Plausible materials/chemicals for a sentient blob creature to be made out of

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In my book series (link here), there is a blob creature (lime-green in color, has a radioactive glow, is sentient, has a bizarre and uncanny intelligence level (has the emotional intelligence and "street smarts" of the average 6-year-old but is capable of answering quantum physics questions that would baffle Einstein without a second thought, as well as having battlefield intelligence that would baffle the likes of Hannibal Barca), can completely regenerate his entire body unharmed as long as a single cell of his body remains, cannot feel physical pain, immune to conventional weapons, but melts in physical contact with vegetable matter, around 3'4" in height in his normal state but can mold his boneless body into whatever form he wants whenever he wants to, and is shaped like a gumdrop in his normal state). He was originally developed as a light buoyant blob to help shipwrecked sailors to the surface and was not even supposed to be sentient. However, during a break-in at the lab he was being developed in, some idiot spilled a chemical into the beaker where Bob was forming, bringing him to life. Here is my question: which chemicals, if any, would form at least a pseudoscientific explanation for this phenomenon?










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    Is the ability to accurately shape shift a requirement, as is full shapeshifting (mimicing something else), or juts able to change shape, but outwards material appearance would appear unchanged?
    – Blade Wraith
    2 days ago










  • @BladeWraith I didn't really mean shape-shift as in "change into an animal" or "disguise itself as another person". I meant it more as, this thing is completely amorphous in nature, allowing its body to take pretty much any form it wants to (whether it be elongating itself into a rope that ties itself around an enemy's neck; or melting itself down, flowing down an enemy's gullet, and rapidly expanding inside their stomach, blowing them up from the inside).
    – The Weasel Sagas
    2 days ago










  • This question made me feel nostalgic :)
    – The Anathema
    2 days ago














up vote
6
down vote

favorite
1












In my book series (link here), there is a blob creature (lime-green in color, has a radioactive glow, is sentient, has a bizarre and uncanny intelligence level (has the emotional intelligence and "street smarts" of the average 6-year-old but is capable of answering quantum physics questions that would baffle Einstein without a second thought, as well as having battlefield intelligence that would baffle the likes of Hannibal Barca), can completely regenerate his entire body unharmed as long as a single cell of his body remains, cannot feel physical pain, immune to conventional weapons, but melts in physical contact with vegetable matter, around 3'4" in height in his normal state but can mold his boneless body into whatever form he wants whenever he wants to, and is shaped like a gumdrop in his normal state). He was originally developed as a light buoyant blob to help shipwrecked sailors to the surface and was not even supposed to be sentient. However, during a break-in at the lab he was being developed in, some idiot spilled a chemical into the beaker where Bob was forming, bringing him to life. Here is my question: which chemicals, if any, would form at least a pseudoscientific explanation for this phenomenon?










share|improve this question



















  • 1




    Is the ability to accurately shape shift a requirement, as is full shapeshifting (mimicing something else), or juts able to change shape, but outwards material appearance would appear unchanged?
    – Blade Wraith
    2 days ago










  • @BladeWraith I didn't really mean shape-shift as in "change into an animal" or "disguise itself as another person". I meant it more as, this thing is completely amorphous in nature, allowing its body to take pretty much any form it wants to (whether it be elongating itself into a rope that ties itself around an enemy's neck; or melting itself down, flowing down an enemy's gullet, and rapidly expanding inside their stomach, blowing them up from the inside).
    – The Weasel Sagas
    2 days ago










  • This question made me feel nostalgic :)
    – The Anathema
    2 days ago












up vote
6
down vote

favorite
1









up vote
6
down vote

favorite
1






1





In my book series (link here), there is a blob creature (lime-green in color, has a radioactive glow, is sentient, has a bizarre and uncanny intelligence level (has the emotional intelligence and "street smarts" of the average 6-year-old but is capable of answering quantum physics questions that would baffle Einstein without a second thought, as well as having battlefield intelligence that would baffle the likes of Hannibal Barca), can completely regenerate his entire body unharmed as long as a single cell of his body remains, cannot feel physical pain, immune to conventional weapons, but melts in physical contact with vegetable matter, around 3'4" in height in his normal state but can mold his boneless body into whatever form he wants whenever he wants to, and is shaped like a gumdrop in his normal state). He was originally developed as a light buoyant blob to help shipwrecked sailors to the surface and was not even supposed to be sentient. However, during a break-in at the lab he was being developed in, some idiot spilled a chemical into the beaker where Bob was forming, bringing him to life. Here is my question: which chemicals, if any, would form at least a pseudoscientific explanation for this phenomenon?










