Researchers solve a mathematical problem illustrated by soap films spanning flexible loops

Often used for children's fun, soap bubbles are delicate, light-reflecting films that typically last just a few seconds before bursting. But beyond their value to entertain, soap bubbles are physical examples of the rich mathematical problem of minimal surfaces; they assume the shape of the least surface area possible, containing a given volume. Researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) have recently worked out the solution to a mathematical problem—known as the Kirchhoff-Plateau problem—that is simply illustrated by soap films that span flexible loops.