Slime: A Natural History

Journalist and biologist Wedlich debuts with a slick dive into the “secret world” of slime. A “dark and dystopian mirror to our own world,” slime embodies the epitome of gross, the author writes; for centuries, humans have been repulsed by hydrogels, despite their importance to life. “There is probably no slime-free life form in existence, and maybe there never was,” Wedlich notes, offering a close-up examination of the gooey medium in all its glory, including the “pedal mucus” that snails slide on and the “slimy barriers” essential to human respiratory, immune, and digestive systems. Wedlich covers slime’s many potential applications, including as a bio-adhesive—the U.S. Navy, for example, is “trialling the use of military lab-grade hagfish slime” to stop enemy ships. Elsewhere, Wedlich offers intriguing descriptions of the mucus that carnivorous plants use to snag prey; the “jelly-like matrix” in the tissue of hadal snailfish, the world’s deepest-dwelling fish, that helps them withstand high pressure; and eukaryotic organisms called slime mold: “These ruthlessly hungry slime creatures swap experiences and pass on information simply by merging.” Wedlich’s unique angle makes for fascinating revelations infused with fun. Pop science fans will have a hard time putting this down. (Feb.)