Download or read book Dynamical Heterogeneities in Glasses, Colloids, and Granular Media written by Ludovic Berthier and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2011-07-14 with total page 562 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most of the solid materials we use in everyday life, from plastics to cosmetic gels exist under a non-crystalline, amorphous form: they are glasses. Yet, we are still seeking a fundamental explanation as to what glasses really are and to why they form. In this book, we survey the most recent theoretical and experimental research dealing with glassy physics, from molecular to colloidal glasses and granular media. Leading experts in this field present broad and original perspectives on one of the deepest mysteries of condensed matter physics, with an emphasis on the key role played by heterogeneities in the dynamics of glassiness.