The moulderway network: How spores move around like cars on a road system
When testing the best route for a multi-destination transport network, forget high-powered computer programmes, the best solution, it seems, is... slime mould.
An experiment was carried out in which Physarum polycephalum was placed on an agar plate in the shape of the Iberian Peninsula - and it was found that the amoebae followed many of the routes of the existing road systems.
The study, carried out by computer scientist Andrew Adamatzky, used piles of oat flakes on major cities to 'steer' the Physarum between each point - and the most efficient route was found.
Scroll down for a video of the experiment
Physarum polycephalum moves about an agar plate in the shape of the Iberian Peninsula, with oat flakes placed on the major cities
The oat flakes were used to 'steer' the amoebae - allowing the most efficient transport route between cities to be found
NEW FUNGUS-LIKE SPECIES DISCOVERED
A new type of microscopic organism related to fungus has been discovered by scientists.
The mysterious life form, named cryptomycota, was uncovered after new and unusual strands of DNA were found in samples taken from a Devon pond.
After singling out these novel, previously unidentified bits of DNA, scientist Dr Meredith Jones then found them to be widespread throughout the environment.
It is thought the discovery could be the 'missing link' connecting fungi to plants, animals and bacteria - although it's still early days.
'At the moment it's a bit too early to be sure about what role they play in the environment,' says researcher Dr Thomas Richards.
'But one thing we can be certain of is because they're so diverse, they're probably playing many, many different roles in many different environments.'
'Physarum is renowned for building optimal transport networks, which minimise distance of cytoplasmic transfer but also span as much sources of nutrients as possible,' said Adamatzky.
'Ideally, human-built roads should fulfil the same criteria.'
The major surprise for the researchers was that there were no direct networks between Spain's capital, Madrid, and the north-central city of Valladolid - which have many transport connections in real life.
It is hoped, with some refining of the technique, that Physarum can be used as a problem-solving tool.
In the past, the mould has been shown to navigate a maze made of agar using the shortest route possible when food was placed at the exit as an 'incentive'.
Physarum polycephalum tends to inhabit shady, cool, moist areas, such as decaying leaves and logs.
The mould demonstrates a surprising amount of intelligence for a single-celled creature.
The full study, co-authored with Madrid-based computer scientist Ramon Alonso-Sanz, can be found in Biosystems
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