The Blob: A Genius Without a Brain

[Keith (M)]

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Was the title of a BBC4 nature documentary first shown in 2021 (sadly not available at the moment).  A similar US documentary on KPBS:-

The film also joins Associate Professor Tanya Latty (University of Sydney), Professor Toshiyuki Nakagaki (Hokkaido University), and CNRS Researcher Audrey Dussutour as they explore how the slime mold seems to make choices, solve complex problems, and devise strategies. 

Throughout the special, we watch these studies come to life as scientists push Physarum to its limit, testing its ability to find food, determine the most nutritious sustenance, reform itself, establish memory, and create optimal networks. 

When put to the test, Physarum is even capable of recreating an optimal network similar to the Tokyo metro system. Without a brain or nervous system, the slime mold performs all the fundamentals of intelligence. Ultimately, this leaves scientists considering how we define intelligence and pondering whether intelligent life even requires the presence of a brain. 

Walking through a local wood this afternoon a patch of bright yellow on a fallen tree caught my eye - so here it is, slime mould in all its glory.  We left it in peace so that it can carry on with its plan for world domination

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Leica C (Typ 112)

 

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[war]

7 hours ago, Keith (M) said:

Was the title of a BBC4 nature documentary first shown in 2021 (sadly not available at the moment).  A similar US documentary on KPBS:-

The film also joins Associate Professor Tanya Latty (University of Sydney), Professor Toshiyuki Nakagaki (Hokkaido University), and CNRS Researcher Audrey Dussutour as they explore how the slime mold seems to make choices, solve complex problems, and devise strategies. 

Throughout the special, we watch these studies come to life as scientists push Physarum to its limit, testing its ability to find food, determine the most nutritious sustenance, reform itself, establish memory, and create optimal networks. 

When put to the test, Physarum is even capable of recreating an optimal network similar to the Tokyo metro system. Without a brain or nervous system, the slime mold performs all the fundamentals of intelligence. Ultimately, this leaves scientists considering how we define intelligence and pondering whether intelligent life even requires the presence of a brain. 

Walking through a local wood this afternoon a patch of bright yellow on a fallen tree caught my eye - so here it is, slime mould in all its glory.  We left it in peace so that it can carry on with its plan for world domination

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Leica C (Typ 112)

 

A real wonderment indeed. Did see the documentary here on public television just recently, compelling.

[drjonb]

16 hours ago, Keith (M) said:

Was the title of a BBC4 nature documentary first shown in 2021 (sadly not available at the moment).  A similar US documentary on KPBS:-

The film also joins Associate Professor Tanya Latty (University of Sydney), Professor Toshiyuki Nakagaki (Hokkaido University), and CNRS Researcher Audrey Dussutour as they explore how the slime mold seems to make choices, solve complex problems, and devise strategies. 

Throughout the special, we watch these studies come to life as scientists push Physarum to its limit, testing its ability to find food, determine the most nutritious sustenance, reform itself, establish memory, and create optimal networks. 

When put to the test, Physarum is even capable of recreating an optimal network similar to the Tokyo metro system. Without a brain or nervous system, the slime mold performs all the fundamentals of intelligence. Ultimately, this leaves scientists considering how we define intelligence and pondering whether intelligent life even requires the presence of a brain. 

Walking through a local wood this afternoon a patch of bright yellow on a fallen tree caught my eye - so here it is, slime mould in all its glory.  We left it in peace so that it can carry on with its plan for world domination

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Leica C (Typ 112)

 

So much hype these days about so-called AI.  This beautiful plant and, for example, the spider, can construct the most intricate and complex structures; the critical difference with human beings is that we consciously design, fabricate and construct our structures.  That is, we have a plan in our heads - the aforementioned plant and spider has the plans wired into its brain, it does not ‘consciously’ set out on the task.

As for human intelligence (and AI)….increasingly I wonder how intelligent we really are and why we would want to replicate such human ‘intelligence’! My money is on the yellow plant.