Negative Drag and Symmetry-Breaking Motility in a Dilute Active Fluid

Explore the concept of negative drag and symmetry-breaking motility in dilute active fluids through this 32-minute lecture by Yongjoo Baek from PCS Institute for Basic Science. Delve into the phenomenon of symmetric objects gaining motility in active fluids due to negative drag, which acts in the direction of the object's velocity. Discover how this study extends previous research by demonstrating that symmetry-breaking motility can emerge in dilute and disordered active fluids, without requiring polar or nematic order. Examine the continuous and discontinuous transitions associated with the bifurcation of the object's steady-state velocity. Learn about the numerical findings showing that critical phenomena related to the continuous transition belong to the mean-field Ising universality class, regardless of object shape. Gain insights into this fascinating area of fluid dynamics and its implications for understanding complex systems.