Slashdot Mirror
Problem-Solving Bacteria Crack Sudoku
techbeat writes "A strain of Escherichia coli bacteria can now solve logic puzzles – with some help from a group of students at the University of Tokyo, Japan, reports New Scientist. The team began with 16 types of E. coli, each colony assigned a distinct genetic identity depending on which square it occupied within a four-by-four sudoku grid.The bacteria can also express one of four colors to represent the numerical value of their square. As with any sudoku puzzle, a small number of the grid squares are given a value from the beginning by encouraging the bacteria in these squares to differentiate and take on one of the four colors. The Tokyo team's sudoku-solving bacteria competed in the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology last week."
Now if we can just get the bacteria to watch "Sarah Palin's Alaska", we'll have another 3.4x10^35 registered Republican voters.
They can solve the Times crossword, *then* I'll be impressed.
Not only that, but I wouldn't trust E. Coli bacteria for ANY solutions because they're usually full of shit ..er.. I mean they're usually on shit....no! I mean ....ah fuck it!
RIP America
July 4, 1776 - September 11, 2001
The fact that you're comparing your abilities to that of bacteria worries me.
If it rhymes it must be true.
When I clicked on the first link, I got a preview "article" titled "Sign in to read: brain asymmetry eases hypnotic trance". What relation does this have to the summary?
Once you're in an asymmetric hypnotic trance /. seems much easier to understand.
"Sudokoli"