Nature Physics, Published online: 07 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03238-y
Chaotic flows generated by a microtubule-based active fluid are shown to enhance the motion of passive actin fibres and assemble them into a hierarchical elastic membrane. Active flows also actuate the multiscale dynamics of the emerging membrane, and non-reciprocal feedback between the active and elastic stresses yields macroscopic oscillations.
