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Dr. Johannes Schönke and Prof. Eliot Fried of the OIST Mathematics, Mechanics, and Materials Unit have introduced a new class of kaleidocycles into the world. They call them Möbius Kaleidocycles because they resemble the famous Möbius band, a geometrical object with a characteristic topology. These mystifying objects can be turned inside-out continuously and have unique mathematical properties. While classical kaleidocycles typically have six hinges, the new class of kaleidocycles can have seven or more. Not only are these objects beautiful to see, but they could also have very practical applications in a variety of fields.

Testing the stability of cylindrical tube made from 15,360 hexagonally packed magnetic balls (192 rings, each made up of 80 balls). A high-speed camera recording reveals crumpling at the base of the cylindrical tube, reminiscent of paper-like crumpling, when it loses stability from shaking.

The polymer material is stretched with an increasing force resulting in a corresponding brighter emission of light from the mechanophore (here under UV light and with false colors). The graph shows the intensity of the emitted light following punctual increases in the stretching force applied to the polymer.  

PhD Student Han Yan in the Theory of Quantum Matter Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) put a fracton model in a curved space – where holography works for gravity. Yan checked if the properties also work for fracton models, and they did.    

This video shows a soapy mixture passing through the posts in the microfluidic platform and emerging on the right as a gel.