Conversations Holiday Listening: Slime moulds—the brainless blobs that can move and solve mazes
Dec 28, 2025
Dr. Tanya Latty, an entomologist at the University of Sydney, shares her fascination with brainless slime moulds. She reveals how these incredible organisms navigate and solve mazes despite lacking a brain. Tanya draws intriguing parallels between slime moulds and collective behaviours in ants and bees, and discusses their potential to inspire solutions for complex human challenges. She recounts personal stories, from caring for her pet slime mould to a close encounter with a cougar during fieldwork, showcasing her passion for unique creatures.
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Buying A Pet Slime Mould
- Tanya Latty bought a pet slime mould from a biological supply company and watched it spread across an agar plate.
- The slime mould arrived with oat flakes and formed a big yellow blob that lived in her desk drawer at work.
Slow But Directed Movement
- Slime moulds can move about five centimetres per hour and visibly change position over a workday.
- They avoid light and prefer dark, moist spots likely to prevent drying and UV damage.
A Single Gigantic Cell
- Acellular slime moulds form one enormous cell that can contain millions of nuclei and reach a metre across.
- Cut pieces act independently but can re-fuse, making individuality a fluid concept.