The baffling intelligence of a single cell: how E. coli does chemotaxis
jsomers · hn · 2026-10-11
A classic jsomers.net essay resurfaced on HN, using E. coli chemotaxis to show how 'intelligent' a single cell can be.
- With no brain, bacteria run memory, decision-making, and navigation through a few dozen receptor proteins and feedback loops.
- Chemotaxis works by comparing past vs. present concentration rather than sensing gradients directly; methylation-based memory enables adaptation and error correction at the molecular scale.
- The author argues this robust molecular control system mirrors engineered control systems, prompting a rethink of the minimal form of intelligence.
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