How it works
- Sniff: three sensors look ahead (left, front, right).
- Turn toward whichever smells strongest.
- Step forward and leave a trail, which slowly spreads and fades.
That is all. Trails attract more agents, which lay more trail, so busy routes get stronger and unused ones fade. Networks appear without anyone planning them.
In 2010, Tero et al. (Science 327:439) put oat flakes on a map in the positions of the cities around Tokyo. The real slime mold grew a network close to the Tokyo rail system, and about as efficient. Try the Map of Korea scene and turn on the rail lines to compare.
Agent model after Jeff Jones (2010), Artificial Life 16(2).