Mapping’and’Maze’Solving’by’Slime’Molds!’ · General!Observaons!! Maps!! •...
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Mapping and Maze Solving by Slime Molds! An experiment done by Adriane & Jeff Thompson and the Hanby 5 th Grade A&T Classes (20122013)
Transcript of Mapping’and’Maze’Solving’by’Slime’Molds!’ · General!Observaons!! Maps!! •...
Mapping and Maze Solving by Slime Molds!
An experiment done by Adriane & Jeff Thompson and the Hanby 5th Grade A&T Classes (2012-‐2013)
Experimental Design Maps • maps of ciEes designed by student groups • oat flakes placed on agar plates in posiEon of ciEes • size of city represented by number of oat flakes • single block of slime mold placed on plate • allowed to spread and create “roads” over ~7 day period
Mazes • mazes designed by student groups • transparency film cut out in paRern of maze; placed on agar
plates (some maze designs modified to make them easier to create)
• single block of slime mold placed at “start” posiEon • single oat flakes placed next to “start” and “finish” posiEons • plates monitored daily over a period of ~2-‐3 days
Group 1
Day 1 Day 4 Day 7
Map
Maze
AVer 1 day: StarEng to spread
AVer 2 days: Maze solved (with one minor “cheat”)!
Group 2
Day 1 Day 4 Day 7
Map
Maze
AVer 1 day: StarEng to spread
AVer 2 days: GeZng close (aVer going all the way around the edge)
AVer 3 days: Maze solved!
Group 3
Day 1 Day 4 Day 7
Map
Maze
AVer 1 day: Only a Eny bit of movement
AVer 2 days: Now we’re moving!
AVer 3 days: Maze solved!
Group 4
Day 1 Day 4 Day 7
Map
Maze
AVer 1 day: StarEng to spread
AVer 2 days: Maze solved!
Group 5
Day 1 Day 4 Day 7
Map
Maze
Maze solved in two days!
Group 6
Day 1 Day 4 Day 7
Map
Maze
AVer 1 day: StarEng to spread
AVer 2 days: So close!
AVer 3 days: Maze solved!
Group 7
Day 1 Day 4 Day 7
Map
Maze
Maze solved in two days!
Group 8
Day 1 Day 4 Day 7
Map
Maze
Maze solved in two days!
Group 9
Day 1 Day 4 Day 7
Map
Maze
AVer 1 day: StarEng to spread
AVer 2 days: Maze solved!
Mrs. Heath’s Map
Day 1 Day 4
Day 8 Day 5
General ObservaEons Maps • slime molds successfully created road paRerns on all
maps • maps worked beRer when ciEes were spread out • maps with many ciEes had lots of crowded “roads” that
were not always easy to see
Mazes • slime molds successfully solved all mazes in 1-‐3 days • when given opEons, slime molds generally took the
shortest route to the finish • slime molds someEmes snuck around the edges of the
maze design • over Eme, slime molds eventually started moving over
the transparency film
Raisin Experiments
#1: Slime mold provided a raisin
ObservaEon: slime mold approaches raisin, but stops when it gets close
#2: Raisin with oat flakes inside
ObservaEon: same outcome as plain raisin
#3: Oat flake with raisin residue on it
ObservaEon: slime mold went straight to oat flake
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