Self-propelled topological defects

Abstract

Active materials such as bacteria, molecular motors and eukaryotic cells continuously transform chemical energy taken from their surroundings to mechanical work. Dense active matter shows mesoscale turbulence, the emergence of chaotic flow structures characterised by high vorticity and self-propelled topological defects. I shall describe the physics of active defects, discussing active microfluidics, the formation of defect lattices and examples of topological defects in biological systems.