A research paper co-authored by Abhishek Sharma, assistant professor of chemical engineering, was the cover research of the February 2, 2026 issue of Newton, a journal of physics published by Cell Press. The research, conducted with scientists at Case Western Reserve University, modeled the structure of shear thickening fluids to examine how interparticle friction helps shape viscosity. Shear thickening fluids act like a flowing liquid when stirred slowly, but arrest into a solid-like state when stirred quickly. Their work revealed the architecture of force chain networks, the load-bearing structures that form as particles jam against one another, and how these change when the particles are in different types of frictional constraints. Their model is aimed at determining whether a material builds long, supportive chains or a dense, branching web of connection. These insights can help with the product design of shear thickening fluids, such as impact mitigation and soft robotics.