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Odd dynamics of living chiral crystals

Author

Listed:
  • Tzer Han Tan

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Harvard University
    Center for Systems Biology Dresden)

  • Alexander Mietke

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Junang Li

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Yuchao Chen

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Hugh Higinbotham

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Peter J. Foster

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Shreyas Gokhale

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Jörn Dunkel

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Nikta Fakhri

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Active crystals are highly ordered structures that emerge from the self-organization of motile objects, and have been widely studied in synthetic1,2 and bacterial3,4 active matter. Whether persistent crystalline order can emerge in groups of autonomously developing multicellular organisms is currently unknown. Here we show that swimming starfish embryos spontaneously assemble into chiral crystals that span thousands of spinning organisms and persist for tens of hours. Combining experiments, theory and simulations, we demonstrate that the formation, dynamics and dissolution of these living crystals are controlled by the hydrodynamic properties and the natural development of embryos. Remarkably, living chiral crystals exhibit self-sustained chiral oscillations as well as various unconventional deformation response behaviours recently predicted for odd elastic materials5,6. Our results provide direct experimental evidence for how non-reciprocal interactions between autonomous multicellular components may facilitate non-equilibrium phases of chiral active matter.

Suggested Citation

  • Tzer Han Tan & Alexander Mietke & Junang Li & Yuchao Chen & Hugh Higinbotham & Peter J. Foster & Shreyas Gokhale & Jörn Dunkel & Nikta Fakhri, 2022. "Odd dynamics of living chiral crystals," Nature, Nature, vol. 607(7918), pages 287-293, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:607:y:2022:i:7918:d:10.1038_s41586-022-04889-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04889-6
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    Cited by:

    1. Alvin Modin & Matan Yah Zion & Paul M. Chaikin, 2023. "Hydrodynamic spin-orbit coupling in asynchronous optically driven micro-rotors," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Alberto Dinelli & Jérémy O’Byrne & Agnese Curatolo & Yongfeng Zhao & Peter Sollich & Julien Tailleur, 2023. "Non-reciprocity across scales in active mixtures," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Qianhong Yang & Maoqiang Jiang & Francesco Picano & Lailai Zhu, 2024. "Shaping active matter from crystalline solids to active turbulence," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Chung Wing Chan & Daihui Wu & Kaiyao Qiao & Kin Long Fong & Zhiyu Yang & Yilong Han & Rui Zhang, 2024. "Chiral active particles are sensitive reporters to environmental geometry," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Jingjing Li & Yihan Cui & Yi-Lin Lu & Yunfei Zhang & Kaihuang Zhang & Chaonan Gu & Kaifang Wang & Yujia Liang & Chun-Sen Liu, 2023. "Programmable supramolecular chirality in non-equilibrium systems affording a multistate chiroptical switch," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.

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