BWE
Posts: 1902
Joined: Jan. 2006
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My mom was a botanist way back in the 50's. We were hippies before there were hippies. I used to get a nickel a bug for new bugs I could catch to put in her collection. The catch: it had to be one she didn't have. I learned a lot about ecosystems from that one. (and bugs). Our summer road trips were to wilderness places to look for new birds. My mom kept a journal. I was little when Rachel Carlson wrote Silent Spring but I remember it as a major event. I was doomed from an early age. And having a history prof for a dad was a double whammy. I got it from both ends of the spectrum.
I kept the slime mold (Slimy Sam) in a glass terrerium. No kidding, it was the intended inhabitant. I'm sure a lot of Slimy probably escaped but he kept coming back, just when you'd think he wouldn't. We did a lot of varying temp. moisture, food sources (he liked maple leaves best, er, I think), light etc to get him to come and go. He would fruit when he got dry and bright light if I remember correctly, there was a lot of randomness (or perhaps lack of good laboratory controls). I'm not sure it is technically a sporophyte stage when you're talking slime mold but a sporangia fruiting body with haploid spores is what would happen.
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Who said that ev'ry wish would be heard and answered
When wished on the morning star
Somebody thought of that, and someone believed it
Look what it's done so far
The Daily Wingnut
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