Scientists who were attempting to map an abandoned ant hill didn't expect to find a mega-city when they shot the hill full of cement, but that's exactly what they discovered.
Over three days, scientists pumped 10 tons of cement into the empty ant hill to map its networks. After the cement dried, they dug for weeks around it.
Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
The excavation revealed an incredibly impressive, intricate, and bizarre ant mega-city.
The mega-city was a truly colossal undertaking.
A video revealed that the ants created the structure by displacing 40 tons of dirt.
And it really is a mega-city. The ants networked to disposal pits and fungus gardens. Each tunnel was designed to ensure thorough ventilation and reduce transport time.
The narrator disclosed the truth. That despite the complex nature of the mega-city, there was no single architect of any - but it was down to the collective will of the colony.
"Everything looks like it has been designed by an architect a single mind but of course, that isn’t true," they said.
"This colossal and complex city was created by the collective will of the ant colony, the super organism."
The short resurfaced clip is from a much longer piece called Ants! Nature’s Secret Power. You can watch the full documentary here.
Our city designers should take a few notes.
Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
