In the context of phenomena, a fold refers to a localized, often nonlinear deformation pattern in a material or field, characterized by the systematic bending, buckling, or pleating of an initially more uniform structure under applied forces or constraints. Fold phenomena arise in diverse systems, including elastic media, geological strata, thin films, and biological tissues, typically governed by the interplay of elasticity, geometry, boundary conditions, and external loading. They are described mathematically by stability and bifurcation analyses, where critical thresholds in stress or strain lead to symmetry breaking and the emergence of well-defined folded configurations, often associated with energy minimization subject to geometric constraints.
Proteins need to fold into specific shapes to perform their functions in cells, but they occasionally misfold, which can prevent them from properly functioning and even lead to disease.
Cell & Microbiology
Dec 16, 2025
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Researchers at the University of Jyväskylä have discovered a simple way to program synthetic molecules so they can form specific spiral-like structures by embedding instructions directly into their sequence. This breakthrough ...
Biotechnology
Dec 11, 2025
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The chains of amino acids that make up proteins are critical to every form of life. The complex ways that these proteins fold and interact has fascinated researchers for decades. Exactly how a protein folds determines its ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Nov 7, 2025
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A first thought when describing a rock formation likely isn't a mille-feuille, but there are actually certain types composed of many thin layers that bring the flaky pastry to mind. Not only that—but these rocks can quite ...
Earth Sciences
Oct 2, 2025
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Tiny tweaks in DNA folding can have big effects. A study from Umeå University shows that even the most subtle changes in DNA's shape have an important influence on gene activity and energy production. This discovery challenges ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 17, 2025
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The complex 3D shapes of brains, lungs, eyes, hands, and other vital bodily structures emerge from the way in which flat 2D sheets of cells fold during embryonic development. Now, researchers at Columbia Engineering have ...
Biotechnology
Aug 21, 2025
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The ancient Japanese art of paper-folding, or origami, is already inspiring the design of the next generation of space vehicles, but now there's a new family of origami shapes that could make them even more compact and reliable.
A study published in Nature Communications presents a way to create deployable structures that transform from compact folded states into expansive configurations with perfectly smooth surfaces.
Kirigami is a traditional Japanese art form that entails cutting and folding paper to produce complex three-dimensional (3D) structures or objects. Over the past decades, this creative practice has also been applied in the ...
A research team, led by Professor Taesung Kim from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UNIST, reports the development of a technology that utilizes nanoscale wrinkles formed on transparent films to display or conceal ...
Nanomaterials
Mar 26, 2025
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