filterkropp
Filterkropp is a term used in speculative biology to describe a hypothetical organismal feature or organ specialized for filtration of fluids and particulates from the environment. The name blends the English word filter with the Scandinavian root kropp (body), emphasizing its role as a body-wide filtration system. In literature and classroom demonstrations, filterkropp is often presented as modular tissue distributed throughout an organism, with a central filtering chamber connected by a network of canals. Its purpose is to extract microscopic particles—such as plankton, silt, or detritus—from a continual flow of fluid while allowing essential nutrients to pass through.
Proposed anatomy includes porous, sponge-like tissue lined with specialized filtering cells that can bind or trap
Filterkropp serves as a conceptual model to study filtration principles, exchange efficiency, and trade-offs between intake
Because filtration at a biological scale requires material with high porosity and selective strength, critics argue