In Praise of Slime Mold . . . and The Academic Life

Princeton George M. Moffett Professor Emeritus of Biology John Bonner, 89, has dedicated his life to Dictyostelium discoideum, known to the rest of us as slim mold. He is described in Science Magazine this month as “the current patriarch of the slime mold community.” I loved the article and I think it is about time for you to take a little time out and consider the beauty and genius of our often-forgotten friend, the slime mold.

Bonner has published his 18th book entitled “The Social Amoebae: The Biology of Cellular Slime Molds,” giving a history of his “beloved slime molds.” He insists that slime molds are “no more than a bag of amoebae encased in a thin slime sheat” hand points out that they do some incredible stuff like be chopped in two and reconstitute two versions of themselves. When separated, they will put themselves back together and start to move as one.

I just can’t wait for the movie. I hear Andrew Dice Clay will be playing the lead role.

Source: Princeton as first seen on Reddit