share|improve this question















In my book series (link here), there is a blob creature (lime-green in color, has a radioactive glow, is sentient, has a bizarre and uncanny intelligence level (has the emotional intelligence and "street smarts" of the average 6-year-old but is capable of answering quantum physics questions that would baffle Einstein without a second thought, as well as having battlefield intelligence that would baffle the likes of Hannibal Barca), can completely regenerate his entire body unharmed as long as a single cell of his body remains, cannot feel physical pain, immune to conventional weapons, but melts in physical contact with vegetable matter, around 3'4" in height in his normal state but can mold his boneless body into whatever form he wants whenever he wants to, and is shaped like a gumdrop in his normal state). He was originally developed as a light buoyant blob to help shipwrecked sailors to the surface and was not even supposed to be sentient. However, during a break-in at the lab he was being developed in, some idiot spilled a chemical into the beaker where Bob was forming, bringing him to life. Here is my question: which chemicals, if any, would form at least a pseudoscientific explanation for this phenomenon?







science-based reality-check creature-design biochemistry






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edited 2 days ago

























asked 2 days ago









The Weasel Sagas

49612




49612







  • 1




    Is the ability to accurately shape shift a requirement, as is full shapeshifting (mimicing something else), or juts able to change shape, but outwards material appearance would appear unchanged?
    – Blade Wraith
    2 days ago










  • @BladeWraith I didn't really mean shape-shift as in "change into an animal" or "disguise itself as another person". I meant it more as, this thing is completely amorphous in nature, allowing its body to take pretty much any form it wants to (whether it be elongating itself into a rope that ties itself around an enemy's neck; or melting itself down, flowing down an enemy's gullet, and rapidly expanding inside their stomach, blowing them up from the inside).
    – The Weasel Sagas
    2 days ago










  • This question made me feel nostalgic :)
    – The Anathema
    2 days ago












  • 1




    Is the ability to accurately shape shift a requirement, as is full shapeshifting (mimicing something else), or juts able to change shape, but outwards material appearance would appear unchanged?
    – Blade Wraith
    2 days ago










  • @BladeWraith I didn't really mean shape-shift as in "change into an animal" or "disguise itself as another person". I meant it more as, this thing is completely amorphous in nature, allowing its body to take pretty much any form it wants to (whether it be elongating itself into a rope that ties itself around an enemy's neck; or melting itself down, flowing down an enemy's gullet, and rapidly expanding inside their stomach, blowing them up from the inside).
    – The Weasel Sagas
    2 days ago










  • This question made me feel nostalgic :)
    – The Anathema
    2 days ago







1




1




Is the ability to accurately shape shift a requirement, as is full shapeshifting (mimicing something else), or juts able to change shape, but outwards material appearance would appear unchanged?
– Blade Wraith
2 days ago




Is the ability to accurately shape shift a requirement, as is full shapeshifting (mimicing something else), or juts able to change shape, but outwards material appearance would appear unchanged?
– Blade Wraith
2 days ago












@BladeWraith I didn't really mean shape-shift as in "change into an animal" or "disguise itself as another person". I meant it more as, this thing is completely amorphous in nature, allowing its body to take pretty much any form it wants to (whether it be elongating itself into a rope that ties itself around an enemy's neck; or melting itself down, flowing down an enemy's gullet, and rapidly expanding inside their stomach, blowing them up from the inside).
– The Weasel Sagas
2 days ago




@BladeWraith I didn't really mean shape-shift as in "change into an animal" or "disguise itself as another person". I meant it more as, this thing is completely amorphous in nature, allowing its body to take pretty much any form it wants to (whether it be elongating itself into a rope that ties itself around an enemy's neck; or melting itself down, flowing down an enemy's gullet, and rapidly expanding inside their stomach, blowing them up from the inside).
– The Weasel Sagas
2 days ago












This question made me feel nostalgic :)
– The Anathema
2 days ago




This question made me feel nostalgic :)
– The Anathema
2 days ago










3 Answers
3






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
8
down vote



accepted










Hydrogel.



