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The development of both the physical and aesthetic properties of materials used to be a collaboration between the arts and the sciences. The potential rewards of reviving such a vibrant culture are great, and would benefit both the creative arts and materials science.
One of the largest controversial issues of the materials science community is the interpretation of scaling laws on material strength. In spite of the prevailing view, which considers mechanics as the real cause of such effects, here, we propose a different argument, purely based on geometry. Thus, as happened for relativity, geometry could again hold an unexpected and fundamental role.
For centuries, cooks have been applying recipes without looking for the mechanisms of the culinary transformations. A scientific discipline that explores these changes from raw ingredients to eating the final dish, is developing into its own field, termed molecular gastronomy. Here, one of the founders of the discipline discusses its aims and importance.
