The Living Universe - Duane Elgin [19]
Looking one step above the level of the atom, we find a rudimentary consciousness present at the level of primitive molecules. Researchers have found that molecules consisting of no more than a few simple proteins have the capacity for primary perception that is the signature of living systems. As one of the researchers who made this discovery stated, “We were surprised that such simple proteins can act as if they had a mind of their own.”23
Stepping up from molecules, we look at the smallest “living” entities, single-celled microbes that are found everywhere from inside our intestines to the scum on the surface of a pond. Scientists studying bacteria, amoebas, and yeast have discovered that they are intensely social creatures possessing unique forms of language. These single-cell creatures are not loners; instead, they are connected as a community and use chemicals to communicate with one another. This is amazing enough, but the truly remarkable finding is that the same chemical communication can have different meanings in different circumstances. Microbes are not unconscious machines but discerning organisms with a social intelligence previously considered possible only in the realm of intelligent animals such as primates.24
The behavior of slime mold is another clear illustration of sentience in the smallest organisms. Slime molds are primitive organisms that originated very early in Earth’s history and are not classified as either a plant or an animal. For most of its life, slime mold exists as a single-cell organism, living in moist soil, feeding on decaying bark, leaves, and other matter on the forest floor. When the food supply runs out, something remarkable happens: between 10,000 and 50,000 individual cells come together to create a multicellular organism. Individual cells organize themselves, without the aid of an apparent leader, into a flower-like stalk supporting a ball of spores. This micro “super-organism” seems to have a will of its own and is able to move across a forest floor, responding to changes in light and temperature. Upon reaching a better feeding area, the multicellular entity releases its spores into the air, dispersing them into the more favorable feeding ground. New single cells grow from the spores and then go about their foraging as individuals.25 Through its actions, slime mold demonstrates that, at the fundamental level of individual cells, some form of primary consciousness is able to communicate with the consciousness of other cells to co-create a larger entity. In turn, this larger entity is able to respond to the surrounding environment and to work for collective survival.
Another single-celled organism that is more conscious than we thought is the amoeba. Studying their microscopic feeding patterns in a Petri dish, scientists have discovered they demonstrate a rudimentary consciousness—they do not move about randomly; instead, they are able to remember the last turn they made as they go about looking for food.26 Again we find a primary consciousness operating at the simplest levels of biological organization.
Turning to a higher level of complexity and the world of plants, scientists have found plants can communicate with one another using subtle odor molecules. Plants can send out chemical signals that repel insects; they can also attract insects that eat the pests that feed on their leaves. Not only can plants use chemical signals in their defense, they can also use them to warn other plants of danger, enabling their neighbors to jump-start their defenses.27 Again, we find a rudimentary knowing or a discerning sentience.
When we turn