{"693621":{"#nid":"693621","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Earwax Is Both Slippery and Sticky \u2013 This Weird Combo Might Lead to Safer Insect\u00a0Repellents","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022theconversation-article-body\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere\u2019s a bit of a riddle for you: What has the consistency of both toothpaste and dough, can absorb twice its weight in water and still remain sticky, was used by medieval artists as a binder in paint and has been hypothesized by physicians to repel insects?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s earwax.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/766849\/original\/file-20261017-50-8wfmza.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 aria-label=\u0022Zoomable image\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022earwax magnified\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/766849\/original\/file-20261017-50-8wfmza.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/766849\/original\/file-20261017-50-8wfmza.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=195\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/766849\/original\/file-20261017-50-8wfmza.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=195\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/766849\/original\/file-20261017-50-8wfmza.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=195\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/766849\/original\/file-20261017-50-8wfmza.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=245\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/766849\/original\/file-20261017-50-8wfmza.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=245\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/766849\/original\/file-20261017-50-8wfmza.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=245\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003ESheep earwax at various levels of magnification. The matte surface is due to overlapping skin cells; the cracks between help absorb water.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution source\u0022\u003EDavid Ancalle and David Hu\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe medical term for earwax is cerumen, based on keros, the Greek word for beeswax. People have been pondering earwax since ancient times. Ancient hygiene kits including \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.smithsonianmag.com\/smart-news\/roman-tweezers-and-metal-q-tip-found-england-180973777\/\u0022\u003Epicks and spoons to remove earwax\u003C\/a\u003E have been found \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/historicjamestowne.org\/collections\/artifacts\/ear-picker\/\u0022\u003Ein archaeological sites worldwide\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEven today, it remains a perpetual question: to remove or not to remove your earwax? The answer: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.health.harvard.edu\/blog\/3-reasons-to-leave-earwax-alone-2017051711718\u0022\u003EDon\u2019t do it\u003C\/a\u003E. The general medical belief is that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0194599816680327\u0022\u003Eears are self-cleaning\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/what-is-earwax-170857\u0022\u003Eearwax brings benefits\u003C\/a\u003E such as lubricating the ear canal, fighting infection and acting like a sticky net to trap debris before it reaches the eardrum. By poking in there you can accidentally make matters worse, pushing wax deeper or scratching your delicate ear canal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECerumen impaction \u2013 or blocked earwax \u2013 affects about a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/lio2.1228\u0022\u003Efifth of the American population\u003C\/a\u003E, leading to 12 million patient visits per year. Blockages are worsened by daily activities such as wearing earbuds or hearing aids.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother common problem with ears is wedged debris. For children, much of this is self-inflicted, in the form of items such as Legos or erasers. But for many adults who have something stuck in their ear, the debris is insects, such as ants, beetles, flies or cockroaches.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile rare for the average person, insects in the ear occurred with such frequency over the years that physicians began to wonder whether earwax evolved as a natural barrier for insects. But how would such a barrier work?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo answer this question, my Ph.D. student \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=GrNeeK4AAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;oi=ao\u0022\u003EDavid Ancalle\u003C\/a\u003E led experiments with earwax and insects. We teamed up with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=U9NeaxUAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;oi=ao\u0022\u003EYuhang Hu\u003C\/a\u003E and her student \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=hgPzCfsAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0026amp;oi=sra\u0022\u003EDonjing He\u003C\/a\u003E, experts in the behavior of soft solids such as hydrogels. As mechanical engineers, we wanted to focus on the physics rather than the chemistry of earwax.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1039\/d6sm00737f\u0022\u003EOur research\u003C\/a\u003E, published in the journal Soft Matter, shows that earwax can, in fact, stop insects without the use of dangerous chemicals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EWatching Ants Encounter Earwax\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo do experiments, we needed voluminous amounts of earwax.