Fluid Dynamics Gets a 21st-Century Rewrite

Theory of Fluids Enters the 21st Century

Physicists have rebuilt the theory of fluids from the ground up, using symmetries to derive the Navier-Stokes equations and go beyond them. The new effective field theory, inspired by cosmology and black holes, accounts for the microscopic nature of matter and predicts new behaviors. This 20-year effort redefines what it means to be a fluid.