Tag Archives: Soft matter

Mysterious type of static electricity has a hidden culprit

Posted on March 19, 2026 by rberkowitz

Find explains how volcanic ash plumes spark lightning and why dust in grain silos can explode Continue reading →

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Active Matter Gets Solid

Posted on October 31, 2025 by rberkowitz

Researchers have determined the mechanical properties of a tiny beam made of active particles, laying the groundwork for future micromachines. Continue reading →

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Charge Transfer Happens Too Fast to See

Posted on September 30, 2025 by rberkowitz

A new experiment on static electricity casts doubt on previous ones. Continue reading →

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Ice is more flexible than you think, a new nano-movie shows

Posted on September 25, 2025 by rberkowitz

Trapped air bubbles move, merge and dissolve without fracturing the crystal lattice. Continue reading →

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Active Matter Breaks like an Amorphous Plastic

Posted on September 24, 2025 by rberkowitz

Shearing a dusty plasma with a laser shows how vibrational modes lead to weak points in an amorphous active system. Continue reading →

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Bumpy Particles Take One Step to Become Glass

Posted on January 24, 2025 by rberkowitz

Roughing up the surfaces of particles in a colloidal system can smooth its transition into a glassy state. Continue reading →

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Alignment of Cells AffectsSecondary Tumor Growth

Posted on December 4, 2024 by rberkowitz

Cell–cell alignment and a background of stationary cells together shape the emergence of cellular clusters in a primary tumor. Continue reading →

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How a Zebra’s Stripes Align

Posted on September 3, 2024 by rberkowitz

Local curvature could drive directionality of periodic pigmentation patterns on animals. Continue reading →

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Glowing Algae Change Morphology to Avoid Light

Posted on June 26, 2024 by rberkowitz

Bright light triggers the chloroplast of a bioluminescent algae to fold into a pattern that minimizes the chloroplast’s exposed area. Continue reading →

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Why Humidity Doesn’t Affect Drying Paint

Posted on December 15, 2023 by rberkowitz

Experiments verify a theory that explains why paint doesn’t dry any faster on a dry day than on a wet day. Continue reading →

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