SMRTR Science & EngineeringAug 10, 2026Interesting Engineering

10,000 tiny particles defy Newton’s action-reaction law to stay in constant motion

SMRTR summary

Japanese researchers created a system of 10,000+ microscopic particles that defies Newton's third law. Under an electric field, larger particles attracted smaller ones more strongly than vice versa, causing unequal pairs to form and self-propel. The clusters repeatedly broke apart and reformed instead of clumping, suggesting nonreciprocal interactions could inspire programmable materials and microrobotics.

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