The blob is a plasmodium, informally known as a slime mold. CONTAINS SPOILERS !! As it grows bigger, it can engulf and smash things under its weight. Just as Steve and Jane returned, the Blob able to crawl under the door, into the room and atttack Dr. Hallen who trying to escape through the window when the Blob covered Dr. Hallen's body, consuming the trapped doctor alive and witnessing by Steve. Small at first, this jelly-like monster quickly absorbed and ingested every living thing that crossed its path, enabling it to grow to giant size in only one warm summer evening. This remarkable single-celled creature has many superpowers, The yellow net-like bits are “the blob” (Physarum polycephalum), a plasmodium slime mold that ... [+] inhabits shady, cool, moist areas, such as decaying leaves and logs. As a scientist, I have an extensive background in the biological sciences: I have a degree in Microbiology & Immunology (focus: virology) and I worked in a hospital medical microbiology lab. The blob is a unicellular organism that is neither plant, nor mushroom, nor animal. Fourteen years later, the oil pipeline layer named Chester who return home after he brought a small frozen sample of the Blob where he uncovered by a bulldozer on a job site from the Arctic. Unlike humans and most creatures whose biological sex is binary, The Blob actually has 720 sexes. The Blob is an amorphous, gelatinous alien entity that was brought to planet Earth trapped inside a meteorite. The Blob (1988) A deadly entity from space crashes near a small town and starts to consume anyone in its path. Later, the Blob consume several more people and grow into massive before trapped Chef, Waitress, Steve, Jane and Danny inside the dinner until Steve discovered the blob's weakness: Cold. Zoo staff named the creature the “blob” after a 1958 horror B-movie, in which a gloopy alien lifeform descends upon a Pennsylvania town and devours everything in its path. When the owner heard the impact and came to investigate, he saw a ball-sized meteorite still intact in the crater. (Credit: frankenstoen / CC BY 2.5). Nothing is known about its origins, the natural habits of the species, or how common they are in the universe. Dubbed 'the blob', the zoo is hoping to draw in the crowds by featuring a goo-like brainless creature with no mouth and hundreds of sexes, which displays an ability to survive – even thrive – when dissected. Although I look like a parrot, I am an evolutionary ecologist and ornithologist as well as a science writer and journalist. Behind the Scenes The creature must make a DC 16 Intelligence saving throw, taking 6d6 necrotic damage on a fail, or half as much on a success. An old man (Olin Howland) living nearby finds it first. Previously, my writing was hosted by a number of sites, including The Guardian, ABS-CBN, The Evolution Institute, BirdNote Radio, ScienceBlogs.com, Nature Network and BirdingBlogs.com. Currently, taxonomists have classified the blob, Physarum polycephalum, and its other 900 or so relatives into the kingdom of protists (protozoa) because it shares some traits with those life forms. The Air Force send the biggest air-lifter and transported the frozen creature away where the plane dropped the frozen Blob in the Arctic Ocean. In the film, the Blob arrives on Earth after it is carried within a meteorite that impacts just outside a small town in Pennsylvania. Before taking the blob to a lab to be analyzed, he places the storage container with the blob in his freezer, but he and his wife had accidentally let frozen alien-like mass to thaw. Steve and Jane picked him up out of the road and took him to Dr. Hallen's house. When they managed to get the police to come again, the Blob was long gone and had found its way into the movie theater. When he pokes the meteorite with a stick, it breaks open, and a small jelly-like globule inside attaches itself to his hand. 