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B ees making honey, termites building their incredible nests, and geese flying in a V formation: we can all think of animals that work in teams to achieve their goal.the Hawaiian bobtail squid

But what if we discovered that even the smallest creatures with no ears to hear, no sense of touch and no central intelligence - also work in teams to reach an objective?A particular kind of squid contains bacteria called Vibrio fischeri, which, once they are in sufficient numbers, shine a light that allows the host animal to hunt at night.Each bacterium gives off a chemical that can be read only by members of the same species; the concentration of this chemical can tell it how many of its siblings are nearby.Some are deadly, the cause of numerous diseases.Their secret lies in teamwork.

B ees making honey, termites building their incredible nests, and geese flying in a V formation: we can all think of animals that work in teams to achieve their goal. And we might be under the impression that it is somehow a sign of their cleverness.

the Hawaiian bobtail squid

But what if we discovered that even the smallest creatures with no ears to hear, no sense of touch and no central intelligence - also work in teams to reach an objective?

Bacteria play a crucial role in life on our planet. Some are deadly, the cause of numerous diseases. Some are helpful they digest our food, synthesize our vitamins and help us make wine and cheese.

How do these single-celled organisms manage such important functions? Their secret lies in teamwork. Each bacterium gives off a chemical that can be read only by members of the same species; the concentration of this chemical can tell it how many of its siblings are nearby. They don't make moves at random: they wait until there are enough of them for the actions to be effective and coordinate what they do.

Some animals depend upon bacteria for their ability to survive. A particular kind of squid contains bacteria called Vibrio fischeri, which, once they are in sufficient numbers, shine a light that allows the host animal to hunt at night. In return, the bacteria are kept well fed. In the morning, the squid gets rid of some of the bacteria, and the light goes out. The remaining bacteria multiply during the day until, by nightfall, there are enough of them to start the process all over again.

bacteria the simplest and smallest forms of life