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Soft Matter news
Thermoelectric effect between two liquid materials observed for the first time
A trio of physicists at Sorbonne Université, in France, has observed a thermoelectric effect between two liquid materials for the first time. In their study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, ...
The unexpected connection between brewing coffee and understanding turbulence
In 1883, Osborne Reynolds injected ink into water in a short, clear pipe to observe its movement. His experiments showed that as the input water velocity increased, the flow went from laminar (smooth and predictable) to turbulent ...
Soft Matter
Jun 3, 2024
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New study unveils how water dynamics slow down at low temperatures
A scientist at the Institute for Molecular Science has published a study that provides insight into the puzzling phenomenon of dynamic slowdown in supercooled water, an essential step toward understanding the glass transition ...
Soft Matter
May 28, 2024
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Study shows plant hydraulics create streaming electric potential in sync with biological clock
When plants draw water from their roots to nourish their stems and leaves, they produce an electric potential that could be harnessed as a renewable energy source. However, like all living things, plants are subject to a ...
General Physics
May 28, 2024
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Scientists reveal elastic turbulence has more in common with classical Newtonian turbulence than expected
Blood, lymph fluid and other biological liquids can have surprising and sometimes troubling properties. Many of these biological solutions are non-Newtonian fluids, a type of liquid that is characterized by a non-linear relationship ...
Soft Matter
May 27, 2024
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New method can create aquatic levitation at much lower temperature, has implications for cooling nuclear reactors
Splash a few drops of water on a hot pan and if the pan is hot enough, the water will sizzle and the droplets of water seem to roll and float, hovering above the surface.
General Physics
May 24, 2024
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Researchers show how to use 'topological tweezers' to control active fluids
University of Michigan physicists have devised a way to manipulate active fluids, a type of fluid composed of individual units that can propel themselves independently, by taking advantage of topological defects in the fluids.
General Physics
May 22, 2024
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Artificial nanomagnets inspire mechanical system with memory capability
An international research team including Los Alamos National Laboratory and Tel Aviv University has developed a unique, mechanical metamaterial that, like a computer following instructions, can remember the order of actions ...
Condensed Matter
May 22, 2024
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Unlocking the secrets of supercritical fluids: Study offers insights into a hybrid state of matter
A study now published in Nature Communications brings remarkable insights into the enigmatic behavior of supercritical fluids, a hybrid state of matter occupying a unique space between liquids and gases, and arising in domains ...
General Physics
May 22, 2024
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Expanding on the fundamental principles of liquid movement
From the rain drops rolling down your window, to the fluid running through a COVID rapid test, we cannot go a day without observing the world of fluid dynamics. Naturally, how liquids traverse across, and through, surfaces ...
Soft Matter
May 20, 2024
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Deep-sea sponge's 'zero-energy' flow control could inspire new energy efficient designs
The Venus flower basket sponge, with its delicate glass-like lattice outer skeleton, has long intrigued researchers seeking to explain how this fragile-seeming creature's body can withstand the harsh conditions of the deep ...
General Physics
May 17, 2024
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'Dancing' raisins: A simple kitchen experiment reveals how objects can extract energy from their environment
Scientific discovery doesn't always require a high-tech laboratory or a hefty budget. Many people have a first-rate lab right in their own homes—their kitchen.
General Physics
May 14, 2024
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41
Study sheds light on the origin of elasticity in glasses and gels
Glasses and gels are two different types of solid materials that are commonly used in a wide range of settings. Despite their markedly different compositions, these distinct materials share some similar properties, for instance, ...
Toward a unified theory for dynamics of glassy materials
In the realm of disorder and amorphous systems, such as oxide glasses utilized in display technologies and the cryogenic preservation of biological materials, there exists a substantial body of contemporary scientific and ...
General Physics
Apr 22, 2024
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Physicists explain, and eliminate, unknown force dragging against water droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces
Microscopic chasms forming a sea of conical jagged peaks stipple the surface of a material called black silicon. While it's commonly found in solar cell tech, black silicon also moonlights as a tool for studying the physics ...
General Physics
Apr 16, 2024
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Physicists track how continuous changes in dimensionality affect collective properties of a superfluid
An international research team from Innsbruck and Geneva has, for the first time, probed the dimensional crossover for ultracold quantum matter. In the regime between one and two dimensions, the quantum particles perceive ...
Soft Matter
Apr 10, 2024
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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.
Soft Matter
Apr 9, 2024
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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 ...
General Physics
Apr 4, 2024
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Intelligent liquid: Researchers develop metafluid with programmable response
Researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed a programmable metafluid with tunable springiness, optical properties, viscosity and even the ability to transition ...
Optics & Photonics
Apr 3, 2024
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Understanding flow and sound through large-scale computations
In a research collaboration between the group of Professor Hiroshi Yokoyama of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and KOBE STEEL, LTD., flow, and acoustic fields in an expanding pipe with orifice plates were studied ...
General Physics
Apr 2, 2024
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More news
Breaking the ice: Molecular insights into saltwater droplet freezing
Dancing droplets' new spin on water harvesting
New soft magnetic materials for a high-frequency future
A key to the future of robots could be hiding in liquid crystals
Beyond the ink: Painting with physics
Other news
New computational tool helps interpret AI models in genomics
New photonic chip spawns nested topological frequency comb
New insights into how cell shape influences protein transport rates
An alternative way to manipulate quantum states
Hurricane changed 'rules of the game' in monkey society
Supercomputers shine new light on ocean turbulence
Investigating the role of 'random walks' in particle diffusion
Study examines aerodynamic performance of nylon shuttlecocks
AI can help forecast toxic 'blue-green tides'
Researchers uncover enzyme communication mechanism that could aid drug development
