18 May 2012

Alien Super Powers Are on Earth!

A headline like this in the National Inquirer might actually be the truth. In my book Amazing Animals, I included a short paragraph of information on the strength of ants. As one of the most numerous life forms on earth, ants have developed truly mind boggling features. Did you know that, annually, ant colonies consume more meat than lions? Did you realize that ant societies are as complex, but perhaps fundamentally smarter, than human societies? Ants have developed into workers that each have specific tasks aimed at the general welfare of the colony. Not one ant acts in its own best interest. Communication and cooperation are there secret weapons to thriving societies. Some ants are destined to be shepherds and actually herd small bugs, mealy bugs, which they have domesticated, much like humans herd and tend cattle. Scientists have studied ants in elaborate laboratories and made staggering discoveries. They tested the ants under circumstances similar to astronauts and athletes. In the process they have discovered complex structures such as a democratic society in which each ant is valued, and even discovered that ants have been using sperm banks, probably for much longer than humans have. By studying huge subterranean structures, they discovered that ants control their environment by creating chimneys that transport toxic air out of the chambers, bring in fresh air and regular temperatures like air conditioning systems. They separate food from waste, keep their homes clean and even use disinfectants to keep the colony from getting sick. Do yourself a favour - sit back and relax, to watch this extraordinary documentary. It’s nearly an hour - shorter than a feature film but every bit as intriguing and amazing as a sci-fi movie: http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=a4e23a5c65f22bdf4a72b3a9cc34d1f6 The Ant
Painting from the book Amazing Animals by Margriet Ruurs, illustrated by W. Allan Hancock

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