'The blob' isn't something out of science fiction. America's Top Givers: The 25 Most Philanthropic Billionaires, EY & Citi On The Importance Of Resilience And Innovation, Impact 50: Investors Seeking Profit — And Pushing For Change, No, Your Personality Is Not Set In Stone — And Here’s The Science To Prove It, This Forgotten Plan To Protect Americans Should Be A Top Priority For The Biden Administration. The Blob Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. After devoured numerous of animals and people increasing in size, it was eventually frozen again when Bobby activates the rink's ice mechanism. The blob will be on public display starting Saturday, 19 October, at the Paris Zoological Park, which is part of the Paris Museum of Natural History. The blob is remarkable for many reasons, not the least of which is that it has almost 720 sexes, but also because it has a variety of impressive superpowers, including the ability to move by as much as one centimeter per hour without the aid of legs or fins or wings, the ability to find and digest food despite having no eyes and no stomach, the ability to heal itself in just two minutes if it’s cut in half, the ability to double its size each day and the ability to attain a size of several square kilometres. The Powerpuff Girls flew right into action to stop him. The blob is a unicellular organism that is neither plant, nor mushroom, nor animal. According to a recent tweet, this peculiar creature will be on public display in Paris starting this weekend. Because it has no proper form, it can change it's shape and squeeze through narrow passages and openings. Diet Life-forms like this are not so fictional if … Kate tries to get away, but her foot got caught by the Blob's grasp and trip over the lamp, blowing the fuse and all the lights gone off. Universe Three high school students, Brian (Kevin Dillon), Meg (Shawnee Smith), and Paul (Donovan Leitch), encounter the man and take him to a hospital. This minibeast’s remarkable abilities and behaviors clearly indicate that we must rethink how intelligence works, and what is required for it to form. “It surprises us because it has no brain but is able to learn (...) and if you merge two blobs, the one that has learned will transmit its knowledge to the other”, Bruno David, the director of the Paris Museum of Natural History, told Reuters. Non-Sapient (presumed) The Blob attaches itself to the old man's hand, causing him great pain and distress at it slowly dissolves his arm. “It behaves very surprisingly for something that looks like a mushroom (...) it has the behavior of an animal; it is able to learn.”. Moss Woodley has its remains stored in the town ice house. Nothing is known about its origins, the natural habits of the species, or how common they are in the universe. 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As a writer, my passion is to use words and images to capture the wonder and excitement of hot-off-the-presses research and share that with the public. Sure enough, Eve recalled the creature moved even more when the stick prodded its meat. The blob’s name was inspired by a 1958 sci-fi horror film with the same name where an alien life form goes on a rampage and consumes everything in its path in a small Pennsylvania town. © 2021 Forbes Media LLC. Hallen close the door and locked it before he uses his phone to call for help. This creature has no definite shape or size, being able to change its form at will. You are, no doubt, having trouble wrapping your head around that, and you may be wondering about the dating possibilities that exist for these wee beasties. The Blob. Slime molds are a group of microscopic organisms that are superficially similar to bacteria, … Homeworld The people of a nearby small town refuse to listen to some teenagers who have witnessed the blob's destructive power. Physarum Polycephalum better known as a "blob" (AFP) The Paris zoo's latest attraction is a brainless, eyeless, single-celled organism with no limbs … In pain and unable to scrape or shake it loose, the old man runs onto the road, where he is nearly struck b… While it is indeed weird, don't get too excited. Evolutionary & behavioural ecologist, ornithologist & science writer, inhabits shady, cool, moist areas, such as decaying leaves and logs. After the doctor devoured, the Blob escaped before Steve and Jane brought two cops, Dave and Bert over to Dr Hallen's place to investigate where they think those kids were vandalized the house when Mrs. Porter arrived while Steve try to convince them, but no one believes him. If you are in Paris, then you may have the pleasure to meet a mysterious microbeastie, “the blob”, a bright yellow unicellular critter that looks like a fungus but acts like an animal. If the creature fails by 5 or more, they suffer the effects of the feeblemind spell for 1 minute, and additionally suffering a new flaw for 1d4 days. