'Bouncy' cell membranes behave like cornstarch and water, researchers find
Wednesday, November 3, 2010 - 19:30
in Physics & Chemistry
Mix two parts cornstarch and one part water. Swirl your fingers in it slowly and the mixture is a smoothly flowing liquid. Punch it quickly with your fist and you meet a rubbery solid -- so solid you can jump up and down on a vat of it. It turns out that cell membranes behave the same way.