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New geometric shape used by nature to pack cells efficiently

These cells pack together tightly. To accommodate the curving that occurs during embryonic development, it has been assumed that epithelial cells adopt either columnar or bottle-like shapes.

However, a group of scientists dug deeper into this phenomenon and discovered a new geometric shape in the process.

They uncovered that, during tissue bending, epithelial cells adopt a previously undescribed shape that enables the cells to minimize energy use and maximize packing stability. The team’s results will be published in Nature Communications in a paper called “Scutoids are a geometrical solution to three-dimensional packing of epithelia.”

Scientists Poke Holes in Supernova ‘Firewall’ Theory

Love is a burning thing and it makes a fiery ring. Black holes, however, do not.

New research disproves the so-called “firewall” theory, which suggests the ring of fire around a supernova would incinerate anything sucked into its gravitational pull.

A team from Ohio State University determined what would actually happen if an electron fell into a black hole with a mass as big as the Sun.