Editorial: Fourth Annual APS DSOFT Gallery of Soft Matter

Soft materials are everywhere. They range from milk (composed of microscopic fat droplets in water) to hair gel (formed by spaghettilike molecular networks) to dental plaque (which consists of bacteria embedded in a sticky matrix). These materials exhibit fascinating properties that can change dramatically with slight environmental changes, revealing how complex macroscopic behaviors emerge from microscopic interactions. The Fourth Annual Gallery of Soft Matter, showcased at the American Physical Society (APS) Global Physics Summit 2025 in Anaheim, organized by the APS Division of Soft Matter, highlights the aesthetic appeal, elegance, and intriguing physics of soft matter systems. Gallery submissions include stunning and thoughtfully crafted images and videos, paired with explanations of scientific phenomena, which we hope will captivate both scientists and the general public. Submissions were judged for their combination of striking visual qualities and scientific interest. All entries are accessible at https://engage.aps.org/dsoft/gallery/gallery/mm25-gallery. It is our pleasure to share the six winning entries in this Editorial, where the winners introduce hidden wonders of soft matter to be found in swimming algae and nematodes, wrinkling leaves, flowing gels and droplets, and entangled fibrous networks.