Anna-Lee Jessop (University of Salzburg)
Abstract: Bicontinuous structures that resemble triply periodic minimal surfaces such as Schoen's Gyroid are remarkably common in biological systems. One particularly intriguing example is the solid single Gyroid nanostructure that is found in several species of butterflies. These structures are at a length scale that allows them to behave as photonic crystals, generating a vibrant green colour. We have been investigating how a particular species of butterfly, the Emerald-patched Cattleheart, forms these structures during development using a combination of microscopy methods, including in vivo microscopy, and theoretical modelling. In this talk, I will present some of our results including the finding that, in the early stages of development, the gyroid structure is composed of an array of entangled fibres.
