The real-life Flubber? Glob of jelly can play Pong thanks to a basic kind of memory, bizarre study reveals

In the 1997 Robin Williams flick Flubber, an absent-minded professor creates a sentient ball of goo with incredible capabilities. Now, more than 25 years later, scientists have made a surprising discovery that could bring Flubber into the real world. Researchers from the University of Reading have created a non-living'hydrogel brain' which is capable of playing the video game Pong. Using a plate of electrodes hooked up to the classic game, the water-based jelly even managed to get 10 per cent better as it practised. While it might not be quite as bouncy as Robin Williams' invention, the researchers believe this breakthrough could change the future of artificial intelligence.