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInitially we obtained earwax from deceased mammals such as pigs, sheep and rabbits. Eventually we turned to our friends and family. A person has only a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1288\/00005537-199003000-00012\u0022\u003Egrain of rice\u2019s worth of earwax\u003C\/a\u003E in each ear. Due to a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/ng1733\u0022\u003Emutation in a single gene\u003C\/a\u003E, East Asians have dry, flaky earwax, while people of African or European descent have \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4HZCPTiyAVY\u0022\u003Ewet, squishy earwax\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo simulate an ant climbing into an ear canal, we used a glass beaker with its rim coated in earwax. Ants, like many insects, are climbing specialists, capable of traveling across many kinds of surfaces. To climb rough surfaces, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1242\/jeb.093021\u0022\u003Eants have spikes on their feet\u003C\/a\u003E, like mountain climbers do, that helps them grasp onto ridges and cracks. For smooth surfaces, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/icb\/42.6.1100\u0022\u003Eants unfurl wet suction cups\u003C\/a\u003E, which can support 60 times their body weight on smooth glass.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWatching ants trying to climb earwax showed us how strange a substance it really is. Rough earwax slowed them down, but with their claws they made progress.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\u0022440\u0022 height=\u0022260\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RVFtQj39F2I?wmode=transparent\u0026amp;start=0\u0022 frameborder=\u00220\u0022 allowfullscreen=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003ERough earwax was a challenge to climb, but feasible for the ants.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut as soon as ants tried to climb smooth earwax, they fell immediately.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\u0022440\u0022 height=\u0022260\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2CPVSY2jtSg?wmode=transparent\u0026amp;start=0\u0022 frameborder=\u00220\u0022 allowfullscreen=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EA smooth earwax coating made it impossible for ants to scale this microscope slide.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom these experiments, we concluded that earwax had anti-stick properties when in contact with the insects\u2019 feet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe next conducted experiments with ants crawling through an earwax-coated tunnel, more similar in size to a human ear canal. As the ants attempted to travel through the tunnel, earwax stuck to them. Once coated, they groomed furiously, unwilling to walk until they had removed as much as possible. Even after several minutes of effort, the ants still had earwax sticking to hard-to-reach places.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/766846\/original\/file-20261017-50-2i5552.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 aria-label=\u0022Zoomable image\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Greatly magnified image of ant with yellow circles highlighting bits of stuck debris.\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/766846\/original\/file-20261017-50-2i5552.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/766846\/original\/file-20261017-50-2i5552.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=589\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/766846\/original\/file-20261017-50-2i5552.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=589\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/766846\/original\/file-20261017-50-2i5552.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=589\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/766846\/original\/file-20261017-50-2i5552.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=740\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/766846\/original\/file-20261017-50-2i5552.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=740\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/766846\/original\/file-20261017-50-2i5552.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=740\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EBits of earwax stick to the ant\u2019s body.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution source\u0022\u003EDavid Ancalle and David Hu\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo, earwax is a paradoxical material: It is simultaneously slippery, thanks to the lipids it contains, but also sticky. Similar to many materials \u2013 including ketchup, paint and shampoo \u2013 it thins out when it is physically deformed, what physicists call shear-thinning.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EFiguring out earwax\u2019s physical properties\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe dual qualities of earwax have to do with its unique composition. Earwax is made up of flakes of skin cells held together with a binder. This blend forms a kind of sponge with microscopic holes. When a body overproduces earwax, it heaps up in boulders that ants can easily climb over.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen the substance is smooth, however, ants rely on their wet suction cups. The holes in the earwax absorb the drops produced by the ants, preventing them from attaching. Absorbency makes earwax fundamentally different from commonly used forms of pest control.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\u0022440\u0022 height=\u0022260\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nN_27GRfLcE?wmode=transparent\u0026amp;start=0\u0022 frameborder=\u00220\u0022 allowfullscreen=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003ETime-lapse video (one fifth actual speed) of earwax absorbing a 1.0 \u00b5L droplet of water.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn your local store, you will find sticky surfaces such as fly paper or chemicals that kill the insects. Some researchers look to nature to find bio-friendly alternatives to using chemicals; for example, plants have properties that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1088\/1748-3190\/ac91b9\u0022\u003Eprevent insects from climbing\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom this study, we learned that the ear is also a model for insect repellency. Earwax is made of natural materials but has a structure that prevents ants from sticking to it.