Bacteria like E. coli swim using flagella, helical filaments attached to biological motors on their bodies. By rotating the flagella, the bacterium generates thrust that propels it forward. Oddly, though, Keep reading
Tag: colloid
Whiskey Webs
Unlike scotch whisky, when American bourbon whiskeys are diluted, they form unique web-like evaporation patterns. These differences arise in part from the way the liquors are aged: scotch is aged Keep reading
The Wanderings of Micro-Scallops
In the 19th century, botanist Robert Brown observed pollen granules beneath his microscope jittering randomly. Einstein showed that this motion resulted from the impacts of much-smaller atoms against the particles. Keep reading
When Shear Meets Slip
One of the classic concepts students learn early in their fluids education is the no-slip condition. In essence, this idea says that friction between a solid object — say, a Keep reading
Blooming Deposits
Evaporate a droplet full of silica nanoparticles, and you’ll get beautiful, flower-like films. As the water evaporates, dry nanoparticles build up in a solid deposit. The evaporation creates a pressure Keep reading
Ferrofluid in a Cell
Ferrofluids are a colloid consisting of magnetically sensitive nanoparticles suspended in a carrier liquid, like oil. They’re often associated with a distinctive spiky appearance when exposed to a magnet, but this isn’t their only magnetic Keep reading
Inside Fondue
Cheese fondue is a complex – and delicious – Swiss delicacy. The perfect fondue requires the right mix of ingredients and preparation to get the rheology – the flow character Keep reading
Blue Man Group in Slow Mo
In their latest video, the Slow Mo Guys team up with the Blue Man Group for some high-speed hijinks, some of which make for great fluidsy visuals. Their first experiment Keep reading