Preface
Active matter is within us, in our cells. It is around us, within living organisms
and their gatherings, and even in sands and waters enlivened by winds, waves, and
swimming plankton. The study of active matter is a new and rapidly expanding field
on the frontier between physics and biology, also pertinent to fledgling biomorphic
technologies. It is still young but already too extensive to be covered across-theboard.
The style of this book is less technical and less formal than in available reviews.
I avoid mathematical equations (even though it is contrary to what I am used to in
my own work) and include as many illustrations as possible, aspiring to reflect ideas
with minimum technical details. Since the narrative is centered on modeling, I also
avoid biochemical details, but always remember and at times remind the reader that
molecular interactions, not yet understood in all relevant details, are the all-important
players behind the scenes.
Studies of active matter, especially in their biological applications, are a part of
mainstream twenty-first century science, which is an industry based on expensive
precision experiments and computations, and dominated by large teams. Yet, the
underlying ideas and methods of the theory of active matter are rooted in the nonlinear
analysis that flourished late in the last century, and prominent figures in this field are
schooled in statistical and nonlinear physics.
My own involvement in the field is marginal, but this makes it more interesting
to write about it and leaves more freedom for unbiased judgement. I am awed by
the inner workings of life, compared to which the field of active matter is a game.
But it is a sophisticated and fascinating game, perhaps the most fascinating game
played by the physicists of the early twenty-first century, between nine-eleven and
the coronavirus pandemic. Its future stands open, as it penetrates ever deeper into
the intricacies of living matter.
I appreciate the help of friends and colleagues for discussing details of their work
and granting me permission to reproduce images in this book. My contacts with the
group of Prof. Stanislav Shvartsman in New York and Princeton were particularly
helpful in getting a better feel for the biological experiments.
Haifa, Israel, October 2021
Len Pismen
vii
Active matter is within us, in our cells. It is around us, within living organisms
and their gatherings, and even in sands and waters enlivened by winds, waves, and
swimming plankton. The study of active matter is a new and rapidly expanding field
on the frontier between physics and biology, also pertinent to fledgling biomorphic
technologies. It is still young but already too extensive to be covered across-theboard.
The style of this book is less technical and less formal than in available reviews.
I avoid mathematical equations (even though it is contrary to what I am used to in
my own work) and include as many illustrations as possible, aspiring to reflect ideas
with minimum technical details. Since the narrative is centered on modeling, I also
avoid biochemical details, but always remember and at times remind the reader that
molecular interactions, not yet understood in all relevant details, are the all-important
players behind the scenes.
Studies of active matter, especially in their biological applications, are a part of
mainstream twenty-first century science, which is an industry based on expensive
precision experiments and computations, and dominated by large teams. Yet, the
underlying ideas and methods of the theory of active matter are rooted in the nonlinear
analysis that flourished late in the last century, and prominent figures in this field are
schooled in statistical and nonlinear physics.
My own involvement in the field is marginal, but this makes it more interesting
to write about it and leaves more freedom for unbiased judgement. I am awed by
the inner workings of life, compared to which the field of active matter is a game.
But it is a sophisticated and fascinating game, perhaps the most fascinating game
played by the physicists of the early twenty-first century, between nine-eleven and
the coronavirus pandemic. Its future stands open, as it penetrates ever deeper into
the intricacies of living matter.
I appreciate the help of friends and colleagues for discussing details of their work
and granting me permission to reproduce images in this book. My contacts with the
group of Prof. Stanislav Shvartsman in New York and Princeton were particularly
helpful in getting a better feel for the biological experiments.
Haifa, Israel, October 2021
Len Pismen
vii