Super Brainy Slime Mold
By Bora Zivkovic
This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
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Video of the Week #68 November 7th, 2012:
From:How Brainless Slime Molds Redefine Intelligence [Video] by Ferris Jabr and Anna Rothschild on our main site. Source: Anna Rothschild of NOVA and Ferris Jabr Scientific American. Scientists have recently come to understand that slime molds are much smarter than they look. One species in particular - the SpongeBob SquarePants - yellow Physarum polycephalum, can solve mazes, mimic the layout of man-made transportation networks and choose the healthiest food from a diverse menu--and all this without a brain or nervous system. This video was produced through a collaboration between NOVA and Scientific American. To learn more about slime molds and other amazing creatures, watch 'What Are Animals Thinking?' on NOVA scienceNOW, airing November 7, 2012 at 10 pm on PBS.
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