Toy Story?

Harvard researchers really went back to basics to fully understand the intricate pathways of cluster formation at the molecular level. During experimentation with colloidal particles and their tendencies while clustered the team led by Vinothan Manoharan and Michael Brenner recently discovered an interesting and unexpected trend; over a certain numerical threshold particles tended towards unsymmetrical configurations over symmetrical. The only explanation for this happening was entropy, in that the particles, despite a more natural symmetry, matched up in designs that tended more toward creation in a randomly creating environment. The work the Harvard team did with magnetic construction toys led them to this entropic conclusion, for their playing with ball-and-stick magnets showed them that their results of dissymmetry were more probable in a random environment. Additionally, the dissymmetrical designs could garter more bonding than their symmetrical rivals, affording additional favoritism of the clustering particles. Further information can be found in the full article-http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100128142133.htm

Posted by Charlie Moore