Meet Physarum polycephalum, better known as the slime mold, that's been here on Earth for more than 500 million years. This brainless, single-celled organism may lack brains but compensates with a level of intelligence that continues to stun scientists across the globe. Despite its lack of neurons, it's capable of complexities like remembering, making decisions, and recognizing itself. The slime mold also has a knack for geometry, as it swiftly mapped Tokyo's rail system in just 26 hours -- a task that took humans a hundred years! Its intelligence doesn't stop on Earth -- it's been consulted by NASA and even contributed to discoveries on the International Space Station. "This brainless goo has been known to beg for food, help out a friend, solve a maze better than Harvard grad students and even scheme coordinated escapes." So, next time you think of intelligence, reconsider preconceived notions, because the slime mold is here to redefine it!
↧