Michael Levin

Physarum polycephalum is a tiny brainless slime mold, resembling spilled lemonade. But this blob, living in humid environments, can solve mazes. Its secret lies in a unique way of processing information: it uses fluid flows and chemical signals, turning its entire body into a kind of liquid processor. Every movement, every reaction becomes a computational step.

A jazz ensemble: at first, a cacophony of random notes. Then — a catchy riff that plays over and over. Such is the riddle of the origin of life — only in the language of chemistry.