Scientists who pumped tonnes of cement into abandoned ant hill were shocked to discover mega-city in the earth
A team of scientists managed to uncover a former ant colony hidden underground, allowing the world to see just how remarkable the creatures are.
By pouring around 10 tonnes of concrete into the abandoned ant hill over three days and spending weeks digging away the ground around it, scientists unveiled the impressive structure and marvelled at their architectural prowess.
EarthSky reported the scientists couldn't believe their luck with the discovery.
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Their mission was captured in the documentary 'Ants! Nature’s Secret Power' and it is mind blowing to see how intricate the underground network was.
I mean, this would make a great Pixar flick - A Bug's Life sequel, anyone?
The tunnels revealed ants had moved 40 tonnes of dirt to create the underground structure.
The narration in the clip discloses: "There are subterranean highways connecting the main chambers and off the main routes are side roads.
"The paths branch and lead to many fungus gardens and rubbish pits."
The narrator adds that these tunnels are designed to ensure thorough ventilation and cut transportation time in half.
"Everything looks like it has been designed by an architect a single mind but of course, that isn’t true," the narrator said.
"This colossal and complex city was created by the collective will of the ant colony, the super organism."
Social media was left stunned
As footage of the hidden city began to emerge on social media, many were left completely shocked.
One person wrote: "Wow, ants are so small but so powerful and smart for survival. They build a super city underground.."
Another said: "This is nuts! I hope the ants infesting my apartment don't have a hill this big in the walls or something!"
While a third commented: "Ants and their colonies are genuinely one of the most intriguing parts of nature."
And they are strong little creatures at that!
These amazing insects can carry 10-50 times their own weight, according to Arizona State University.
But their skill doesn't just stop there.
According to the Journal of Biomechanics, a team of researchers found that the neck joint of a typical American field ant can withstand pressures up to 5,000 times of its own weight.
"Ants are impressive mechanical systems—astounding, really,” said Carlos Castro, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at The Ohio State University.
“Before we started, we made a somewhat conservative estimate that they might withstand 1,000 times their weight, and it turned out to be much more.”
Topics: News, Animals, Environment, Science
Charisa Bossinakis