Fig. 3: Non-Gaussian statistics and exponential tails due to D_R varying according to a checkerboard pattern.

Experimental and simulated data are plotted as circles and red lines, respectively. a–d Probability distributions of rescaled one-dimensional displacements G(∣x∣/L, Δt), for Δt(L/v)⁻¹ = 0.02 (a), 0.2 (b), 1 (c), and 5 (d). One-dimensional displacements in x and y are cumulated to increase statistics. The black lines in the third panel (Δt(L/v)⁻¹ = 1) are a Gaussian and an exponential fit to G(∣x∣/L, Δt) in the range ∣x∣/L ≃ 0−0.2 and ≃0.4−1, respectively. e Excess kurtosis γ of G(x/L, Δt) as a function of Δt(L/v)⁻¹. f Rescaled mean squared displacement MSD/L² as a function of Δt(L/v)⁻¹. The yellow and blue straight lines are the theoretical MSDs of ABPs with constant D_R, equal to \({D}_{{\rm{R}}}^{{\rm{L}}}\) and \({D}_{{\rm{R}}}^{{\rm{H}}}\), respectively (v = 4  μm s⁻¹, L = 32 μm, \({D}_{{\rm{R}}}^{{\rm{H}}}\) = 10 rad² s⁻¹, \({D}_{{\rm{R}}}^{{\rm{L}}}=0.01\) rad² s⁻¹, and τ = 0.2 s).