Jenny Lehmann in Discover:
Social insects like bees and ants have long impressed scientists with their ability to achieve remarkable feats, such as constructing towering nests and navigating complex environments. But how they manage this, especially with brains smaller than a poppy seed, continues to fascinate researchers. The secret, it turns out, isn’t in the individual — it’s in the group.
A recent study from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel took a closer look at how ant colonies use “swarm intelligence” — a type of collective behavior where simple individuals work together to solve complex problems. The team was inspired by something that looked a lot like planning: ants clearing obstacles in advance of incoming food. “This is the first documented case of ants showing such forward-looking behavior during cooperative transport,” said study co-author Ehud Fonio in a press release.
More here.
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