The world of fluid instabilities is a rich one. Combine fluids with differing viscosities, densities, or flow speeds and they’ll often break down in picturesque and predictable manners. Here, researchers Keep reading
Tag: flow visualization
Surfactants and Waves
In the ocean, waves often curl over and trap air, becoming plunging breakers. How do surfactants like soap or oil affect this process? That’s the question behind this video, where Keep reading
Sedimentation After Flooding
The new year brought California a series of atmospheric rivers that poured record amounts of water onto drought-stricken lands. While the precipitation refreshed snowpacks and reservoirs, much of it washed Keep reading
Turning the Beach Pink
Lab experiments and numerical simulations can only take us so far; sometimes there’s no substitute for getting out into the field. That’s why a beach in San Diego turned pink Keep reading
Beneath the Cavity
When a drop falls into a pool of liquid, it creates a distinctive cavity, followed by a jet. From above the surface, this process is well-studied. But this poster offers Keep reading
Mixing With E. Coli
What happens when a flow meets swimming micro-organisms? Does the flow affect the swimmers? And how do the swimmers affect the flow in turn? Those are the questions behind the Keep reading
“Turbulence”
In his recent short film, artist Roman De Giuli explores turbulence using metallic paints and inks in a fishtank. The effects are beautiful: sparkling pigments dispersing in clouds, mushroom- and Keep reading
Spinning Liquids With Lego
One way to explore the effects of spinning liquids at high-speeds is to build an expensive and precise lab apparatus. Another method is to raid the Lego bin. Here, a Keep reading
“Iridescent”
Soft colors and sudden coalescence combine in this short film from Susi Sie’s team. The visuals rely on liquid lenses (likely oil) floating atop a water bath. You can see Keep reading
Toilet Plumes
Toilet flushes are gross. We’ve seen it before, though not in the same detail as this study. Here, researchers illuminate the spray from the flush of a typical commercial toilet, Keep reading