Understanding the physics of behavior in animals is a challenging and fascinating area of research that has gained increasing attention in recent years. In this review, we delve into the intricate temporal and spatial scales of animal behavior for both individuals and collectives. We explore the experimental and theoretical approaches used to study...

Living cells are spatially organized by compartments that can nucleate, grow, and dissolve. Compartmentalization can emerge by phase separation, leading to the formation of droplets in the cell's nucleo- or cytoplasm, also called biomolecular condensates. Such droplets can organize the biochemistry of the cell by providing specific chemical environments...

The “flow” of electric currents and heat in standard metals is diffusive with electronic motion randomized by impurities. However, for ultraclean metals, electrons can flow like water with their flow being described by the equations of hydrodynamics. While theoretically postulated, this situation was highly elusive for decades. In the past decade, several...

Rich out-of-equilibrium collective dynamics of strongly interacting large assemblies emerge in many areas of science. Some intriguing and not fully understood examples are the glassy arrest in atomic, molecular, or colloidal systems; flocking in natural or artificial active matter; and the organization and subsistence of ecosystems. The learning process,...

Underwater soft robots are typically constructed from soft and flexible materials, which enable them to adapt to aquatic environments where the terrain can be complex. They are often inspired by soft-bodied aquatic animals and can be used for a range of tasks, such as underwater exploration, environmental monitoring, and rescue operations. However,...

The thermal Green's function formalism bridging between macroscopic observables and microscopic processes via linear response theory was established in the early 1960s, when I started my research career. I recall stimulating experiences with the help of this technique in exploring transport and thermodynamic properties of Bloch electrons in magnetic...