Interactive Protozoa Simulation
This project is an interactive 3D simulation of different types of protozoa in a microscopic aquatic environment. Protozoa are single-celled eukaryotic organisms that show animal-like behaviors such as movement and predation.
About Protozoa
Protozoa are a diverse group of single-celled eukaryotic organisms, many of which are motile. Historically, they were considered "one-celled animals" because they often exhibit animal-like behaviors such as mobility and predation. In modern scientific classification, protozoa are not recognized as a formal taxonomic category since they include organisms from several different evolutionary lineages.
The simulation features three common types of protozoa:
- Paramecium - Elongated, ciliated protozoa that swim by coordinated movement of tiny hair-like organelles called cilia.
- Amoeba - Protozoa with irregular shape that move by extending pseudopods (false feet) and flowing their cytoplasm into these extensions.
- Euglena - Flagellated protozoa that have characteristics of both animals and plants. They have a whip-like flagellum for movement and contain chloroplasts to perform photosynthesis.
Features
- Realistic simulation of three different protozoa types, each with unique movement patterns:
- Paramecium: swimming movement using cilia
- Amoeba: crawling movement with pseudopods
- Euglena: spinning movement with a flagellum
- Immersive 3D environment representing microscopic aquatic habitat
- Interactive camera controls to observe the organisms from different angles
- Physics-based movement with boundary detection
Technical Implementation
The simulation is built using Three.js and includes:
- Custom 3D models for each protozoa type with accurate morphological features
- Physically-based rendering with realistic materials and lighting
- Complex movement algorithms simulating real protozoa behaviors
- Particle system representing organic debris in the water
- Dynamic environment with boundary constraints
How to Use
- Use your mouse to rotate the view around the environment
- Scroll to zoom in and out to observe different organisms
- Watch how different types of protozoa move through their environment
Educational Value
This simulation provides a visual representation of how different protozoa move and behave in their natural environment. It can be used as an educational tool to understand the diversity of microbial life and the various locomotion strategies employed by single-celled organisms.