Active matter and materials scienceʼs future

Living things such as birds, fish, ants, and bacteria sometimes form organized “swarms” that allow them to move efficiently, carry large food items, and perform functions or tasks impossible for a single individual. How do they form such swarms? And how do their functions and tasks emerge? We aim to unravel these questions from a physics perspective using “active matter,” which is a collection of self-propelling agents. Answering them could lead to the development of materials with persistent functionality mimicking that found in biological swarms or the creation of robots that can adapt and transform in response to their environment. This will open new possibilities in material science. Additionally, through this research, we hope to gain insight into the origins of life.

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https://kdb.iimc.kyoto-u.ac.jp/profile_private/en.0a35d18b55bbee30.html