Scientists have discovered that sperm in motion violates one of the fundamental laws of physics

According to a recent study, scientists have identified unusual features of the motion of sperm and unicellular algae due to viscous fluids. This motion contradicts Newton's third law of motion concerning the interaction of physical objects with surrounding forces.

A team of scientists led by Kenta Ishimoto from Kyoto University investigated how sperm and other microscopic organisms move through liquids that, in theory, should create resistance to their movement. About this writes Sciense Alert.

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Newton's third law of motion states that for every action, there is an opposite reaction. This means that forces act in an even and interdependent manner. For example, if two balls of equal size collide, they will repel each other according to this law.

However, nature does not always follow this symmetry, and unrequited interactions are observed in complex systems such as the movement of birds in flocks, particles in liquids, and the movement of sperm.

These organisms move in a way that creates an asymmetric interaction with the environment, creating favorable conditions for their motion without interacting with opposing forces according to Newton's third law.

Because the sperm and single-celled algae generate their own energy with each movement of their "offshoots," the system is far from equilibrium, and traditional physical laws do not apply.

Ishimoto and his colleagues examined experimental data on human sperm and attempted to model the movement of the single-celled algae Chlamydomonas. Both move thanks to flexible flagella that emerge from their bodies and change shape to create movement.

Normally, very viscous fluids trap the energy of the flagellum, resulting in restricted movement of the sperm and algae. However, researchers have discovered a surprising elasticity in flagella that allows these organisms to move without expending a significant amount of energy to overcome fluid resistance.

However, this elasticity is not the only reason for the undulating movement of the flagella. Since this work had been released, the researchers have introduced a new term, "odd modulus of elasticity," to explain the internal mechanics of flagella.

The results they  obtained may be useful for the development of microworks that mimic living organisms and for a better understanding of the basis of collective behavior in nature.

Recall, earlier we wrote about 5 things you can not do in the morning, so as not to harm your health.

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