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[DOOMED] The Blob: Paris zoo unveils unusual organism which can heal itself and has 720 sexes

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by Xerobull, Oct 17, 2019.

  1. Xerobull

    Xerobull You son of a b!tch! I'm in!

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    (CNN)It is bright yellow, can creep along at a speed of up to 4 centimeters (1.6 inches) per hour, can solve problems even though it doesn't have a brain and can heal itself if it is cut in two.

    Meet the "blob," an unusual organism which will go on display Saturday at the Paris Zoological Park, as part of a first-of-its-kind exhibition intended to showcase its rare abilities.

    The slime mold, which is known officially as physarum polycephalum (or "the many headed slime") is neither a plant, an animal or a fungus. It doesn't have two sexes -- male and female -- it has 720. And it can also split into different organisms and then fuse back together, according to a press release from the Zoological Park.
    The unicellular being is believed to be around a billion years old, but it first came to the public's attention in May 1973, after a Texas woman discovered a rapidly-expanding yellow blob growing in her backyard. With its otherworldly, extraterrestrial appearance, the blob became a brief media sensation, even picking up a mention in the New York Times.



    The Texas blob died as quickly as it had appeared, and the world all but forgot about the peculiar slime until new research published in 2016 caused a stir among the science community.

    The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society and co-authored by Audrey Dussutour, a biologist at France's National Center for Scientific Research, showed that physarum polycephalum could learn to ignore noxious substances, and remember that behavior up to a year later.

    The slime mold is also believed to be capable of solving problems, such as finding the shortest way to exit a labyrinth and anticipating changes in its environment, according to scientific researchers at the Zoological Park.
    Dwelling on forest floors

    Scientists initially grew the organism in petri dishes, feeding it oatmeal, its favorite food, according to a video published by the Zoological Park. Once it had reached a certain size, it was grafted onto tree bark -- which it feeds on -- and placed in a terrarium, where visitors will be able to view it from October 19.

    "Acacia trees, oak bark and chestnut bark are its favorite places," said the zoo's Marlene Itan.
    Blobs are normally found on forest floors in Europe, she added. "It thrives in temperatures oscillating between 19 and 25 degrees Celsius (66 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit) and when humidity levels reach 80% to 100%," she said.
    Almost immortal, its only foes are light and drought, according to the zoo's press release. But it can hibernate during several years when threatened, it added.

    The blob takes its name from a 1958 cult horror-movie starring Steve McQueen, in which an alien life form takes over a small Pennsylvania town.




    Slime Mold Collective
     
    #1 Xerobull, Oct 17, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2019
    GIGO, Yung-T, busta_cap and 5 others like this.
  2. ryan_98

    ryan_98 Contributing Member
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    Getting worried until they mentioned it enjoys eating Acacia trees.... we're good.
     
    Ubiquitin likes this.
  3. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Contributing Member

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    World crazy.
     
  4. Invisible Fan

    Invisible Fan Contributing Member

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    Fat American Blob
     
  5. Buck Turgidson

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    I do not like this Sam I Am
     
  6. Jontro

    Jontro Member

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    is it pro hk or nah?
     
  7. Buck Turgidson

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    Well this is obviously the Chinese Government's fault.
     
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  8. Rashmon

    Rashmon Contributing Member

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    How does it taste? Can it be deep fried?
     
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  9. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Contributing Member

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  10. LosPollosHermanos

    LosPollosHermanos Houston only fan
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    anybody got any clorox?

    [​IMG]
     
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  11. donkeypunch

    donkeypunch Contributing Member

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    So, we dont know what it is but lets stick it in a petri dish and cultivate it....

    Disney has already bought the rights to this real life comic book thats gonna play out right before our eyes.
     
  12. PhiSlammaJamma

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    When a slime mold meets a jello, there is a long pause as each side determines it's next strategic move.
     
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  13. Reeko

    Reeko Member

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    I saw that movie “Life,”...y’all go ahead keep feeding this blob oatmeal and other things and watch it develop into a human eating alien
     
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  14. B-Bob

    B-Bob "94-year-old self-described dreamer"

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    I did look a lot like that in my early years. :oops:

    #toofattocrawl
     
    #14 B-Bob, Oct 18, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 18, 2019
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  15. busta_cap

    busta_cap Contributing Member

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  16. Xerobull

    Xerobull You son of a b!tch! I'm in!

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    There’s a video on the Slime Mold Collective of this blob stuff running into some mold on food and the reaction is pretty interesting. It sort of starts bubbling/hopping around the mold like it’s talking or excited.

    http://slimoco.ning.com/m
     
  17. FLASH21

    FLASH21 Heart O' Champs

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    It's called a symbiote.

    Y'all better hide y'alls Toms!
     
  18. Ottomaton

    Ottomaton Contributing Member
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  19. BamBam

    BamBam Contributing Member

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    Didn't epect to see this _______________________________________[​IMG]





    .......
    .......
    .......
     
    Xerobull likes this.
  20. xaos

    xaos Member

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