Microbial intelligence

Microbial intelligence (known as bacterial intelligence) is the intelligence shown by microorganisms. This includes complex adaptive behavior shown by single cells, and altruistic or cooperative behavior in populations of like or unlike cells. It is often mediated by chemical signalling that induces physiological or behavioral changes in cells and influences colony structures.[1]

Complex cells, like protozoa or algae, show remarkable abilities to organize themselves in changing circumstances.[2] Shell-building by amoebae reveals complex discrimination and manipulative skills that are ordinarily thought to occur only in multicellular organisms.

Even bacteria can display more behavior as a population. These behaviors occur in single species populations, or mixed species populations. Examples are colonies or swarms of myxobacteria, quorum sensing, and biofilms.[1][3]

It has been suggested that a bacterial colony loosely mimics a biological neural network. The bacteria can take inputs in form of chemical signals, process them and then produce output chemicals to signal other bacteria in the colony.

Bacteria communication and self-organization in the context of network theory has been investigated by Eshel Ben-Jacob research group at Tel Aviv University which developed a fractal model of bacterial colony and identified linguistic and social patterns in colony lifecycle.[4]

  1. ^ a b Rennie J (13 November 2017). "The Beautiful Intelligence of Bacteria and Other Microbes". Quanta Magazine.
  2. ^ Ford, Brian J. (2004). "Are Cells Ingenious?" (PDF). Microscope. 52 (3/4): 135–144.
  3. ^ Chimileski S, Kolter R (2017). Life at the Edge of Sight: A Photographic Exploration of the Microbial World. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674975910.
  4. ^ Cohen, Inon, et al. (1999). "Continuous and discrete models of cooperation in complex bacterial colonies" (PDF). Fractals. 7.03 (1999) (3): 235–247. arXiv:cond-mat/9807121. doi:10.1142/S0218348X99000244. S2CID 15489293. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-08-08. Retrieved 2014-12-25.