As children, we learn about active nematic liquid crystals, where topological defects organize active stresses into mesmerizing flows. But what about active nematic solids, where defects remain but stresses are resisted? The answer: rupture. Read our News & Views in Nature Materials: rdcu.be/famDd

The fourfold way to rupture in active solids

Nature Materials - Quadrupolar topological defects act as organization centres for material failure in a biomimetic active nematic solid.

rdcu.be

New preprint! arxiv.org/abs/2509.17972 Nonequilibrium systems are often nonreciprocal, but when does nonreciprocity *really* matter? Giulia Garcia Lorenzana & David Martin did the calculations; Yael Avni and I helped; Michel Fruchart, Giulio Biroli, and Vincenzo Vitelli advised

I am hiring 2 PhD students to join my group in at University of Illinois, Chicago, starting Fall 2026. We will be studying smart materials, from learning active matter to adaptive sociohydrodynamics, using theory and machine learning. More information found here dsseara.github.io

I am very excited to see this article officially published in @pnas.org Sociohydrodynamics describes how a bunch of people get together and start making decisions about how they want to move around doi.org/10.1073/pnas...

Sociohydrodynamics: Data-driven modeling of social behavior | PNAS

Living systems display complex behaviors driven by physical forces as well as decision-making. Hydrodynamic theories hold promise for simplified un...

pnas.org

Silence is indefensible in the face of efforts to dismantle the institutions, norms, and values that lets science serve everyone. Thank you for the historical reminder, @philipcball.bsky.social

Philip Ball@philipcball.bsky.social · last yr.

I have run out of patience with the apparent silence of most US science institutions (and not just US) in the face of Trump & Musk's rampage. There are of so many facets of that, but in this column for @chemistryworld.com I talk about the assaults on inclusion. www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/scie...

Consider signing up for our short course on the Physics of Human Social Systems at the APS Global Summit! Lectures by Luis Bettencourt and Jean-Philippe Bouchaud and tutorials by @mathemmatician.bsky.social and myself. @apsphysics.bsky.social @aps-gsnp.bsky.social summit.aps.org/events/MAR-S...

At an excellent (and lively) meeting @nitmb.bsky.social on learning in biological systems. Enjoy the view of Lake Michigan

I should introduce myself! My name is Danny -- I am a postdoc at UChicago (currently on the faculty job market 🤘). I'm a data-oriented theorist interested in the mechanics and dynamics of living systems, from cells to societies. See below for some research highlights.