👉 The Darwin fluid, also known as the Darwinian fluid, is a hypothetical viscous fluid proposed by physicist James Clerk Maxwell in 1873 as a conceptual model to explain the behavior of magnetic fields. Maxwell envisioned this fluid as a continuous, dynamic substance permeating all space, which could flow and respond to changes in magnetic fields, much like a liquid. This fluid was meant to illustrate how magnetic forces propagate through space and interact with materials, providing a mechanical analogy for the electromagnetic field. Although not a scientifically validated concept, the Darwin fluid was an early attempt to visualize and mathematically describe electromagnetic phenomena, influencing later developments in electromagnetism and fluid dynamics.