It's a macromolecular polymer gel made up of crosslinked polymer chains. It's elastic. It can swell, deform, and shift. And it's self-healing through hydrogen bonding.



Coelenterazine.



It's a compound called a luciferin in the protein aequorin found in aquatic animals. This provides bioluminescence so this creature can glow.



Genes like srap, or sea star regeneration-associated protease.



This is a gene with a DNA sequence similar to plasmin, a protein that dictates the shape of an animal during development and also contributes to healing of wounds.



Mesoglea.



This is a hydro-static, jelly-like translucent skeleton. This will provide any needed structure to the creature, and provide the scaffolding for its shape-shifting and regeneration.




Hydrogel and coelenterazine only require hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Mesoglea is also made up of water, so much of this creature will be primarily made of water, like a jellyfish.



This creature requires chemical compounds for rapid polymerization in its body, and a highly advanced central nervous system. As for its emotional intelligence and "street smarts," it has severe autism. Its central nervous system is focused.



It lacks nociceptors for less biological complexity, so it feels no pain.






share|improve this answer





























    up vote
    4
    down vote













    Thixotropic substances have highly variable viscosity. As they are stressed their viscosity changes dramatically. When the stress is removed they change back to their default state.



    If your blob was comprised of 2 different (and opposite) thixotropic fluids (one a shear-thickening liquid that gains viscosity under stress, and
    a shear-thinning liquid that loses viscosity) it could form a network of semi-ridged supports (analogous to a skeleton) as well as a rudimentary hydraulic system. Together these two systems could be used for locomotion, tool using appendages, and even defensive and offensive weapons; all of which could be created or dissolved on demand.






    share|improve this answer



























      up vote
      1
      down vote













      DNA



      dna
      http://qbcourseworkvnrv.representcolumb.us/dna-strawberry-conclusion.html



      It's gooey. It can repair itself. The protein machinery to make it is well understood and cheap. It codes for all kinds of things. Maybe in the lab they used DNA as a hard copy long term storage medium.



      Your organism is a collector, scrounging up and replicating every DNA it comes into contact with. It makes it's body out of its collection but it has the abilities of everything in its collection. It has a library of DNA from several million micro-organisms, all the researchers in the lab that developed it as well as their families and pets, multiple different animals, fungi and a fair amount of uncategorizable DNA.






      share|improve this answer




















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        3 Answers
        3






        active

        oldest

        votes








        3 Answers
        3






        active

        oldest

        votes









        active

        oldest

        votes






        active

        oldest

        votes








        up vote
        8
        down vote



        accepted










        Hydrogel.



        It's a macromolecular polymer gel made up of crosslinked polymer chains. It's elastic. It can swell, deform, and shift. And it's self-healing through hydrogen bonding.



        Coelenterazine.



        It's a compound called a luciferin in the protein aequorin found in aquatic animals. This provides bioluminescence so this creature can glow.



        Genes like srap, or sea star regeneration-associated protease.



        This is a gene with a DNA sequence similar to plasmin, a protein that dictates the shape of an animal during development and also contributes to healing of wounds.



        Mesoglea.



        This is a hydro-static, jelly-like translucent skeleton. This will provide any needed structure to the creature, and provide the scaffolding for its shape-shifting and regeneration.




        Hydrogel and coelenterazine only require hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Mesoglea is also made up of water, so much of this creature will be primarily made of water, like a jellyfish.



        This creature requires chemical compounds for rapid polymerization in its body, and a highly advanced central nervous system. As for its emotional intelligence and "street smarts," it has severe autism. Its central nervous system is focused.



        It lacks nociceptors for less biological complexity, so it feels no pain.






        share|improve this answer


























          up vote
          8
          down vote



          accepted










          Hydrogel.



          It's a macromolecular polymer gel made up of crosslinked polymer chains. It's elastic. It can swell, deform, and shift. And it's self-healing through hydrogen bonding.



          Coelenterazine.



          It's a compound called a luciferin in the protein aequorin found in aquatic animals. This provides bioluminescence so this creature can glow.



          Genes like srap, or sea star regeneration-associated protease.



