Amazing how natural selection mastered the physics of the flagellum

Propulsion with a Rotating Elastic Nanorod
http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/cond-mat/pdf/0602/0602238.pdf

Manoel Manghi,1 Xaver Schlagberger,2 and Roland R. Netz2
1Laboratoire de Physique Th´eorique, IRSAMC, Universit´e Paul Sabatier, 31062 Toulouse, France
2Physik Department, Technical University Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany

(Dated: February 9, 2006)

ABSTRACT: The dynamics of a rotating elastic filament is investigated using Stokesian simulations. The filament, straight and tilted with respect to its rotation axis for small driving torques, undergoes at a critical torque a strongly discontinuous shape bifurcation to a helical state. It induces a substantial forward propulsion whatever the sense of rotation: a nanomechanical force-rectification device is established.