Sea Slugs That Steal Solar Power

Some sea slugs are solar-powered thieves that steal chloroplasts from the algae they eat. Instead of digesting the plant cells entirely, they keep the organelles alive to generate energy directly from sunlight.

This process is called kleptoplasty, which literally translates from Greek as theft. By harvesting these stolen solar panels, the slugs can survive for weeks or even months without eating a single bite of food. They essentially become part-plant, converting light into sugar just like a leaf. Scientists are still studying how the slugs manage to keep these foreign cells functioning without the host's immune system attacking them.