As Paramecia go in reverse, scientists explore microbial intelligence

Paramecia don’t make a habit of swimming backwards for long distances, but when Japanese researchers placed them in dead-ended tubes with no space to turn around, the Paramecia exhibited this new behavior. Adapting to changing conditions is a step in the development of early intelligence and this research gives a clue as to just how intelligent microbes might be. ~K.E.D.C.

Paramecium_caudatum from the archive of Josef Reischig (CC BY SA 3.0 license as a part of Wikimedia Czech Republic's GLAM initiative)
Paramecium caudatum from the archive of Josef Reischig (CC BY SA 3.0 license as a part of the GLAM initiative)