Hidden Cities Beneath Our Feet: Inside the Astonishing Underground World of Ant Colonies!
While house-crashing ants roam around in our homes, did you ever wonder where they actually live? A viral video posted on social media says that under our feet lies a vast yet intricate world of cities built by the ants- with streets, storage places, and even parks.
A recent video published on Instagram by @learnerbytes_ has entertained its viewers through the fascinating underground view of an ant colony. This video unravels the complex structure and functionality of these hidden cities. Though sometimes above the ground you see some mounds of ants, but that is only a minor portion of the big underground cities. Scientists fill up the nests with molten metal or cement which solidifies in place as it flows through the network of tunnels. The soil around the nest is then dug out to reveal a cast of the colony that looks like something of a beautiful, intricate sculpture.
A Glimpse at an Ancient Ant Metropolis
The video also speaks about another remarkable discovery: an old ant colony that is hundreds of years old. Scientists filled this giant nest with some 10 tons of cement over three days in order to make a full cast. After the cement hardened, they dug out the structure for 10 days. What they found was extraordinary-an almost two-story labyrinthine structure extending deep beneath the soil, which can house up to a billion ants.
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Underground city: roads, warehouses, and gardens
Ancient ant colony was more than a residence space, it also included a complex system of "roads", which was used for fast movement of ants. The colony also hosted large warehouses storing food. Researchers found fungi gardens where ants prepared food and even centers that recycle all waste. Such an underground city was excellently organized with abilities for such an underground city were on par with the features of human city design .
Lessons from the Secret World
It is an incredible discovery that gives us a unique glimpse into the lives of ants and their magnificent ability to build and maintain large, organized colonies. And just a reminder about the natural world, right beneath our feet, that creatures as small as ants can construct worlds that rival our own in planning and design.
With scientists studying these colonies further, we can only stand there in awe of the ingenuity of these tiny architects and the worlds they create beneath our feet.
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