Dense particulate systems are all around us, from the soil beneath our feet to the blood flowing through our veins. In this talk, we will present experimental work on impact into granular materials, and the migration of epithelial cell sheets. At first blush, these systems might seem completely unrelated. Nonetheless, even though the particles and interactions in each system are different, the systems show certain universalities in their behavior. The systems' discreteness and density beget the emergence of similar dynamics. For both studies, we introduce novel experimental techniques and collective motion metrics. We also find important distinctions in the collective behavior of inanimate and living systems.