Microscopic sensors uncover how liquids turn glassy without structural change

A scientific discovery by researchers at Tel Aviv University's School of Chemistry offers a new perspective on a long-standing scientific mystery: how does a flowing liquid suddenly become a rigid, almost frozen material, without changing its structure? This phenomenon, known as the "glass transition," has puzzled physicists for over a hundred years. The study proposes a new experimental approach to observing this elusive process—by tracking the motion of tiny particles that serve as microscopic "sensors" within the material.