Coil-globule transition

Imagine you have a bunch of strings that are all curled up and tangled together like spaghetti on your plate. This is what scientists call a "coil" state. It's all bunched up and messy like a tangled ball of yarn.

Now imagine that you take those same strings and stretch them out straight. They become organized and untangled. This is what scientists call a "globule" state. It's like the neat and tidy ball of yarn your grandma keeps in her knitting basket.

Scientists study how and why these string-like molecules switch from the messy, tangled coil state to the organized, stretched out globule state. This is called the "coil-globule transition."

They use this understanding of the dynamics and factors that lead to this transition to create new materials, such as polymers and gels, that can be used in everything from drug delivery to electronics.