Nexus

Nexus is the act of binding, tying or fastening together.

 

Choanoflagellates are the closest living relatives to animals; they are single-cell, flagellated, bacteria eating organisms.  The Choanoflagellate has an important relationship with humans.  It is the link between animals and our single celled predecessors. Not only are these protists an important ancestor to humanity, but they are also an early type of artisan. They use silicone from seawater or produce the silica inside their own body to weave a basket like structure around themselves.  This external covering is varied and striking, ranging from simple organic shapes to complex silica basket-like cages which direct water flow allowing them to more easily capture prey. These beautiful structures are created by what may seem to us humans to be a simple organism, but they may hold a secret to humans’ origins.  

 
 
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Nexus