The “House of Knowledge” is like a collection of stories. Beautiful stories that tell the living in all its freshness. But also, in all its complexities. Arch to marvel at the world’s treasures. In this new episode, let’s set out to discover a unique object that will soon live in space, aboard the International Space Station, under the watchful eye of Thomas Pesquet: The Point.
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[EN VIDÉO] Animal intelligence: a bee learns to pull a string! For scientists, these photos are amazing. Bumblebees were able to learn an intricate technique: pulling a rope to grab food that could not be reached otherwise (sweet liquid). Until then, only birds and some mammals were thought to have this ability. Better yet, this knowledge passed on to bumblebees who watched fellow scientists. Thus, learning, by the individual and within the group, is more pervasive in the animal world than one would imagine.
If i told youViscous liquidYou know what I’m talking about? If you’re a fan of science fiction movies – they don’t have to be very successful – then an image will undoubtedly come to mind: an image of a sticky alien creature that grows larger by engulfing the inhabitants of a small town in Pennsylvania. California, of your choice.
But in real life, the Viscous liquid – his real name Vesarum Polisephalum — he is Unicellular organism Earthly goodness. It has been around for hundreds of millions of years. To date, scientists have counted more than 1,000 species. Some can be as different as a rodent and a whale in a realm Mammals. Yellow, red or black. Point loves dark and damp places. Sometimes it looks like dog vomit. Sometimes Bushing mucus. Sometimes mold. In short, nothing very tasty. However, the point dazzles scientists.
Here, for example, because it consists of a file prison cell One giant. Which can reach ten square meters. Thanks to its permanent adaptive venous network, it distributes nutrients in an amazingly effective way to all points of the body. Because Blobs It’s almost immortal, too! If you cut it into pieces, it will do so quickly Heals. Several new points were formed.
The point produces spores and dyes. Like the Mushrooms And plants. He is also moving. Like an animal. Only four small centimeters per hour. Especially when he’s hungry. However, it is not really this nor the other. Genetics revealed that it is ameboswan. Slime template, more precisely. Understand, “sticky mushroom”.
The point is able to learn and impart its knowledge
And if we are interested in the point, today, it is because he also knows how to prove Intelligence Very amazing. For being free of brain. Even devoid of the nervous system. Researchers from the University of Toulouse tested this intelligence by tickling the point on one of its weaknesses: gluttony! Because point loves to eat mushrooms and bacteria. In the laboratory, he also estimated chipsOats. And the yolk.
To see if the point had a learning ability called “habituation,” they placed salt-sprinkled bridges between it and the food reserves. A substance that does not have any harmful effect on the point. But he hates calling who. Well it only took him a few days, to avoid his aversion and get some food across the bridge.
Once this learning is gained, two things are perhaps more surprising. First, the fact that the point kept it “inside.” memoryEven after many months of inactivity, he remembered that he could cross bridges of salt without fear. Then, the fact that the point was able to transfer its experiences into congeners. By “merging” with them temporarily.
Researchers also teach us that dot can find the shortest path in a file the maze. Always with a reward in the form of food. He also knows how to be as effective as an engineer when it comes to joining multiple points to create an effective and less redundant network.
But be aware that points from different parts of the world do not appear equal when it comes to thisIntelligence. The Australian point, for example, tends to “think” before making a decision. It also learns more easily from the American point. Meanwhile, the Japanese point is more aggressive. It is a one-time error. Possibly the result of a different competition in their home regions. Anyway, wherever it comes, the point is … it’s not that stupid!
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