Harvard University scientists say they've found gas bubbles can exist in stable, non-spherical shapes without the application of external force.
The researchers say they created the micron- to millimeter-scale peapod-, doughnut- and sausage-shaped bubbles by coating ordinary gas bubbles with a tightly packed layer of tiny particles and then fusing them.
"Particles have been used to stabilize emulsions and foams for over 100 years," said lead author Anand Bala Subramaniam, a research associate in Harvard's Division of Engineering and Applied Science.
"However, we've demonstrated that not only are particles useful for making bubbles last longer, they fundamentally alter the properties of these bubbles," said Subramaniam.