          This is a gene with a DNA sequence similar to plasmin, a protein that dictates the shape of an animal during development and also contributes to healing of wounds.



          Mesoglea.



          This is a hydro-static, jelly-like translucent skeleton. This will provide any needed structure to the creature, and provide the scaffolding for its shape-shifting and regeneration.




          Hydrogel and coelenterazine only require hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Mesoglea is also made up of water, so much of this creature will be primarily made of water, like a jellyfish.



          This creature requires chemical compounds for rapid polymerization in its body, and a highly advanced central nervous system. As for its emotional intelligence and "street smarts," it has severe autism. Its central nervous system is focused.



          It lacks nociceptors for less biological complexity, so it feels no pain.






          share|improve this answer
























            up vote
            8
            down vote



            accepted







            up vote
            8
            down vote



            accepted






            Hydrogel.



            It's a macromolecular polymer gel made up of crosslinked polymer chains. It's elastic. It can swell, deform, and shift. And it's self-healing through hydrogen bonding.



            Coelenterazine.



            It's a compound called a luciferin in the protein aequorin found in aquatic animals. This provides bioluminescence so this creature can glow.



            Genes like srap, or sea star regeneration-associated protease.



            This is a gene with a DNA sequence similar to plasmin, a protein that dictates the shape of an animal during development and also contributes to healing of wounds.



            Mesoglea.



            This is a hydro-static, jelly-like translucent skeleton. This will provide any needed structure to the creature, and provide the scaffolding for its shape-shifting and regeneration.




            Hydrogel and coelenterazine only require hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Mesoglea is also made up of water, so much of this creature will be primarily made of water, like a jellyfish.



            This creature requires chemical compounds for rapid polymerization in its body, and a highly advanced central nervous system. As for its emotional intelligence and "street smarts," it has severe autism. Its central nervous system is focused.



            It lacks nociceptors for less biological complexity, so it feels no pain.






            share|improve this answer














            Hydrogel.



            It's a macromolecular polymer gel made up of crosslinked polymer chains. It's elastic. It can swell, deform, and shift. And it's self-healing through hydrogen bonding.



            Coelenterazine.



            It's a compound called a luciferin in the protein aequorin found in aquatic animals. This provides bioluminescence so this creature can glow.



            Genes like srap, or sea star regeneration-associated protease.



            This is a gene with a DNA sequence similar to plasmin, a protein that dictates the shape of an animal during development and also contributes to healing of wounds.



            Mesoglea.



            This is a hydro-static, jelly-like translucent skeleton. This will provide any needed structure to the creature, and provide the scaffolding for its shape-shifting and regeneration.




            Hydrogel and coelenterazine only require hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Mesoglea is also made up of water, so much of this creature will be primarily made of water, like a jellyfish.



            This creature requires chemical compounds for rapid polymerization in its body, and a highly advanced central nervous system. As for its emotional intelligence and "street smarts," it has severe autism. Its central nervous system is focused.



            It lacks nociceptors for less biological complexity, so it feels no pain.







            share|improve this answer














            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer








            edited 2 days ago

























            answered 2 days ago









            The Anathema

            4,4741132




            4,4741132




















                up vote
                4
                down vote













                Thixotropic substances have highly variable viscosity. As they are stressed their viscosity changes dramatically. When the stress is removed they change back to their default state.



                If your blob was comprised of 2 different (and opposite) thixotropic fluids (one a shear-thickening liquid that gains viscosity under stress, and
                a shear-thinning liquid that loses viscosity) it could form a network of semi-ridged supports (analogous to a skeleton) as well as a rudimentary hydraulic system. Together these two systems could be used for locomotion, tool using appendages, and even defensive and offensive weapons; all of which could be created or dissolved on demand.






                share|improve this answer
























                  up vote
                  4
                  down vote













                  Thixotropic substances have highly variable viscosity. As they are stressed their viscosity changes dramatically. When the stress is removed they change back to their default state.



                  If your blob was comprised of 2 different (and opposite) thixotropic fluids (one a shear-thickening liquid that gains viscosity under stress, and
                  a shear-thinning liquid that loses viscosity) it could form a network of semi-ridged supports (analogous to a skeleton) as well as a rudimentary hydraulic system. Together these two systems could be used for locomotion, tool using appendages, and even defensive and offensive weapons; all of which could be created or dissolved on demand.






                  share|improve this answer






















                    up vote
                    4
                    down vote










                    up vote
                    4
                    down vote









                    Thixotropic substances have highly variable viscosity. As they are stressed their viscosity changes dramatically. When the stress is removed they change back to their default state.



