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NYU Physicists Create Sound Wave Time Crystal, Defying Newton's Law

3/28/2026

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Summary

Story summary

New York University physicists, led by David Grier, have created a new type of time crystal using sound waves that challenges Newton’s third law.
Grier and colleagues developed a version where styrofoam beads float on sound waves, enabling irregular and nonreciprocal particle motion.
The findings were published in Physical Review Letters and may advance understanding of biological and nonreciprocal processes such as digestion.

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Story summary

New York University physicists, led by David Grier, have created a new type of time crystal using sound waves that challenges Newton’s third law.
Grier and colleagues developed a version where styrofoam beads float on sound waves, enabling irregular and nonreciprocal particle motion.
The findings were published in Physical Review Letters and may advance understanding of biological and nonreciprocal processes such as digestion.