Active filaments cage themselves in virtual confinement
Active, self-propelled filaments can collectively confine themselves, becoming trapped in cage-like configurations by their own dynamics — with no physical walls involved. Combining experiments and theory, the study reveals how the interplay of activity, flexibility, and steric interactions produces this self-caging, and how it depends on the properties of the filaments. Together with Ramin Golestanian and Benoît Mahault, our group contributed the theoretical description of this collective behavior, complementing the experiments led by the Karpitschka group, which has since moved to the University of Konstanz.
Congratulations to shared first authors Maximilian and Leila, and to the whole team — thanks for a great collaboration!