The research focuses on the principle of slime mold ability to fuse together to create a pathway. This principle is experimented with to mimic the mechanical functioning of individual units fusing to form a single unit when required.

 

When two or more slime mold cells meet, they dissolve the cell membranes that separate each individual and fuse together in one membrane. When slime molds are placed in a new environment, they’ll spread out in every direction in a fractal pattern, assessing the lay of the land. If they find something beneficial to them, like food, they’ll reinforce the pathway.