Scientists have shown that the force carried by gluons can be treated as a fluid with zero viscosity. In a recent theoretical study the dual formulation of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) is rewritten as a hydrodynamic theory. The gluon field is expressed through a two‑form stream function, and all interactions become of the current‑current type familiar from the Nambu–Jona‑Lasinio model. In the strong‑coupling limit the leading order calculation gives a classical perfect‑fluid description. The model reproduces key features of the quark–gluon plasma observed in heavy‑ion collisions, such as its almost ideal fluid behaviour and parton saturation at high energies.

The authors caution that the result is strictly classical. Quantum corrections that would generate small but non‑zero viscosity are omitted, and the framework applies only when the coupling is large. Therefore, while the perfect‑fluid picture captures important qualitative aspects, it does not yet replace lattice or perturbative approaches.

This work provides a new angle on QCD, offering a third theoretical tool that complements conventional methods for studying strong interactions.