Thoughts from the lab: Symbiotic intelligence
It is easy to argue that humanity is the most intelligent life on Earth, we invented the periodic table, religions, musical instruments and the space shuttle; thus, it is easy to imagine that other lifeforms such as microorganisms exist to serve our existence. Or could it be that multicellular life has evolved to serve the needs of microorganisms? Could we be the result of the unconscious design of these small beings? Is it possible that all these billions of cells combine their powers to shape their environment, enhance their lifespan, and increase their chances of reproduction? Just as we humans use materials from our surroundings to create tools to aid our chances of survival. There are numerous examples of microorganisms using inorganic materials to create structures resembling human cities. Just like this "underwater city," or microbial consortia formed by microorganisms over hundreds or thousands of years showcases.
The biofilms formed by microbial communities on surfaces often demonstrate an ability to understand their environment and how best to behave within it, often displaying skills that are equal to or even greater than those of humanity. As an example, it has been demonstrated that slime molds have the ability to always find the shortest path from point A to B and have been used to assist in the planning of urban railway systems. Based on this information, one might ask what prevents these organisms from developing consciousness one day?
What we at Grugg og Makk do in our lab and when we brew our wild-ales, is working with a mixed culture of yeast and bacteria, not so different from a processes many people are perhaps more familiar with in making sourdough bread or kombucha the difference being that we find new cultures out in the wild that we then nurture, instead of introducing already established cultures. Those of you who have worked with making kombucha may recognize the living microbial culture that is often called scopy or S.C.O.B.Y. an acronym for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. The microbial culture for making kombucha, like many other well known living microbial cultures, has been cultivated by humanity over the centuries for the purpose of extending the shelf life of food and making it more appealing for consumption. One could thus liken these biofilms to tamed ecosystems. You could also argue, that we are a part of their symbiotic relationship in their efforts to survive. In these biofilms, hundreds of organisms communicate by sending chemical signals to one another, activating and deactivating different aspects according to their environment—a process known as quorum sensing. It is truly fascinating to think of and observe how these communities work together in amazing ways to maintain access to nutrients and even form bonds and go to war to defend their territories. When this symbiosis begins to multiply in a way that makes it impossible to see or understand where one individual begins and another ends, this symbiosis may be viewed as a single cohesive organism.
What the Grugg & Makk team has increasingly come to realize through the fascinating and, in many ways, humbling process of working with microbes is that we should all confront the fact that our existence on this planet is bound to all its elements and that we are merely one small part of a vast ecosystem. With increased scientific knowledge, it is becoming clearer that our lives are dependent on forces that we cannot see with the naked eye.