Most of us see a slug and recoil—but the slimy exterior hides a surprisingly useful creature. In the wild, slugs are expert recyclers: they munch decaying plants and fungi, turning waste into nutrients that enrich soil.
They also feed the food web. Birds, frogs, beetles, hedgehogs, and more rely on slugs for energy, helping keep ecosystems balanced after every rain.
That famous slime? It’s not just goo. Compounds from slug mucus are used in skincare to hydrate and repair, and its remarkable stickiness inspires medical glues that could replace some stitches and staples.
Scientists even study slugs’ simple nervous systems to probe memory, learning, and brain disease. So no beauty crowns here—but for cleaning nature’s mess and advancing medicine, slugs deserve real respect.
