Watch A Single Cell Organism Play Pac-Man In Real-Life

Researchers at the University of Southeast Norway made a Pac-Man style maze made out of fluid to study how a single-celled euglena didge their predators, the multi-celled rotifers.

According to themarysue.com, the video (not in English) features a real-life microscopic Pac-Man and will let you in on what the researchers at the University College of Southeastern Norway are up to. Basically, researchers want to know how a single-celled organism known as euglena (Pac-Man) reacts when faced with a life-or-death situation against a multicellular organisms, rotifers (the Ghost).

The "micromaze" is made of fluid and is less than 1mm in diameter. Researchers led by Professor Erik Andrew Johannessen of the Institute of Micro and Nano System Technology, explained that since the maze forms a 3D environment, it gave them a better view of the unicellular euglena and how it avoids its predators in a small area than if the organisms were in a petri dish. The tiny canals inside the maze also resemble the structures these creatures navigate to in the wild. Gizmodo.com said that the "Mikroskopisk Pacman" project is a move by the researchers to communicate with the public better, and for them to be able to show their findings as well.

Unlike the game Pac-Man, however, there are no power pellets, nor is there a presence of teleportation. The public will see two different types of organism running in a maze, one to escape the predator, and one hungry for their prey. Mostly, it looks like the microorganisms are all dashing around frantically, which seems pretty accurate to how most people play Pac-Man.

The team, which asked the help of film director Adam Bartley Iyslagt, said that the project not only helped them with their research but also helped them share the study's results to other people in a way that they can understand science better. They also said that it was an effected way to make the public engage with and raise awareness of science, The Verge reported.

The team also said they're focusing on creating more Pac-Man style levels in future projects, as well experiments based on other games, according to zmescience.com.