A slug that can directly photosynthesize!

humy

Science

08 Feb 15

humy

Joined: 06 Mar 12
Moves: 642

08 Feb 15

4 edits

Green sea slug has taken genes from algae it eats, allowing it to photosynthesize like a plant:

http://phys.org/news/2015-02-sea-slug-genes-algae-photosynthesize.html

Its back even looks just like a green leaf complete with branching leaf veins!

I had thought about putting this in the "plants behaving like animals" thread
but this is more like "animals behaving like plants"!

vivify

rain

Joined: 08 Mar 11
Moves: 12456

09 Feb 15

It would be interesting if some kind of procedure could allow humans this ability. It would help solve world hunger.

Paul Dirac II

Joined: 30 Sep 12
Moves: 731

09 Feb 15

Originally posted by humy
I had thought about putting this in the "plants behaving like animals" thread but this is more like "animals behaving like plants"!

Indeed.

Paul Dirac II

Joined: 30 Sep 12
Moves: 731

09 Feb 15

I have never lived in a place that has stick insects, but they are fascinating in how they mimic the appearance of vegetation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phasmatodea

googlefudge

Joined: 31 May 06
Moves: 1795

09 Feb 15

Originally posted by vivify
It would be interesting if some kind of procedure could allow humans this ability. It would help solve world hunger.

As long as we grow huge flaps of skin that can be spread out to catch the sun and then spend all day sunbathing...

😛

Ponderable

chemist

Linkenheim

Joined: 22 Apr 05
Moves: 669974

11 Feb 15

Originally posted by vivify
It would be interesting if some kind of procedure could allow humans this ability. It would help solve world hunger.

Well if you see the surface of a human and their energy consumption you would ahve to stay nekd in the sun for long times to "eat"

sonhouse

Fast and Curious

slatington, pa, usa

Joined: 28 Dec 04
Moves: 53321

11 Feb 15

1 edit

Originally posted by googlefudge
As long as we grow huge flaps of skin that can be spread out to catch the sun and then spend all day sunbathing...

😛

And have protection from UV....You could have your video games right there, VR helmet and you go visit anywhere in the universe in VR.

This might lead to the end of the human race, you would have to also contrive to make them immortal since they might not even bother to reproduce.....