Harvard researchers built a swarm of simple ant-like robots (RAnts) that can collectively excavate and construct structures without central control. Their experiments show that adaptive group behavior can emerge from the interaction between many simple agents and their environment, with potential applications in many fields. 

Oxygen transport, a vital process for sustaining life, is carried out by red blood cells that deliver oxygen to tissues through microscopic capillary networks. Now, researchers from Kyushu University and Institute of Science Tokyo have developed a computational model that simulates this process by combining blood flow, chemical reactions, and oxygen consumption within one system. These simulations reveal that RBCs can adjust the amount of oxygen released based on surrounding oxygen levels, thereby maintaining a stable oxygen concentration across tissues.

Researchers from The University of Osaka used large-scale simulations and turbulence theory to study how dolphins swim so effectively. The team found that large vortices created by the dolphin’s tail provide most of the propulsion, while smaller vortices contribute little. This discovery improves our mechanical understanding of fast swimming and could guide the design of energy-efficient underwater robots and technologies for controlling turbulence.