                    If your blob was comprised of 2 different (and opposite) thixotropic fluids (one a shear-thickening liquid that gains viscosity under stress, and
                    a shear-thinning liquid that loses viscosity) it could form a network of semi-ridged supports (analogous to a skeleton) as well as a rudimentary hydraulic system. Together these two systems could be used for locomotion, tool using appendages, and even defensive and offensive weapons; all of which could be created or dissolved on demand.






                    share|improve this answer












                    Thixotropic substances have highly variable viscosity. As they are stressed their viscosity changes dramatically. When the stress is removed they change back to their default state.



                    If your blob was comprised of 2 different (and opposite) thixotropic fluids (one a shear-thickening liquid that gains viscosity under stress, and
                    a shear-thinning liquid that loses viscosity) it could form a network of semi-ridged supports (analogous to a skeleton) as well as a rudimentary hydraulic system. Together these two systems could be used for locomotion, tool using appendages, and even defensive and offensive weapons; all of which could be created or dissolved on demand.







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered 2 days ago









                    Skek Tek

                    812




                    812




















                        up vote
                        1
                        down vote













                        DNA



                        dna
                        http://qbcourseworkvnrv.representcolumb.us/dna-strawberry-conclusion.html



                        It's gooey. It can repair itself. The protein machinery to make it is well understood and cheap. It codes for all kinds of things. Maybe in the lab they used DNA as a hard copy long term storage medium.



                        Your organism is a collector, scrounging up and replicating every DNA it comes into contact with. It makes it's body out of its collection but it has the abilities of everything in its collection. It has a library of DNA from several million micro-organisms, all the researchers in the lab that developed it as well as their families and pets, multiple different animals, fungi and a fair amount of uncategorizable DNA.






                        share|improve this answer
























                          up vote
                          1
                          down vote













                          DNA



                          dna
                          http://qbcourseworkvnrv.representcolumb.us/dna-strawberry-conclusion.html



                          It's gooey. It can repair itself. The protein machinery to make it is well understood and cheap. It codes for all kinds of things. Maybe in the lab they used DNA as a hard copy long term storage medium.



                          Your organism is a collector, scrounging up and replicating every DNA it comes into contact with. It makes it's body out of its collection but it has the abilities of everything in its collection. It has a library of DNA from several million micro-organisms, all the researchers in the lab that developed it as well as their families and pets, multiple different animals, fungi and a fair amount of uncategorizable DNA.






                          share|improve this answer






















                            up vote
                            1
                            down vote










                            up vote
                            1
                            down vote









                            DNA



                            dna
                            http://qbcourseworkvnrv.representcolumb.us/dna-strawberry-conclusion.html



                            It's gooey. It can repair itself. The protein machinery to make it is well understood and cheap. It codes for all kinds of things. Maybe in the lab they used DNA as a hard copy long term storage medium.



                            Your organism is a collector, scrounging up and replicating every DNA it comes into contact with. It makes it's body out of its collection but it has the abilities of everything in its collection. It has a library of DNA from several million micro-organisms, all the researchers in the lab that developed it as well as their families and pets, multiple different animals, fungi and a fair amount of uncategorizable DNA.






                            share|improve this answer












                            DNA



                            dna
                            http://qbcourseworkvnrv.representcolumb.us/dna-strawberry-conclusion.html



                            It's gooey. It can repair itself. The protein machinery to make it is well understood and cheap. It codes for all kinds of things. Maybe in the lab they used DNA as a hard copy long term storage medium.



                            Your organism is a collector, scrounging up and replicating every DNA it comes into contact with. It makes it's body out of its collection but it has the abilities of everything in its collection. It has a library of DNA from several million micro-organisms, all the researchers in the lab that developed it as well as their families and pets, multiple different animals, fungi and a fair amount of uncategorizable DNA.







                            share|improve this answer












                            share|improve this answer



                            share|improve this answer










                            answered 2 days ago









                            Willk

                            86.5k22171375




                            86.5k22171375



























                                 

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