SMRTR Science & EngineeringOct 12, 2025Quanta Magazine

Genes Have Harnessed Physics to Help Grow Living Things

SMRTR summary

French biophysicists discovered that wine "tears" flowing down a glass and embryo development both use the same physics principle called the Marangoni effect, where surface tension differences cause tissue to flow and shape early life forms. This finding represents a growing trend where researchers recognize that genes don't work alone—they partner with mechanical forces to build living organisms.

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