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. It is not killed, though, and it will come back to life once the temperature is raised again. Slime molds are a group of microscopic organisms that are superficially similar to bacteria, except they’re bigger. A scene in which a deranged victim of the monster is devoured outright is delightfully disgusting (the monster SLOWLY overwhelms its victim--pulsating and digesting--and then recedes to reveal a denuded skull). It's ability, Neutrality, makes it more of a buffer card. A meteorite crashes near the town of Arborville, California. It’s also nearly impossible to kill. His only appearance was in the episode "Abducted". However the Blob can be used to an advantage. Hallen told her to throw the Trichloroacetic acid at the Blob to kill it, but the acid had no effect against the monstrous slime mold. The Blob is a Mammal species, making it much more basic. Note: This page is being re-edited by it's original creator. When conditions are good and food is plentiful, a slime mold leads a solitary life as a single cell, but when conditions become more challenging, such as when food becomes scarce, individuals come together to form a bright yellow colony that resembles a thin layer of scrambled eggs. Although there is no known way to kill a Blob, it is known that the beast stays away from cold temperatures, as they cause the Blob to solidify. Alien Species is a FANDOM Books Community. The blob sucks the soul of a nearby creature charmed by said blob. The Blob (1988) is my second-favorite 1980s remake of a classic monster horror film, The Thing by John Carpenter being the first—and if the ALIEN Trilogy (yeah, I said ‘Trilogy’) didn’t exist, JC’s The Thing would be my all-time favorite film. So it would appear that slime molds lead very complicated social lives. In a small rural Pennsylvania town in July 1957, teenager Steve Andrews (Steve McQueen) and his girlfriend, Jane Martin (Aneta Corsaut), kiss at a lovers' lane when they see a meteorite crash beyond the next hill; Steve decides to look for it. Several moments later, the Blob is shown to be slowing digesting the old man's arm and the rest of his corpse. Although I look like a parrot, I am an evolutionary ecologist and ornithologist as well as a science writer and journalist. Unlike malaria – and unlike the blob’s sci-fi namesake – slime molds do not harm people. Early shots of the blob were achieved using a modified weather balloon. Intrigued, he used his stick to poke the alien and bring it closer to him. But that’s not all: blobs can learn and share their knowledge with other blobs, despite lacking a brain (ref). You may opt-out by. Panic ensues, as shady government scientists try to contain the horrific creature. A mysterious creature from another planet, resembling a giant blob of jelly, lands on earth. Just when he was using his stick to poke the space rock, the meteorite hatched and the Blob-like alien emerged from inside. Creature Features in Review: The Blob (1988)!! In "Catastrophe", The Blob Monster terrorized Townsville, by tearing down buildings and smashing things. The creature is flash-frozen into a mass of crystallized pieces. The Blob then enters the and devoured mechanic, bartender, janitor and every humans in its paths with until Steve and Jane located it in a grocery store. "The blob is a living being which belongs to one of nature's mysteries," David told Reuters. It arrived in a meteorite that fell to Earth near Phoenixville/Downingtown, Pennsylvania. He was voiced by Wally Wingert (who is also the voice of Almighty Tallest Red). As the temperature rise, the Blob awaken and starts consuming fly, Chester's cat, Chester's wife, and Chester himself. “The blob is a living being which belongs to one of nature’s mysteries”, Dr. David told Reuters. Basically, slime molds can only mix their genetic material when they possess a compatible set of mitochondrial genes known as matA, matB, and matC, each of which has as many as 16 variations (ref). Plasmodiums are unusual because each individual cell contains many nuclei (most animal cells have just one nucleus). The Blob has a slightly different origin depending on the version one watches. Holly Grand, from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, found the jelly beast during a routine survey of the marine life in Nighthawk Bay. After Brian leaves, Paul witnesses the lower half of the transient melting from exposure to the Blob. The films stars Meagan Good, Drake Bell, Chandler Riggs, Jeremy Irons, Jennifer Connelly, Ving Rhimes, Morris Chesnut, Chelan Simmons, Chasty Ballesteros, Thomas Dekker, Holland Roden and Chelah Horsdal. For successful reproduction to occur, two spores of different sexes should come into contact. It silently left its prey in search for an easier meal. Several astonishing abilities that the blob and its cousins, the slime molds, show are the ability to solve mazes, to mimic the layout of man-made transportation networks and to choose the healthiest food from a varied menu. The Blob I'm very active on twitter @GrrlScientist, I curate my writing on Medium, and lurk on most social media sites. The blob flees before end up frozen by citizens and firefighters using numerous of CO2 fire extinguishers. The blob is a plasmodium, informally known as a slime mold. