"Granular materials" refers to substances that are made up of small particles or grains. These particles are loose and can move past each other easily, similar to sand or fine grains of sugar. Full definition
Scientists previously discovered this method of preventing blockages in flows of granular materials like sand, which exhibit some of the same dynamics as the motion of crowds: Pack too many sand grains into one space and they freeze up like a solid, instead of flowing smoothly like a liquid. (sciencemag.org)
Understanding how animals move through granular materials like sand could help the designers of robotic systems better understand how to optimize the use of energy, which can be a significant limiting factor in robotics. (sciencedaily.com)
«Any spacecraft that lands in regions of granular material on Titan is going to have a tough time staying clean. (sciencedaily.com)