#viscous flow

Fracture is a sudden, brittle breaking-apart that we generally associate with solid materials that get stressed too far. Some viscoelastic, non-Newtonian fluids have been known to fracture, but that was generally thought to be unusual. But a recent study turns that idea on its head, revealing that even simple, albeit highly viscous, liquids can fracture. (Image, video, and research credit: T. Lima et al.; via Gizmodo)

In mechanical systems, gears and pulleys transmit rotation from one location to another. Here, researchers explore a fluid dynamical version of such systems. (Image credit: J. Smith et al.)

A tiger skin cake forms a distinctive pattern of light and dark patches as it bakes.  (Image credit: K. Koutova et al.)

Radar measurements of Venus's surface reveal the remains of many volcanic eruptions. One type of feature, known as a pancake dome, has a very flat top and steep sides; one dome, Narina Tholus, is over 140 kilometers wide. Since their discovery, scientists have been puzzling out how such domes could form. A recent study suggests that the Venusian surface's elasticity plays a role. (Image credit: NASA; research credit: M. Borelli et al.; via Gizmodo) Read the full article

What happens to a droplet hanging on a wire when the wire gets plucked? That's the fundamental question behind this video, which shows the effects of wire speed, viscosity, and viscoelasticity on a drop's detachment.  (Video and image credit: D. Maity et al.) Read the full article

Mudslides and avalanches typically carry debris of many shapes and sizes. To understand how debris size affects flows like these, researchers use simplified, laboratory-scale experiments like this one.  (Video and image credit: S. Burnett et al.) Read the full article

Like most microswimmers, these Synura uvella algae use cilia to swim. Cilia are tiny, hair-like appendages that flap to produce thrust. Even under a microscope, the cilia are hard to see because they are so thin and move quickly in and out of the microscope's narrow focus.  (Video and image credit: L. Cesteros; via Nikon Small World in Motion) Read the full article

For this latest experimental film, artist Roman De Giuli provides a glimpse of the unique fluid art machine he's built over the last 3.5 years.  (Image and video credit: R. De Giuli) Read the full article