Ants use 'math' to find fastest routes
Thursday, April 18, 2013 - 12:20
in Mathematics & Economics
By Tanya LewisLiveScienceJust as light does, ants traveling through different materials follow the fastest path, not the shortest one.A recent study found that when fire ants (Wasmannia auropunctata) crossed different surfaces, the insects chose the route that would minimize their total walking time, rather than the distance traveled. The ants' behavior offers a window into how groups of social in...