Teamwork isn’t just a human characteristic: Colonies of army ants will form living ‘scaffolding’ to protect members from falling. The insects are blind and have no designated leader but, according to new research, they’re able to use simple behavioral rules to develop these safety structures without the need for direct communication. Once a scaffold was … Read more
Scientists have determined the swarms of thousands of millipedes that infest parts of Japan aren’t random. The arthropods, which gather in clusters so large they can delay train traffic, are on a unique eight-year life cycle. This makes the ‘train millipedes’ the only other periodical animal besides cicadas, and the only non-insect. Researchers uncovered the … Read more
Move over Mars rover! A team of engineers are building insect-sized robot swarms to explore other planets CSU Northridge engineers are developing tiny insect-like robot swarms The team was given a $538,000 grant from the Department of Defense The robot swarms could eventually replace rovers in exploring other planets By Michael Thomsen For Dailymail.com Published: … Read more
Research has linked being green-fingered to everything from higher vitamin D levels to lower blood pressure. And last month, a study in the journal Neurology listed gardening as one of a handful of activities that could lower the risk of dementia in old age. This is thought to be down to the combination of physical … Read more