Hellbent Posted May 22, 2009 We sort of assume that organisms need a brain or neural network in order to have some form of intelligence. Well check this out: http://discovermagazine.com/2009/jan/071 Slime Molds Show Surprising Degree of Intelligence A creature with no brain can learn from and even anticipate events. Single-celled slime molds demonstrate the ability to memorize and anticipate repeated events, a team of Japanese researchers reported in January. The study clearly shows “a primitive version of brain function” in an organism with no brain at all. The findings of what lone cells are capable of “might be a chance to reconsider what intelligence is,” [scientist] says. http://discovermagazine.com/2009/jan/071 Discuss! 0 Share this post Link to post
Texas Libra Posted May 22, 2009 Somehow I can picture someone turning this news into some kind of premise for a b-movie...INVASION OF THE SLIME MOLD!!!! Seriously, I don't know what to think. 0 Share this post Link to post
gemini09 Posted May 22, 2009 That´s pretty wild. That is pretty wild........ 0 Share this post Link to post
Chilly Willy Posted May 22, 2009 I've got a magnet I've "taught" to follow a metal bar around! It even anticipates the metal, moving towards it before it ever comes near!! ;) 0 Share this post Link to post
Hellbent Posted May 22, 2009 Chilly Willy said:I've got a magnet I've "taught" to follow a metal bar around! It even anticipates the metal, moving towards it before it ever comes near!! ;) Yeah, but you didn't use classical conditioning to achieve that feat. No gold star for you. 0 Share this post Link to post
Gokuma Posted May 23, 2009 I think he could have a silver star or at least a bronze or copper one. 0 Share this post Link to post
boris Posted May 23, 2009 Texas Libra said:Somehow I can picture someone turning this news into some kind of premise for a b-movie...INVASION OF THE SLIME MOLD!!!! Seriously, I don't know what to think. O RLY? 0 Share this post Link to post
myk Posted May 24, 2009 boris said: O RLY?YA RLY The slime mold in the article's picture looks much like the stuff in the (pre-ultimate) DOOM credit screen. Now you know where the intelligence must be coming from! 0 Share this post Link to post
Chilly Willy Posted May 24, 2009 Hellbent said:Yeah, but you didn't use classical conditioning to achieve that feat. No gold star for you. Darn! Thought for certain I had gotten that second gold star! :( 0 Share this post Link to post
GreyGhost Posted May 24, 2009 Hellbent said:Yeah, but you didn't use classical conditioning to achieve that feat. No gold star for you. What about the memory effect in nickel cadmium batteries. Do I get a gold star for that? myk said:Now you know where the intelligence must be coming from! The two Carmacks created an AI that escaped from the digital domain into what's considered the "real world"? What's so unusual about a single-celled organism exibiting “a primitive version of brain function”? If you accept the argument that complex organisms evolved from simpler organisms then it's logical to assume that the simpler organism contains the basic building blocks required for more specialised cells to evolve. 0 Share this post Link to post
Kirby Posted May 24, 2009 Hmm, and yet no one decided to investigate the Venus Flytrap? Although I guess that's a different basket of eggs entirely 0 Share this post Link to post
Sharessa Posted May 25, 2009 Yeah, I had this Nature video when I was a kid about venus flytraps and other carnivorous plants. It's really weird how they work. 0 Share this post Link to post
Chilly Willy Posted May 25, 2009 GreyGhost said:What about the memory effect in nickel cadmium batteries. Do I get a gold star for that? Nope! Same problem as my example: "Yeah, but you didn't use classical conditioning to achieve that feat. No gold star for you." Darn! So close... 0 Share this post Link to post
Georgef551 Posted May 25, 2009 Hellbent said:We sort of assume that organisms need a brain or neural network in order to have some form of intelligence. Well check this out: {SNIP} Slime Molds Show Surprising Degree of Intelligence A creature with no brain can learn from and even anticipate events. {SNIP} Discuss! Polliticians. Slime. Same thing. 0 Share this post Link to post
Hellbent Posted May 25, 2009 Georgef551 said:Polliticians. Slime. Same thing. Yeah, except slime molds have one up on politicians.. they can learn from previous mistakes. 0 Share this post Link to post
GreyGhost Posted May 26, 2009 Reminds me of the old "brain transplant" joke, where a patient's offered the brain of an astrophysicist for $20,000 or a politician for $100,000. "Why is the politician's brain so much more expensive?" - he asks. "Because it's never been used." - the surgeon replies. 0 Share this post Link to post
Creaphis Posted May 30, 2009 Since we're discussing brainless yet eerily-intelligent creatures, science fiction, and politics (somewhat), I have to post a link to Day of the Triffids. 0 Share this post Link to post
Hellbent Posted May 30, 2009 Creaphis said:Since we're discussing brainless yet eerily-intelligent creatures, science fiction, and politics (somewhat), I have to post a link to Day of the Triffids. It's only a matter of time before the slime molds take over and we all wished we owned plasma rifles.... 0 Share this post Link to post