Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

One Variety of Sea Slugs Cuts Out the Energy Middleman

Posted by timothy on from the would-never-leave-the-house dept.

dragonturtle69 writes with this story, short on details but interesting: "These sea slugs, Elysia chlorotica, have evolved the ability to gain energy via photosynthesis. Forget about genetic modifications for sports enhancements. I want to be able to never need to eat again — or do I?"

8 of 232 comments (clear)

  1. Mail Order Monsters by bigattichouse · · Score: 2, Insightful

    That was my totally favorite upgrade in Mail Order Monsters - recharge from the sub!

    --
    meh
  2. eating by mcgrew · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I want to be able to never need to eat again -- or do I?

    I'l like the ability to never HAVE to eat again, but I wouldn't want to lose the ability to eat at all. Eating is enjoyable. One would hope that you could control the photosynthesis to keep from getting too fat, though.

    --
    Free Martian Whores!
    1. Re:eating by confused+one · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Slugs aren't very energetic. It's doubtful that photosynthesis alone will provide the energy necessary to power your body and that meat based computer in your head. You would still need to ingest a fair amount of food, in order to extract the concentrated energy contained in it.

    2. Re:eating by clone53421 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      New rule: You’re only allowed to intentionally miss the point of a joke if the joke you’re making is funnier than the one you’re ignoring.

      --
      Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
    3. Re:eating by mea37 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The point I think you (and GP, and the submitter, and many others) are missing is, photosynthesis does not remove the need to eat. Energy isn't the only thing you get from food. If you had vitamin pills so effective that you could live on them, plus sugar, plus water - and nothing else - then you could replace the sugar with the ability to perform photosynthesis. Such pills do not exist.

      In case you're wondering, plants do indeed "eat". That's why they need roots in fertile soil.

  3. No you don't by kiick · · Score: 3, Insightful

    As everybody knows....
    It's not easy being green.

  4. So What, It would still be a good thing... by jameskojiro · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Especially in Third world countries where there is plenty of sun, not much food and not much to do other than subsistence living,. At least it would be enough to get a lot of starving humans through the dry famine months that they get in thrid world countries near the equator.

    Sure their skin would be green, but that beats starving to death.

    --
    Tsukasa: All I really want, is to be left alone...
  5. Re:Gene transfer question? by osu-neko · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Wouldn't that be a fluke that only needed to happen once?

    Calling it a "fluke" is not an explanation. The thing about scientists is, they like to find out how these "flukes" happen.

    --
    "Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies."