Fluid mechanics in disordered structures gives rise to rich multiscale dynamics through the interplay of topology, symmetry breaking, and fluid–structure interactions. Heterogeneous networks encode mechanical responses, regulate flow organization, and shape energy dissipation, enabling memory effects and emergent collective behaviors across both natural and engineered systems. These principles operate across vast scales: from seamounts with characteristic scales of L≈103m and Froude numbers Fr≈10−2--10−1 generating deep-ocean turbulent mixing, to marine tidal turbines operating at Reynolds numbers Re≈107--108 and Euler numbers Eu≈10−1--100, where inertial forces dominate flow dynamics. Although the dominant physical forces may vary across scales—for example, planetary rotation and stratification in large-scale oceanic flows versus viscous or interfacial effects in microscale systems—the comparison of dimensionless parameters provides a useful framework for discussing similarities in flow organization and scaling behavior. Empirical observations, network-based descriptions, and multiscale simulations collectively demonstrate how topological features constrain symmetry, organize transport pathways, and support predictive reconstruction and inverse design. These principles underpin applications ranging from engineered systems that exploit broken symmetries to rectify chaotic transport, to biological architectures where flows mediate information transfer, locomotion, and structural self-organization. In this Review, we synthesize recent advances to propose a unifying physical paradigm: fluid flows actively interact with disorder, reorganize dissipation, and convert structural asymmetry into functional mechanical performance across scales.
Yifan Zhang (Wed,) studied this question.