Researchers in Israel have found that soft coral can coordinate movement without a brain through what they are calling a “decentralized neural pacemaker system.”
A joint research team from Tel Aviv University and the University of Haifa recently published a study showing that the system functions through a network of communicating neurons, which gives the tentacles an understanding of how to move in unison.
University of Haifa’s Prof. Tamar Lotan compares this phenomenon to “an orchestra without a conductor.” She said that “each tentacle acts independently, but they are somehow able to ‘listen’ to each other and move in … perfect harmony.”
This suggests that the same process that makes the human heart beat automatically and allows for the effortless intake of breath has existed for hundreds of millions of years. Tel Aviv University’s Prof. Yehuda Benayahu stated in a news release: “There is no doubt that this study adds an important layer to our understanding of the wonders of the coral reef animal world … and underscores the paramount need to preserve these extraordinary natural ecosystems.”
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