One Variety of Sea Slugs Cuts Out the Energy Middleman

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?"

Comments

eating

[mcgrew]

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.

Re:eating

[confused one]

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.

Re:eating

[clone53421]

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.

Re:eating

[mea37]

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.

No you don't

[kiick]

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

Re:Gene transfer question?

[osu-neko]

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.