FACT: Slime molds can “communicate” using chemical signals, allowing them to solve problems, navigate mazes, and even learn from past experiences—all without a brain.

Slime molds, particularly Physarum polycephalum, challenge our understanding of intelligence by demonstrating problem-solving abilities through chemical signaling. When searching for food, these molds release chemical cues that guide their movement and allow them to adapt to their environment. If one part of the mold encounters food, it signals other sections to move toward it, optimizing foraging efficiency.

Astonishingly, slime molds exhibit learning and memory-like behavior. In experiments, they have been shown to avoid harmful substances, remember past obstacles, and find the shortest path through a maze to reach food. Their ability to process information and make decisions without a nervous system raises fascinating questions about the nature of intelligence in living organisms.

Scientists study slime molds not only for their biological curiosity but also for practical applications. Their problem-solving abilities inspire innovations in network design, logistics, and computing algorithms. Philosophically, their behavior expands our concept of intelligence, suggesting that cognition and decision-making may arise in unexpected forms across the natural world.

Slime molds remind us that intelligence is not limited to creatures with brains—it can emerge in surprising ways, even within simple, brainless organisms that “talk” through chemistry.