Ants That Count

Most ants get around by leaving smell trails on the forest floor that show other ants how to get home or to food. They squeeze the glands that cover their bodies; those glands release a scent, and the scents in combination create trails the other ants can follow.

That works in the forest, but it doesn’t work in a desert. Deserts are sandy and when the wind blows, smells scatter.

So how do desert ants find their way home?

That’s the subject of this new video from NPR (the same people who brought you Why Can’t Humans Walk Straight). Learn more at NPR.com.

Via Brain Pickings