Some ant architects design a colony to cut risk of disease. Humans, take note
18 hours ago
- #ants
- #social immunity
- #disease prevention
- Ants alter nest structures to prevent disease spread, showing architectural immunity.
- Black garden ants self-isolate and increase distance between healthy and forager ants to reduce infection risk.
- Nests exposed to pathogens become more compartmentalized with spaced entrances and longer travel routes to lower transmission.
- Social and architectural changes in ants work together to effectively protect the colony from epidemics.
- Findings suggest principles that could inspire human public space design to minimize disease spread.