Metal Bits Self-Assemble Into Lifelike Snakes

[Airbot]

I think this is an interesting experiment. These nickel particles are in resonance with a magnetic field which causes them to have some fascinating characteristics. There are 7 different short videos.

ARGONNE, Illinois — In the basement of a nondescript building here at Argonne National Laboratory, nickel particles in a beaker are building themselves into magnetic snakes that may one day give clues about how life originally organized itself.
These chains of metal particles look so much like real, living animals, it is hard not to think of them as alive. (See exclusive video below.) But they are actually bits of metal that came together under the influence of a specially tuned magnetic field.

more:Wired.com

 

[Romulinx2]

Very interesting, but I'm not sure it is telling us anything apart from how metal shavings react under pulsed magnetic fields?

 

[jfar]

Fascinating,but until they come up with a good use for it ,which I am sure they will ,I am thinking of someone with an eye for business,and LAVA LAMPS??