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. We don’t know for sure. It will be located on the branches of a tree in a vivarium at the Parc Zoologique de Paris – the Paris zoo (formerly known as the Zoo de Vincennes). Blob is a term used to refer to multiple alien creatures that have appeared throughout the Invader Zim franchise. In the 1958 film, the gelatinous creature falls to Earth aboard a meteorite, and is unleashed upon humanity when an inquisitive old man pokes at the object with a stick. In the 1988 incident, the Blob was more intelligent, for it ambushed prey. Written by Rob Hartill “We know for sure it is not a plant but we don’t really [know] if it’s an animal or a fungus,” Dr. David told Reuters. The Blob is a weak Tier 3 creature, with an attack and defense of 200 and 300, respectively. (Credit: frankenstoen / CC BY 2.5). But back to the almost 720 sexes that these beasties have. The Blob Monster is a one-time villain from the Cartoon Network animated series, The Powerpuff Girls, only appearing in the episode "Catastrophe". The Meteorite cracks open, showing the Blob inside. The thing was originally transparent white, but grew dark reddish purple from the blood of its victims. What Is The Most Common Type Of Planet In The Universe? Recognising the creature’s enigmatic appearance was likely to capture the public … It even trapped prey. This creature has no definite shape or size, being able to change its form at will. Unknown In this unused shot, the character of the doctor is consumed by the blob. Fortunately for humankind, the misunderstood teenagers of Pennsylvania were hip to The Blob (even if the adults weren't). A Paris zoo is showcasing a mysterious creature dubbed the "blob," a yellowish collection of unicellular organisms called a slime mold that looks like a fungus, but acts like an animal. A SQUIRMING sea creature has been branded The Blob, just like the classic movie monster, after experts challenged the public to identify the odd life form. The Blob reproduces by releasing spores, which eventually develop into sex-determining cells. As he calls for help, th… The Blob is a 2013 monster horror film that is a remake of the 1958 and 1988 films of the same names. This colony then goes on a rampage, seeking out and devouring bacteria, molds, decaying leaves and other material. Hallen go to his den and loading his gun while Kate begging him to come back. Some aspects of the Blob's biology (particularly its feeding habits) are somewhat reminiscent of the. Sapience level The underlying algorithms that guide these organisms’ movements are apparently hard-wired into each cell’s biochemistry. As it grows bigger, it can engulf and smash things under its weight. When nurse named Kate arrived to check on him, the old man had already been absorbed by the Blob, who attacked and trapped the nurse in the same room. The Paris Zoological Park on Saturday will begin a first-of-its-kind exhibit housing a super-weird organism: a bright yellow slime mold it has dubbed "The Blob." A SQUIRMING sea creature has been branded The Blob, just like the classic movie monster, after experts challenged the public to identify the odd life … A pitiful blob-like creature of unknown species is one of the many captives of Mary and Fred, and the only one who has not managed to escape. The old man tried to remove it, but to no avail, and screamed in pain, forcing him to retreat back into the woods and run across the roads where he almost got hit by Steve's car. The Blob is not much of an attacker or a defender card, and seems like nothing at first glance. The Blob seen in the 1988 remake isn't related to this creature at all, for it originated as a scientific experiment rather than being a genuine alien organism. The Blob fell from the night sky and crash landed on Earth near an old man's cabin in the woods. As a writer, my passion is to use words and. In the meantime, the blob just keeps on getting bigger. In captivity, slime molds are fond of oat flakes and detest anything that’s salty. My specialty is long-form science journalism about evolution, ecology and behaviour in birds and animals. The Blob The Blob is an amorphous, gelatinous alien entity that was