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Do the twist: bacteria can spin ‘pucks’ without touching them

Source: NatureView Original
scienceApril 9, 2026

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Escherichia coli bacteria swim around a puck without a channel, which rotates slowly (film has been sped up 10 times). Credit: Grober et al./Nat. Phys.

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Swimming Escherichia coli bacteria can spin round, microscopic ‘pucks’ without ever touching them, using only the rotation of their cell bodies and tails1.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-01112-8

References

- Grober, D., Dhar, T., Saintillan, D. & Palacci, J. Nature Phys. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-026-03189-4 (2026).

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