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe porosity of earwax also gives it unique properties. We showed it can absorb twice its weight in water yet still cling to the walls of the ear. This water-absorbing ability may help prevent water from accumulating on the delicate eardrum and fend off infections such as \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/swimmers-ear-doesnt-just-affect-swimmers-two-ear-doctors-explain-what-you-need-to-know-about-this-painful-condition-189213\u0022\u003Eswimmer\u2019s ear\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScientists don\u2019t yet understand the complex relationship between earwax, water and bacteria. Some studies show that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1128\/aac.18.4.638\u0022\u003Eearwax kills bacteria\u003C\/a\u003E, but other studies find that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/qjmed\/hch082\u0022\u003Eearwax harbors bacteria\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOur experiments showed that earwax is most challenging to insects when similar to the thin layer of earwax maintained by a healthy human body. Wax would accumulate more in human ears if not for two self-cleaning mechanisms. The skin in the ear canal grows outward like a conveyor belt. Over 8-10 weeks, this process \u2013 called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1017\/S0022215100062800\u0022\u003Eepithelial migration\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 pushes the oldest earwax out of the ear.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESimultaneously, earwax dries over time, transforming from a gooey state to a brittle one that readily cracks. Every time you talk \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.18196\/mmjkk.v21i1.9576\u0022\u003Eor chew\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.apergo.2023.104195\u0022\u003Eyour ear canal deforms\u003C\/a\u003E, and physicians found that this movement helps to dislodge the drier, older earwax.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\u0022440\u0022 height=\u0022260\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9wmSCV3p7ks?wmode=transparent\u0026amp;start=0\u0022 frameborder=\u00220\u0022 allowfullscreen=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EArtificial earwax, with physical properties that mimicked the real thing, was hard for ants to traverse.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a test of our concept, a member of our team, chemical engineer Rafeen Rahaman, designed \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biochemazone.com\/product\/artificial-cerumen-synthetic-earwax-bz171\/\u0022\u003Ean artificial earwax\u003C\/a\u003E based on the physical structure rather than the chemistry of the earwax. Ants struggled when they touched it, just like when they interacted with natural earwax.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe cost of harvesting natural earwax and our recipe for artificial earwax are not cheap. We don\u2019t foresee our methods replacing insect repellents produced at large scale. But perhaps the concept might inspire new ways to prevent earwax from coating our earbuds or lead to the manufacture of insect control methods using safe formulations.\u003C!-- Below is The Conversation\u0027s page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --\u003E\u003Cimg style=\u0022border-color:!important;border-style:none;box-shadow:none !important;margin:0 !important;max-height:1px !important;max-width:1px !important;min-height:1px !important;min-width:1px !important;opacity:0 !important;outline:none !important;padding:0 !important;\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/293324\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\u0022 alt=\u0022The Conversation\u0022 width=\u00221\u0022 height=\u00221\u0022 referrerpolicy=\u0022no-referrer-when-downgrade\u0022\u003E\u003C!-- End of code. If you don\u0027t see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article is republished from \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E under a Creative Commons license. Read the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/earwax-is-both-slippery-and-sticky-this-weird-combo-might-lead-to-safer-insect-repellents-293324\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eoriginal article\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"full_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhat has the consistency of both toothpaste and dough, can absorb twice its weight in water and still remain sticky, was used by medieval artists as a binder in paint and has been hypothesized by physicians to repel insects?\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"What has the consistency of both toothpaste and dough, can absorb twice its weight in water and still remain sticky, was used by medieval artists as a binder in paint and has been hypothesized by physicians to repel insects?"}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2026-10-27 16:43:41","changed_gmt":"2026-11-09 15:53:05","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-10-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-10-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681592":{"id":"681592","type":"image","title":"Scientists watched as ants encountered earwax with various properties. Candler Hobbs and David Hu","body":"\u003Cp\u003EScientists watched as ants encountered earwax with various properties. Candler Hobbs and David Hu\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1793292278","gmt_created":"2026-10-29 16:44:38","changed":"1793292278","gmt_changed":"2026-10-29 16:44:38","alt":"Scientists watched as ants encountered earwax with various properties. Candler Hobbs and David Hu","file":{"fid":"266016","name":"file-20261016-50-wq8tun.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/10\/29\/file-20261016-50-wq8tun.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/10\/29\/file-20261016-50-wq8tun.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":167269,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/10\/29\/file-20261016-50-wq8tun.jpg?itok=kzQ9DAOF"}}},"media_ids":["681592"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/earwax-is-both-slippery-and-sticky-this-weird-combo-might-lead-to-safer-insect-repellents-293324","title":"Read This Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"194974","name":"go-theconversation"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Ch5\u003EAuthor:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/david-hu-204122\u0022\u003EDavid Hu\u003C\/a\u003E, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Biology, Adjunct Professor of Physics, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/georgia-institute-of-technology-1310\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eshelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}