The Awesome Physics Behind A Raft of Fire Ants
Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2022 3:36 am
https://www.opticflux.com/the-awesome-p ... nts/27224/
Many researchers in the fields of fluid mechanics and entomology have pondered the mystery of how fire ants manage to stay together in liquid. As flooding is a common occurrence in the subtropics, these ants have evolved a strategy to save themselves from drowning when their nests get submerged: they build rafts by clustering together. Do you think it shows teamwork?
To the contrary, fire ants don’t actively seek out other ants while swimming. They’re not talking to one other and are instead trying to push each other apart. New information uncovered by scientists at Atlanta’s Georgia Institute of Technology in recent years, however, may solve the mystery. The “Cheerios effect,” a feature of surface tension, forces a group of ants to come together in water, saving their lives even if they try to avoid touching one other. Then, their legs intertwine to form a secure grip. The fire ants have successfully constructed a raft.
Many researchers in the fields of fluid mechanics and entomology have pondered the mystery of how fire ants manage to stay together in liquid. As flooding is a common occurrence in the subtropics, these ants have evolved a strategy to save themselves from drowning when their nests get submerged: they build rafts by clustering together. Do you think it shows teamwork?
To the contrary, fire ants don’t actively seek out other ants while swimming. They’re not talking to one other and are instead trying to push each other apart. New information uncovered by scientists at Atlanta’s Georgia Institute of Technology in recent years, however, may solve the mystery. The “Cheerios effect,” a feature of surface tension, forces a group of ants to come together in water, saving their lives even if they try to avoid touching one other. Then, their legs intertwine to form a secure grip. The fire ants have successfully constructed a raft.