Microscopic motile cilia, beating in synchrony across large scales, move the liquid lining of our lungs, protecting from infection and dirt. Surprisingly, a disordered arrangement of cilia, as observed in nature, is shown to be optimal for airway clearance.
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Cicuta, P. Helpful disorder in the lungs. Nat. Phys. 16, 903–904 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-020-0896-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-020-0896-7