Active processes in living systems give rise to a unique class of nonequilibrium matter, characterized by numerous interacting components that continuously consume energy, generating motion and mechanical stress. In this talk, I will present a range of experimental tools and theoretical frameworks that we have developed to identify and understand the fundamental laws governing fluctuations, order, and self-organization in such systems. Specifically, I will focus on systems where individual components break time-reversal symmetry, exploring how this breaking leads to emergent behaviors across scales. From the thermodynamic arrow of time to the spatiotemporal organization of signaling protein patterns and the discovery of odd elasticity, these frameworks provide powerful insights into the dynamics of living matter, revealing new principles that drive biological complexity.
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