Simple, but Not Too Simple: Modeling the Dynamics of DNA and RNA Buckling (Biophysical Journal)

Imagine a straight elastic rod subject to an axial compressing force. If the force is less than a certain critical value, the rod remains straight; however, if the critical force is exceeded, the straight shape becomes unstable, and a large bending of the rod occurs. Similarly, a straight rod subject to torsion undergoes a lateral deformation for torques above a critical level. These are just two examples of the phenomenon of elastic instability, first studied by Leonhard Euler (1). In Euler`s time, the main construction materials were wood and stone, requiring robust structural elements for which the problem of elastic stability is less important.