Slime Mold The Mysterious Living Blobs Science Project: Grow, Observe & Experiment
Introduction
Imagine a creature that moves without legs, thinks without a brain, and can solve problems! Sounds like a science-fiction story, right? But it’s real! Slime molds are one of the most fascinating organisms on Earth. They don’t fit into the plant, animal, or fungus categories—they are something in between! In this project, we will grow and observe Physarum polycephalum, a slime mold that can navigate, find food, and even “remember” the best paths to reach its goal. Let’s dive into this exciting experiment and uncover the secrets of slime molds!
Objectives
By the end of this project, you will be able to:
Understand the unique behavior of slime molds. Observe how slime molds grow and respond to their environment. Conduct experiments to see how they react to light, temperature, and food placement. Learn about their movement, reproduction, and survival strategies.
Background Information
Slime molds were once classified as fungi because they produce spores. However, scientists later discovered that slime molds lack chitin (a substance in fungi cell walls) and can move like amoebas. This led to their reclassification as protists—a diverse group of microscopic organisms.
Physarum polycephalum is a plasmodial slime mold, meaning it behaves like a giant cell with thousands of nuclei. It can move toward food, avoid obstacles, and even solve simple mazes by finding the shortest route to a food source. Some scientists believe that studying slime molds could lead to breakthroughs in robotics and artificial intelligence! 
Materials Needed
To grow and observe slime molds, you will need:
- Slime Mold Growing Kit (includes: Physarum polycephalum culture, petri dishes, agar, and sterilized oatmeal flakes)
- Non-nutrient agar (growth medium for the slime mold)
- Distilled water
- Clean, sharp knife
- Plastic tape
- Aluminum foil
- Magnifying glass
Safety Precautions
Important:
- Do not handle slime molds if you have mold allergies.
- Dispose of them properly after the experiment.
Step-by-Step Procedure
Step 1: Prepare the Growth Medium
To grow slime molds, we first need to create a suitable environment:
Mix 2% non-nutrient agar by dissolving 20 grams of agar in 1 liter of distilled water.
Heat the mixture as per the kit instructions until fully dissolved.
Pour the agar into a petri dish and allow it to solidify.
Step 2: Introducing the Slime Mold
Sprinkle 15-20 oatmeal flakes on the agar to serve as food.
Use a clean knife to cut a 1 cm (½ inch) cube of the Physarum culture.
Place the slime mold cube in the center of the agar with the Physarum side facing down.
Step 3: Creating the Ideal Environment
Cover the petri dish with its lid and seal the edges with tape to prevent contamination.
Wrap the dish in aluminum foil to maintain darkness, as slime molds prefer dark conditions.
Store the dish in a room-temperature environment (20–25°C) and let it grow undisturbed for three days.
Step 4: Observing Slime Mold Growth
After three days, carefully remove the aluminum foil and use a magnifying glass to observe. What do you see?
Observations & Scientific Explanation
What Happens During Growth?
- The slime mold spreads across the agar, reaching out toward the oatmeal flakes.
- If the oatmeal is placed far apart, the slime mold grows only in the direction of the food.
- Under magnification, you may see thin, thread-like fibers (sporangiophores) and tiny spore-producing balls (sporangia).
How Does It Move?
Unlike fungi, slime molds do not have rigid cell walls. Instead, they use:
- Microfilaments (tiny protein fibers) that act like miniature muscles, pushing and pulling the slime mold forward.
- Chemical signals to detect food and move toward it.
- A movement speed of 0.1 cm per hour—slow, but effective!
Reproduction of Slime Molds
When food or water runs out, the slime mold transforms: It forms threadlike stalks with spore-producing bodies. These spores are carried by wind or rain to new locations. When conditions improve, the spores hatch into new slime molds.
Fun Fact: If a slime mold is cut into pieces, the parts can reunite and continue growing together!
Fun Experiments to Try
1. Does Slime Mold Follow Food?
- Place only 2-3 oatmeal flakes on the agar.
- Observe if the slime mold detects and grows toward the food!
2. Does Light Affect Slime Mold Growth?
- Cover only half of the petri dish with aluminum foil.
- Observe whether the slime mold prefers the dark side or the light side.
3. Does Temperature Matter?
- Grow the slime mold at different temperatures (warm room vs. cold room).
- Observe how temperature affects growth speed.
Conclusion
Slime molds are extraordinary organisms that behave like a mix of fungi and amoebas. They move, respond to their environment, and even solve problems by finding the shortest paths to food. Our experiment showed how slime molds detect food, avoid obstacles, and adapt to their surroundings.
By conducting additional experiments, we can learn even more about these fascinating living creatures. Slime molds might be simple in appearance, but they showcase some of nature’s most mind-blowing abilities! 
Project Summary
Slime molds move toward food using chemical signals. They avoid light and prefer warm temperatures. They reproduce using spores when conditions become unfavorable. They can solve mazes and remember food locations!
Final Thoughts
Slime molds are a great example of how nature can surprise us with its hidden intelligence. They may look like simple blobs, but they have survival strategies that could inspire future technologies in computing, robotics, and more!
What will you discover in your slime mold experiment? 
This project is designed to be fun, engaging, and educational. Try different experiments, ask questions, and explore the mysterious world of slime molds! 
