Shimmering soap bubbles have a dark side

Dark spots in soap film grow and merge moments before bubble pops

soap bubble film

HELLO DARKNESS  Just before a soap bubble bursts, its rainbow surface becomes peppered with dark spots in the thinnest regions of the bubble film. Once the darkness spreads over a large area, the bubble pops.

L. Shen

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Zoom in on a soap bubble just before it bursts and brilliant, complex patterns emerge.