We review approaches aimed at deciphering the physical mechanisms responsible for viral
structure and assembly. We discuss the basic principles of condensed matter physics …

Thin objects are deformed in a range of applications and at a range of scales, from
graphene and the actuators used in soft robots to the light sails of spacecraft. Such …

The bistability of embedded elements provides a natural route through which to introduce
reprogrammability to elastic meta-materials. One example of this is the soft morphable sheet …

We study the buckling of hemispherical elastic shells subjected to the combined effect of
pressure loading and a probing force. We perform an experimental investigation using thin …

Depending on its geometry, a spherical shell may exist in one of two stable states without
the application of any external force: there are two 'self-equilibrated'states, one natural and …

We study the dynamics of snap-through when viscoelastic effects are present. To gain
analytical insight we analyse a modified form of the Mises truss, a single-degree-of-freedom …

The classical Hertzian contact model establishes a monotonic correlation between contact
force and area. Here, we showed that the interplay between local friction and structural …

Many objects in nature and industry are wrapped in a thin sheet to enhance their chemical,
mechanical, or optical properties. Similarly, there are a variety of methods for wrapping, from …

Liquid crystal elastomer films that morph into cones are strikingly capable lifters. Thus
motivated, we combine theory, numerics, and experiments to reexamine the load-bearing …

We combine theory and experiments to explore the kinematics and actuation of intrinsically
curved folds (ICFs) in otherwise developable shells. Unlike origami folds, ICFs are not …