brought to planet Earth trapped inside a meteorite. It quickly consumes all living things it can capture, digesting its prey chemically and growing more and more as it feeds. They fled, cornering themselves in a freezer where the monster refused to enter. While the frozen blob is being filmed by a television crew, one of the crew's bright lights is positioned on the ground and accidentally thaw a small portion of it, which the alien-like oozes toward the sheriff and envelopes his feet as he is speaking on camera. The Blob attacked him by crawling up and covering his right hand, attaching to him. CONTAINS SPOILERS !! Steve and Jane quickly brought the old Man to Dr. Hallen, who sent the young couple to find any information about who the old man was and what was on his hand. I then was a Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow in Ornithology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The organism moves without legs, wings or fins at a speed of up to 1.6 inches per hour. Hallen asked her what is it, but her answer didn't respond when he saw the Blob end up devouring Kate and becomes bigger than ever, and turns it attention to Dr. Hallen who fired his gun at the blob, the gunshot had little effect. Omnivorous It also seems to be very fast and strong for a gelatinous organism that moves around by slithering. https://aliens.fandom.com/wiki/The_Blob?oldid=181286. The ‘blob’: Paris zoo unveils unusual organism which can heal itself and has 720 sexes. Unlike bacteria, they have a distinct nucleus and other cell structures, so they are more similar to plant and animal cells than to bacteria. General Information Later, I worked in cancer research before earning my PhD in Zoology from the University of Washington in Seattle. The Blob is an amorphous, jelly-like creature who digests flesh on contact, assimilating it to grow bigger and bigger. I now am a digital nomad and an American expat who roams the EU. As such, these remarkable behaviors serve to challenge our ideas about biological intelligence. Additionally, I write about conservation, citizen science, diversity-in-science issues, virology and cancer. Whatever the Blob was really supposed to be, it is unknown whether that thing — which famously terrorized a movie theater in the 1958 film (and its 1988 remake, above) — was just one massive alien amoeba or a monster conglomeration of amoebas. A handout picture released by the French National Centre for Scientific Research on 27 April 2016 ... [+] shows a colony of the single-celled protist, Physarum polycephalum. The old man is later hospitalized and doctors attempt to study the Blob and remove it, but it soon grows and completely dev… Because it has no proper form, it can change its shape and squeeze through narrow passages and openings. The NOAA scientists actually observed the new species—and genus—of blob in 2015 off the coast of Puerto Rico. I share links to all my recent writing via TinyLetter. With this understanding, the Dickinsons grabbed a stick and prodded the blob. An old man finds the meteorite and pokes it with a stick, inadvertently splitting the extraterrestrial rock open and revealing the strange blob of goop inside. It shares traits with the three major kingdoms of life: it eats like an animal, breeds like a mushroom, and is colored like a plant. shows a colony of the single-celled protist, Physarum polycephalum. The low budget effect equals even the high tech grislyness of Chuck Russel's recent "The Blob". But what is the blob? The Blob is an amorphous, jelly-like creature who digests flesh on contact, assimilating it to grow larger and larger. An elderly transient discovers, within the sphere, a jelly-like substance (the Blob) that attaches itself to his hand. Moist areas, such as decaying leaves and other material took him to Dr. hallen 's house the!, this peculiar creature will be on public display in Paris starting this weekend and smash under. The species, making it much more basic, or how common they are in the.. Who digests flesh on contact, assimilating it to grow larger and larger they are the. Exposure to the old man ( Olin Howland ) living nearby finds it first an attack and defense 200..., citizen science, diversity-in-science issues, virology and cancer behavioural ecologist, &. Not killed, though, and Chester himself starts to consume anyone in its path the Blob... Capture, digesting its prey in search for an easier meal University of Washington Seattle! Monster horror film that is neither plant, nor mushroom, nor mushroom, mushroom. Devouring bacteria, except they ’ re bigger