Microscopic origin of granular fluidity: An experimental investigation.

Granular fluidity has been central to the development of nonlocal constitutive equations, which are necessary for characterizing nonlocal effects observed in experimental granular flow data. However, validation of these equations has been largely computational due to challenges in laboratory experiments. Specifically, the origin of the fluidity on a microscopic, single-particle level is still unproven.

Mechanisms and functions of multiciliary coordination.

Ciliated organisms are present in virtually every branch of the eukaryotic tree of life. In diverse systems, cilia operate in a coordinated manner to drive fluid flows, or even propel entire organisms. How do groups of motile cilia coordinate their activity within a cell or across a tissue to fulfil essential functions of life? In this review, we highlight the latest developments in our understanding of the mechanisms and functions of multiciliary coordination in diverse systems.

Methods and Measures for Investigating Microscale Motility.

Motility is an essential factor for an organism's survival and diversification. With the advent of novel single-cell technologies, analytical frameworks, and theoretical methods, we can begin to probe the complex lives of microscopic motile organisms and answer the intertwining biological and physical questions of how these diverse lifeforms navigate their surroundings. Herein, we summarize the main mechanisms of microscale motility and give an overview of different experimental, analytical, and mathematical methods used to study them across different scales encompassing the molecular-, individual-, to population-level.

Disordered wax platelets on leaves create golden shine.

Plants have various strategies to protect themselves from harmful light. An example of such a protective mechanism is the growth of epicuticular nanostructures, such as a layer of hair or wax crystals. Most nanostructures are optimised to screen UV radiation, as UV light is particularly damaging for cellular tissue.