Related topics: surface

The physics of coffee rings

For centuries, intellectuals have met at the ring-stained surfaces of coffee shops to pore over the most pressing problems of the day -- but has anyone ever pondered the coffee rings they left behind? What causes the formation ...

A deeper understanding of a surface phenomenon

Phenomena involving surface tension are extremely complex and have applications in our everyday lives, and OIST researchers are tackling the complicated mathematics behind the physics.

Engineers stop soap bubbles from swirling

The spinning rainbow surface of a soap bubble is more than mesmerizing – it's a lesson in fluid mechanics. Better understanding of these hypnotic flows could bring improvements in many areas, from longer lasting beer foam ...

Cocktail novelties inspired by nature's designs

An MIT mathematician and a celebrity chef have combined talents to create two culinary novelties inspired by nature. John Bush, a professor of applied mathematics, and renowned Spanish chef José Andrés have designed a cocktail ...

The secret to the skillful skydiving of wingless springtails

Early in the pandemic, Víctor Ortega-Jiménez was exploring creeks near his home and observing springtails. The organisms are the most abundant non-insect hexapods on earth, and Ortega-Jiménez suspected their avoidance ...

The dynamic surface tension of water

The surface tension of a liquid is a measure of the cohesive forces that hold the molecules together. It is responsible for a water drop assuming a spherical shape and for the effects of surfactants to produce bubbles and ...

Physicists discover mechanisms of wrinkle and crumple formation

Smooth wrinkles and sharply crumpled regions are familiar motifs in biological and synthetic sheets, such as plant leaves and crushed foils, say physicists Benny Davidovitch, Narayanan Menon and colleagues at the University ...

Water impurities key to an icicle's ripples

A group of physicists from Canada have been growing their own icicles in a lab in the hope of solving a mystery that has, up until now, continued to puzzle scientists.

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