It's just a subtle selection process. An organism that was harmed by the bitter substance wouldn't have enough resources to test it again. Nothing was learned.

Historischer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's just a subtle selection process. An organism
> that was harmed by the bitter substance wouldn't
> have enough resources to test it again. Nothing
> was learned.

"Harming" isn't necessary---any more than any of US are "harmed" by tasting something not harmful, but bitter or, alternatively, overly-acidic for our taste (straight vinegar or straight lemon juice, for example)...

...and in both cases ("bitter" and "overly-acidic to the taste") those substances can be ingested (or, perhaps, rubbed into the skin) and can help us via nutrition (Vitamin C or other nutrients, perhaps), or for some medicinal, therapeutic, or physiological reason (the "bitters," such as kale, dandelion, watercress, many herbs, coffee, etc. all fall into this category of substances).

The point is, the "creature" (creature of one cell, or creature of trillions of cells) learns that there is something positive to be gained by "going through" the momentarily distasteful "threshold"...

...but before they can take advantage of the positive, they have to LEARN that there IS a positive future reward for going through the momentarily off-putting initial reaction.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2016 08:36PM by Tevai.

Thank you for posting this, Tal...

I am always interested in studies connected to learning, and the fact that actual learning is now established as occurring in one-celled creatures indicates whole new levels of understanding to come for living creatures of more than one cell.

We DO live in interesting times!!!

:) :) :)

Are cells aware to some degree? I don't have a problem with that. Single cell animals thrive. They reproduce. They are individual beings. Nice post, Tal.

I have a bunch of one particular type of cell in one particular part of my body that knows how to communicate.

When they reproduce and there gets to be too many of them, and they get crowded, they are able to communicate to me that its time to let them out :)

Does this mean protozoans can be taught the gospel? If so, I have some pond water I'd like to ship off to MTC. Don't worry, they don't eat much.

Thanks Tal. A thought-provoking experiment that raises so many questions. With no brain or nervous system, where is the information stored? For that matter, where in the structure of a single cell is the recognition of a "harmful" substance versus actual food?

I just read another article on a different slime mold that defies evolution by having some cells sacrifice their reproductive potential in favor of increasing those options for other cells in the group. Life really is complicated.

http://www.biologyreference.com/Se-T/Slime-Molds.html

The Turtles Are Consciousnesses All The Way Down:

https://www.edge.org/response-detail/10930

Hmmm... basic chemical response reprogramming. I actually wonder if this study presents anything new?

How is this different from how immune systems works. How is this different to how plant roots grow? They don't offer an explanation or investigate any signalling pathway. Really seems like a weak paper in my opinion.