From the time I first heard about itthe now fame of Slime Mold has
grown to proportions unthinkable.
Never would I have dreamed this
intelligent little fungi would
start from grown up in Big Thicket
ponds to having a feature report
on NPR and several web sites
declaring this little being an
intelligent creature.
.
Of course Big Thicket has no exclusive
on this mighty mold.Nor is it exclusively
single celled.
I had an opportunity to attain a Philosophers
convention round about 1971 or 72.
.This gathering of minds was hold at
the Arlington Convention
Hall I believe. It was exciting
this event as it would be my
first "in presence of thinkers".
I the unwashed was about to
be baptized and cleansed of my
ignorance. As the the speakers
one by one rose to speak I
gathered all my faculties
for the jewels which were to
sanctify my humble origins .
I could witness in the presence
of this council of sages and come away validated.
I could witness in the presence
of this council of sages and come away validated.
For hours they spoke and theorized upon time.
Bout what I got from this philosophers formulations
were the best clock being the movement of the heavenly bodies .
But it was heavy lifting to get there.
I didn't get there each time either.
Bout what I got from this philosophers formulations
were the best clock being the movement of the heavenly bodies .
But it was heavy lifting to get there.
I didn't get there each time either.
After some time a Professor from my school time had come .
Dr. Pete Gunter said he thought the correct use of philosophy
was suggesting the direction science might head for the benefit of
mankind. Dr.Gunter was I believe concerned with the
Big Thicket in East Texas. I can not, I am sorry to say give you his
entire presentation that day but the story he told has been in my mind
until this day. Dr.Gunter presented his paper about the Big Thicket
and the Pond Slim Mold.
Myxomycota [Slime Mold] formerly classified in the kingdom of
Fungi has since reclassified to the kingdom of Protisa. As one
scientist was quoted "slime molds are among the most fascinating
organisms in the world. Heterogeneous assemblage of unicellular
colonial Eukaryotes that do not have the distinctive characters
of plants animals or fungi. This suckers are hard to pin point.
Dr. Pete Gunter said he thought the correct use of philosophy
was suggesting the direction science might head for the benefit of
mankind. Dr.Gunter was I believe concerned with the
Big Thicket in East Texas. I can not, I am sorry to say give you his
entire presentation that day but the story he told has been in my mind
until this day. Dr.Gunter presented his paper about the Big Thicket
and the Pond Slim Mold.
Myxomycota [Slime Mold] formerly classified in the kingdom of
Fungi has since reclassified to the kingdom of Protisa. As one
scientist was quoted "slime molds are among the most fascinating
organisms in the world. Heterogeneous assemblage of unicellular
colonial Eukaryotes that do not have the distinctive characters
of plants animals or fungi. This suckers are hard to pin point.
The summers are hot and many the times drought will be visited upon
the east Texas woods. The water levels will drop and all the organisms
gather at the bottom of remaining water when the pond is bout dry..
. One of the cellular organisms begins to emit a chemical frequency
akin to music.Did he say sounds like music.Other cells aggregate
for a chimney raising.Yes, they build a stairway to heaven.
The lead cell sacrifices his cell like laying the first brick to the chimney
and the next cell emits a frequency and repeats the first cells behavior
and up goes the slime molds chimney. These cellular structure builds a
hollow chimney heavenly out of the dieing pond till it reaches
dry air breeze.The remaining cells move up the hollow space and at the
top their cells form a fruiting body .This fruiting body in turn fruits into
spores and the dry breeze carry them away where some
find salvation in remaining pond waters.
Thus the Pond Slime mold survive.
the east Texas woods. The water levels will drop and all the organisms
gather at the bottom of remaining water when the pond is bout dry..
. One of the cellular organisms begins to emit a chemical frequency
akin to music.Did he say sounds like music.Other cells aggregate
for a chimney raising.Yes, they build a stairway to heaven.
The lead cell sacrifices his cell like laying the first brick to the chimney
and the next cell emits a frequency and repeats the first cells behavior
and up goes the slime molds chimney. These cellular structure builds a
hollow chimney heavenly out of the dieing pond till it reaches
dry air breeze.The remaining cells move up the hollow space and at the
top their cells form a fruiting body .This fruiting body in turn fruits into
spores and the dry breeze carry them away where some
find salvation in remaining pond waters.
Thus the Pond Slime mold survive.
What message embedded in this paper delivered by the good
Professor Gunter has imprinted on me that time again I told this
in casual gathering looking around for maybe a resonate reaction
from someone I was telling. All nodded their heads
that yes that was only an interesting tale . This erstwhile topic again
a subject I present re-addressed as Slime Molds "Ways of the
Boddhisatva".
Slime Mold does not lend its name easily in any discussion as sacred
as Buddhism. Please understand my personal sensitivity here.
Faith is called upon in this parable of the music emitting
Slime Mold Boddhisatva .
These Boddhisatva's in lab test found the quickest escape route
to the end of a labyrinth What intelligence which navigates the quickest
escape embodied in a single cell is this.By what means does this masters
of chemical music realize his duty to call upon his flock to awake and survive.
Hereby this intelligence is realized again and again in the chain of hierarchical
realization.For the benefit of all in their "kingdom".
I am amazed really. This simple mass of cooperative cells evolving creative
consciousness of universal mind . As one of my favorite literary character says,
" the wonder of it all".
" Thus I have heard",
Thus you shall think of this fleeting world
A star at dawn,a bubble in a brook
A flash of lighting in a summer cloud
A flickering lamp,a phantom and a dream
