Hiroshima University undertook a study of dragonfly wings in order to better understand the relationship between a corrugated wing structure and vortex motions. They discovered that corrugated wings exhibit ...
General Physics
Jan 26, 2024
2
138
From bubbles to fuel: Could this special soap film soon enable artificial photosynthesis?
A soap film with chemically distinct sides represents the latest breakthrough in research led by chemist Sylvestre Bonnet. This unique soap film, along with an innovative device capable of continuously producing new soap ...
Soft Matter
Jan 25, 2024
1
8
Physics of V-shaped flight formations offer insights into energy efficiency
Birds have inspired human flight for centuries, but Shabnam Raayai thinks they can also offer lessons in reducing energy consumption.
General Physics
Jan 24, 2024
0
5
Tiny water-walking bugs provide scientists with insights on how microplastics are pushed underwater
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that can cause big problems when they enter the water supply. One way my fluid dynamics lab explores microplastic movement is by studying how tiny water-walking insects are pushed ...
Soft Matter
Jan 23, 2024
0
14
Investigating the role of 'random walks' in particle diffusion
Several recent experiments identify unusual patterns in particle diffusion, hinting at some underlying complexity in the process which physicists have yet to discover. Through new analysis published in The European Physical ...
General Physics
Jan 19, 2024
0
45
From disorder to design: Exploring electrical tuning of branched flow in liquid crystal films
A new study in Nature Communications investigates the electrical tuning of branched light flow in nematic liquid crystal (NLC) films, revealing controlled patterns and statistical characteristics with potential applications ...
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 ...
Study examines aerodynamic performance of nylon shuttlecocks
Badminton traces its roots back more than a millennium, but the modern version of the racket game originated in the late 19th century in England. Today, it is the second most popular sport in the world behind soccer, with ...
General Physics
Jan 9, 2024
0
34
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 ...
Soft Matter
Jan 8, 2024
1
25
New theoretical framework unlocks mysteries of synchronization in turbulent dynamics
Weather forecasting is important for various sectors, including agriculture, military operations, and aviation, as well as for predicting natural disasters like tornados and cyclones. It relies on predicting the movement ...
General Physics
Jan 4, 2024
0
910
Why paint does not dry slower in a humid environment
A team of physicists at The University of Edinburgh working with an infection and immunity specialist with the university's Roslin Institute has, via experimentation, validated a theory to explain why paint dries at the same ...
Snowflake accelerations mysteriously follow a predictable pattern
A winter wonderland calls to mind piles of fluffy, glistening snow. But to reach the ground, snowflakes are swept into the turbulent atmosphere, swirling through the air instead of plummeting directly to the ground.
General Physics
Dec 19, 2023
0
9
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, ...
Soft Matter
Dec 13, 2023
0
29
AI method for describing soft matter opens up new chapter in density functional theory
Scientists from Bayreuth have developed a new method for studying liquid and soft matter using artificial intelligence. In a study now published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they open up a new chapter ...
Soft Matter
Dec 13, 2023
0
263
A mechanism of pressure-induced glass phase transition leading to advanced phase-change memories
When temperature or pressure is applied to a material, its state changes from liquid to solid or remains solid but exhibits structural changes. This change is called a phase transition or change.
Soft Matter
Dec 11, 2023
0
5
Researchers quantify the onset of turbulence in a pipe bent back on itself
How much stress do pipes undergo when a liquid flows through them, and how does it depend on the degree of curvature of the pipe?
More news
Putting sound waves to work to create safer public spaces
Model shows how fish synchronize tail fins to save energy
Other news
Tracing the evolution of sign languages using computer modeling
Team discovers mechanism that protects tissue after faulty gene expression
Alpine ibex becoming more nocturnal as temperatures rise
Fooled: Herbivorous animals 'led by the nose' to leave plants alone
A physical qubit with built-in error correction
Odd elasticity helps sperm skirt Newton's third law of motion
Study employs deep learning to explain extreme events
How talin protein maintains intercellular connection while transmitting force
Scientists successfully simulate protein complex that initiates fertilization
Physicists develop highly robust time crystal
