Is Shape Shifting Real?

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Shape-shifting as depicted in mythology and movies, where a person transforms into a wolf or a puddle of liquid metal, is not real. No organism or machine can rearrange its fundamental biology or structure into a completely different form on command. But the natural world and modern engineering are full of genuine examples of dramatic physical transformation, some of which blur the line between science fiction and reality in surprising ways.

The closest thing to real shape-shifting happens underwater. Cuttlefish and octopuses can change not just their color but the physical texture of their skin in a fraction of a second. Their skin contains tiny muscular structures called papillae, which are essentially miniature hydraulic bumps. Groups of smooth and striated muscles work together to raise or flatten these bumps, letting the animal shift from a sleek, smooth profile to a rough, craggy surface that mimics coral, rocks, or algae. The striated muscles handle rapid expression and retraction, while the smooth muscles lock the bumps in place for long periods without burning energy, a bit like a ratchet that holds its position without constant effort.

The mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus) takes this even further. It doesn’t just change its texture. It reshapes its entire body posture and movement to impersonate other species. It can flatten its head, position its eyes prominently, and undulate across the ocean floor to look and move like a flounder. It can also extend its arms to mimic a venomous lionfish or tuck six arms into a burrow and wave two others to resemble a banded sea snake. These aren’t random disguises. The octopus selectively mimics dangerous animals, apparently choosing the impersonation most likely to deter whatever predator is threatening it.

The most ambitious shape-shifting concept in development is programmable matter, sometimes called claytronics. The idea, pioneered at Carnegie Mellon University, involves swarms of tiny robots called catoms (claytronic atoms) that would connect, communicate, and rearrange themselves into any physical shape on command. Each catom would contain its own computation, sensing, communication, and power systems. In theory, a mass of catoms could form a wrench, then dissolve and reform as a phone, then reshape into a chair.

In practice, this remains very early-stage. The first generation of catoms measured 4.4 centimeters in diameter, far from the nanoscale vision. Researchers have only operated four catoms together so far. The modules connect using electromagnetic or electrostatic forces and rely on techniques like helium-filled “stochastic catoms” that use random motion guided by simple instructions to assemble into patterns. The fundamental concepts work, but manufacturing catoms small enough and in large enough quantities to create useful objects is still an unsolved problem.

Could this have been Lynch Luster's goal when the Skinners were created? You'd have to ask him.

Source: https://biologyinsights.com/is-shape-shifting-real-what-science-actually-shows/