- Joined
- Jan 21, 2009
- Messages
- 65,981
- Reaction score
- 23,408
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Undisclosed
Oct. 17 (UPI) -- The star attraction at a zoo in Paris defies expectation. It looks like a fungus, but it acts like an animal. Technically, the organism known as the "blob," is neither. It also doesn't belong in the plant or bacteria kingdoms.
The strange organism is a slime mold, a type of protist, but the creature defies both classification and expectations. Though the blob is without a brain, it can solve problems. It has no eyes or mouth, but the blob can find and digest food. If it's cut in half, the blob quickly repairs itself.
This particular slime mold, a bright yellow species named Physarum polycephalum, was first discovered in Texas in 1973, according to CNN. Several decades later, scientists published research showing the blob can learn to avoid toxic substances and recall their learned behavior as long as 12 months later. And when they fuse with other molds, the knowledge of their chemical adversaries gets shared.
The blob is real: Paris zoo showcases self-healing organism with 720 sexes - UPI.com
720 sexes? What does that even mean?
The strange organism is a slime mold, a type of protist, but the creature defies both classification and expectations. Though the blob is without a brain, it can solve problems. It has no eyes or mouth, but the blob can find and digest food. If it's cut in half, the blob quickly repairs itself.
This particular slime mold, a bright yellow species named Physarum polycephalum, was first discovered in Texas in 1973, according to CNN. Several decades later, scientists published research showing the blob can learn to avoid toxic substances and recall their learned behavior as long as 12 months later. And when they fuse with other molds, the knowledge of their chemical adversaries gets shared.
The blob is real: Paris zoo showcases self-healing organism with 720 sexes - UPI.com
720 sexes? What does that even mean?
