Fact checking: Flatworms and memory tests?

[Alinestra Covelia]

I read an old (mid-1970s) book on neurology and the study of insect and hominid brains. In it, there were reports of a study done on flatworms which suggested that knowledge could be transferred by eating. (!)

The test was something like this: a flatworm would be taught how to run a maze through shock aversion. Eventually the flatworm would know the right path without any wrong turns.

The flatworm was then killed and fed to another flatworm. The second flatworm would then be tested with the same map layout and demonstrated considerably fewer wrong turns than would be expected of a first-time run-through.


I'm well aware that there are lots of factual questions I'm missing here (like whether flatworms leave a distinct trail that others could follow, etc.) but has anybody read anything about this report and whether it's since been discredited or bolstered?

[Q Classic]

http://www.dur.ac.uk/robert.kentridge/bpp2mem1.html

Haven't read enough to comment yet.

[Lul Thyme]

I remember reading about this and someone making the observation that an alternative explanation is that well-fed flatworms performed better in these tests.

I don't know if the experimental setup actually controlled for this.

[Docfeelgood]

Having ideas?

[Japher]

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[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

I'm well aware that there are lots of factual questions I'm missing here (like whether flatworms leave a distinct trail that others could follow, etc.) but has anybody read anything about this report and whether it's since been discredited or bolstered?

Morphic resonance.

It's been noted in many animals. Once enough animals in one location learn a certain trick, suddenly similar animals know how to do it spontaneously. The spread is far too swift for it to be observational learning.

It's like when foil tops were introduced to milk bottles in Britain. Everything was fine until one day, a few Blue Tits were noticed pecking open the tops to get the cream (dairy products aren't in their natural diet). Then (KABOOM!), all over the country they were all at it.

[Wezil]

Morphic resonance.

Looks pretty dubious.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

I don't claim any sort "Wow Man!" magic to it. It's just a label attached to something that's pretty inexplicable right now.

Some prefer to term it "Non-observational learning", but that's such a terribly prosaic title. "Morphic resonance" is like having your nuts tickled in comparison.

[Wezil]

My brief research on the subject leaves me

The guy who apparently coined the phrase:

http://www.primalspirit.com/pr1_1sheldrake_nature_as_alive.htm

And a critic:

http://skepdic.com/morphicres.html

I'm going with the skeptics on this one.

[Docfeelgood]

Morphic resonance.

It's been noted in many animals. Once enough animals in one location learn a certain trick, suddenly similar animals know how to do it spontaneously. The spread is far too swift for it to be observational learning.

It's like when foil tops were introduced to milk bottles in Britain. Everything was fine until one day, a few Blue Tits were noticed pecking open the tops to get the cream (dairy products aren't in their natural diet). Then (KABOOM!), all over the country they were all at it.

[Tattila the Hun]

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[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Seeing as it's linked to flatworms and other possessors of rudimentary intelligence, it may also explain the phenomenal popularity of Rick Rolling.

[Docfeelgood]

Britney Spears or Paris Hilton.

[ahasverus]

According to tv-tropes, don't remember the subjects it's mentioned under, the only reason the worms followed their victims, where that the scientists used the same maze.
Ie. the worm followed the slime trail of their predescendants.
In fresh mazes of the same design no unusual results.

[Kuciwalker]

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