Cooperative self-organization of microorganisms

From behavioural analyses to models of collective motion in fish schools

“…Such phenomena span all ranges of size, scale and number of constituent group members, spread among almost all environments. The striking similarities in observed patterns, and the finding that under certain conditions very different microscopic mechanisms can lead to the same behaviour at the collective level, have paved the way for the theoretical modelling of collective motion and its high-level properties [1,2]. These studies have revealed the power of self-organization in creating new forms and facilitating functions as a result of individual interactions.…”

Atomistic and continuum modeling of dendritic solidification

“…Under certain kinetic constraints, two-dimensional island growth on metal surfaces during deposition can result in dendritic structures [8]. Also, dendrites have been observed during the formation of cubically ordered silica micelle structures [9] and during the growth of bacterial colonies [10]. Finally, an understanding of dendrite growth may play a key role in elucidating the mechanisms of biological ''anti-freeze'' proteins [11].…”

Dynamics of curved interfaces

“…Physical settings such as fluid flow in porous media [1], grain-grain displacement in Hele-Shaw cells [2], fracture dynamics [3], adatom and vacancy islands on crystal surfaces [4], and atomic ledges bordering crystalline facets [5,6] present interfaces that violate the hypothesis of the Cartesian representation. Biological systems are also characterized by an approximate spherical symmetry: bacterial colonies [7], fungi [8], epithelial cells [9], and cauliflowers [10] develop rough surfaces which are not describable from a planar reference frame. Also, different contexts like the technological liquid composite molding [11], geological processes as stromatolite morphogenesis [12], and chemical structures [13] provide examples of interfaces that either become larger as time evolves or have a curved geometry, revealing the broad presence of this phenomenon in the natural world.…”