NOVA “Secret Mind Of Slime” dives deep into the questions and science behind the “intelligence” of slime molds. These creatures are not animals, nor plants, nor fungi, yet they appear to learn and to make decisions without brains, expanding the boundaries of intelligence beyond the animal kingdom.
The film follows scientists as they delve into the questions of how these organisms “think” and “make decisions.” Focusing on Physarum polycephalum, an electric-yellow slime mold, scientists study how they navigate mazes, choose between foods, and create vein networks that distribute food to different parts of the mold — all without a brain.
The yellow blob-like shapeshifting substance is a single-celled organism whose learning capacity has scientists closely examining the roots of cognition.
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.
