organisms

Its prevalence in Southeast Asian cuisine inspired Hill-Maini, who once worked as a chef, to investigate the spore-bearing organisms behind the dish and figure out how the fungus that creates it could be embraced worldwide.

Songs are living organisms — you have to keep breathing life into them or giving them new bedfellows.

Jokura told Salon that although no other animal has demonstrated “functional fusion” in the manner seen with the comb jellies, other organisms like corals, sponges and ascidians can physically behave as if they are a single entity despite containing numerous individuals.

“However, this differs from our finding, where previously independent organisms fused in just a few hours, merging nervous and digestive systems functionally,” Jokura said.

Modern genetics has enabled scientists to do much more: to make precise, targeted changes to the DNA of organisms in a lab.