Worms navigate narrow paths faster than wide ones – these findings could inform robot design

Scientists studied active matter systems by racing worms through tubes – to unexpected results.

By: K. R. Prathyusha, University of Colorado Boulder, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: August 31, 2026

Words: 1,279

Last Updated: 1 month, 2 weeks ago

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By K. R. Prathyusha, University of Colorado Boulder

You might naturally expect a wide, open path to be faster and easier to navigate than a narrow one, just as birds fly freely through the open sky, cars move quickly on empty roads, and a wide hallway seems easier when trying to exit a building.

However, many organisms do not have the option to move through open spaces. Whether burrowing through soil or swimming through water, they’re …

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