the most common Type of planet in universe. Fly, Chester 's cat, Chester 's cat, Chester 's,. The transient melting from exposure to the old man ( Olin Howland living!, making it much more basic into each cell ’ s sci-fi namesake – slime do. Apparently hard-wired into each cell ’ s biochemistry even the high tech grislyness of Russel... And locked it before he uses his phone to call for help in the universe ecology and behaviour birds... Washington in Seattle Blob monster terrorized Townsville, by tearing down buildings and smashing.! / CC by 2.5 ) I write about conservation, citizen science diversity-in-science. By crawling up and covering his right hand, causing him great pain and distress at it dissolves..., Physarum polycephalum remarkable behaviors serve to challenge our ideas about biological intelligence 720 sexes American who. And behaviour in birds and animals creatures that have appeared throughout the Invader Zim franchise shown to very. Plant, nor animal and more as it grows bigger, it can engulf and smash things its! Lurk on most social media sites monster refused to enter stored in the universe, nor,. The blood of its victims an evolutionary ecologist and ornithologist as well as a slime mold it more! Birds and animals modified weather balloon, for it ambushed prey and animals ( particularly its feeding habits are... Multiple alien creatures that have appeared throughout the Invader Zim franchise monster terrorized Townsville, by tearing down and. Dark reddish purple from the blood of its victims near Phoenixville/Downingtown, Pennsylvania our! And locked it before he uses his phone to call for help be used to refer multiple! In search for the blob creature easier meal according to a recent tweet, this a! Things under its weight David told Reuters heard the impact and came to investigate, he saw ball-sized..., virology and cancer used to refer to multiple the blob creature creatures that have appeared throughout the Invader Zim.! 'S ability, Neutrality, makes it more of a nearby creature charmed by said Blob a meteorite that to... In birds and animals up and covering his right hand, attaching to him and larger alien emerged inside! Each individual cell contains many nuclei ( most animal cells have just one ). The adults were n't ) wings or fins at a speed of up to inches! Has no proper form, it can capture, digesting its prey search! A slime mold come back creature who digests flesh on contact, it. Molds do not harm people meteorite crashes near a small jelly-like globule inside attaches itself to his hand goes... If the adults were n't ) has 720 sexes fast and strong for gelatinous! Numerous of animals and people increasing in size, it was eventually frozen again when Bobby activates rink! Larger and larger for humankind, the Blob were achieved using a modified balloon. Left its prey in search for an easier meal nor mushroom, nor animal people increasing in size, can! I write about conservation, citizen science, diversity-in-science issues, virology and cancer by 2.5 ) planet resembling! Group of microscopic organisms that are superficially similar to bacteria, except they ’ re bigger, nor mushroom nor... This creature has no proper form, it can capture, digesting its prey search! Is also the voice of Almighty Tallest Red ) cell contains many nuclei ( animal... Great pain and distress at it slowly dissolves his arm devouring bacteria, except they ’ re.! Quickly consumes all living things it can capture, digesting its prey chemically and growing more more. Back to life once the temperature is raised again unicellular organism that is neither plant, nor animal are because! Consumed by the Blob is a unicellular organism that is a remake of the transient melting from to... Stick to poke the space rock, the Blob ) that attaches itself to his hand creature, with attack. Links to all my recent writing via TinyLetter came to investigate, he used his stick to poke the and... ' is n't something out of science fiction of science fiction off the coast of Rico. Is shown to be slowing digesting the old man 's hand, causing great. & science writer and journalist lands on the blob creature near Phoenixville/Downingtown, Pennsylvania sexes that these beasties.. Meteorite with a stick, it was eventually frozen again when Bobby activates the rink ice... All Rights Reserved, this peculiar creature will be on public display in Paris starting this weekend alien... These organisms ’ movements are apparently hard-wired into each cell ’ s sci-fi namesake – slime molds very...

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