Introduction
Our civilisation depends on well-structured transport systems to facilitate the movement of people, goods, and information between locations. Nevertheless, constructing such networks is a complex task that demands attributes like efficiency, affordability, and resistance against disruptions or failure. Once again, human intelligence is outshone by a humble eukaryotic organism.
Introducing Physarum polycephalum, a member of the fungi family, a slime mould with the remarkable ability to determine optimal and most efficient urban pathways for transportation.
Transportation criteria:
Cost
→ Is it affordable to build upon this plan?
Efficiency
→ What is the fastest yet safest route to navigate and carry people between locations?
Fault Tolerance
→ Will there be any concerns with safety?
Optimising Tokyo’s complex cityscape
Scientists in a Japanese laboratory used the Physarum polycephalum slime mould, resembling an amoeba-like blob, to study and improve network design principles, particularly in the context of transport networks. The mould, Physarum polycephalum, spontaneously formed intricate networks while foraging for food. It had the ability to connect scattered food sources and navigate mazes efficiently. Researchers wondered if it could optimise Tokyo's complex cityscape.
In the study, Physarum polycephalum was grown in a dish representing Tokyo, with oat flakes marking the locations of major cities in the Greater Tokyo Area. The mould efficiently developed a network connecting these oat flakes, strikingly resembling Tokyo's actual rail system.
Why is this Mould so special?
The slime mould's unique self-optimization process involves laying down networks without planning. Moreover, this mould can strengthen successful connections and remove less efficient ones. This process resulted in a network with higher efficiency, less cost and decreased fault tolerance compared to human-designed networks.
Physarum polycephalum on tree bark
Slime Mould Imitates the United States Interstate System
In an experiment mimicking the U.S. interstate system, Physarum polycephalum was placed in the New York area. Within 12 hours, it spread to cover New York, Boston, and Charlotte and started moving into Atlanta and Nashville. Over the next day, it expanded to include more cities like Milwaukee, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Chicago, Kansas City, and Oklahoma City. Initially, it formed a fine network of tubes, but over time, some were abandoned, and others grew. The rest of the urban areas were fully colonised within an additional 24 hours.
(a) 12 hours (b) 36 hours (c) 60 hours
Other examples
Researchers, including Raphael Kay and Anthony Mattacchion, tested the model with real-world examples, including the layout of Canada's Wonderland amusement park and Toronto's subway stations. The results showed that the model could create more efficient and resilient networks than existing ones, suggesting its potential to enhance infrastructure planning and design.
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