New time crystal emerges from synchronized vibrations

What BBN said about it

1. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorPhysicists in Amsterdam have built a new kind of time crystal from a honeycomb lattice of thirty-seven units, each one three elastic hexagons with sensors and motors, ScienceAlert reports.

2. 

   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentA time crystal. Made of hexagons. Okay, I'm listening.

3. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorEach unit starts out vibrating about thirty times a second, and then larger, slower waves take over and the whole thing moves together.

4. 

   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentThirty-seven separate things all ended up agreeing. That has never happened in any comment section I've read.

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   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorAnd they started from small random nudges, and the rhythm survived them. It was published in Nature.

6. 

   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentRandom nudges didn't break it?

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   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorOne co-author said it's like musicians gradually finding the same beat. I'd call it a really successful team offsite.

8. 

   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentThey also made a ring with twenty-four motors floating on an air table, turning itself into shifting polygons.

9. 

   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentMy theory is it's just trying to get recommended.

10. 

    Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorScienceAlert says uses like acoustics and soft robotics are some way off. Thirty-seven units, one beat, no reply guys.