r/interesting • u/freudian_nipps • 16d ago

NATURE Death of a single-celled organism

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u/Visible-Scientist-46 16d ago edited 16d ago

Right, but was it intentional, caused by something in the intentionally in the petri dish?

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u/GuardianViolet 16d ago

It was a microorganism called Blepharisma musculus, which have a pink pigment that oxidizes quickly in light. The light from the microscope caused the pigment to oxidize, and it essentially melted to death from the heat of the chemical reaction

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u/Secure_Guest_6171 16d ago

appreciate the explanation. my biology knowledge is weak.
but looking it up i learned these creatures can grow to relatively enormous size by *CANNIBALISM*!
What???

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u/MichloIW 16d ago

Did you never play Spore? :)

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u/Different_Software82 15d ago

Reminded me of an even simpler game called Flow (it was a flash game)