Saturday, April 28, 2007

Ants Adapt to Rapid Rise in Temperatures

Ants sometimes resemble humans in their organization of social structure and the way they form colonies similar to our cities. Scientists at Indiana State University are conducting tests to determine how ants are able to withstand temperatures up to 2o degrees warmer than normal conditions. It seems that the leaf cutter ants of Sao Paulo are the most imprevious to heat, and can withstand high temps for much longer than their rural relatives. The study hopes to shed light on ways humans may be able to cope with the ever increasing dangers of urban heat islands, where temperatures rise to abnormally high levels due to the heat absorption of concrete and buildings.
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