Tentacled droplets swim with stored heat energy

By Philip Ball2021-07-16T11:29:00

A microscopy photo of a semi-transparent, triangular shape with long thin fibres coming out of two of the triangle's corners

Source: © Diana Cholakova/Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Engineering/Sofia University

Microdroplets with retractable tendrils could help researchers understand how bacteria move

If ever a science fiction movie director were seeking inspiration for how to depict tiny robotic alien life forms, they need look no further than those created by a team of scientists in Bulgaria, Poland, the UK and China.

Beginning as innocuous oily droplets about 20–40μm across floating in water, these structures take on faceted, crystal-like shapes when cooled to around 2-8°C – even though they aren’t frozen. Then things get really weird.