Awe Inspiring Giant Ant Hill Excavated

Originally posted by bluwindRD
The drones who built those tunnels are just slaves, bring back slavery and im pretty sure we can build some amazing structures... although thats another moral story altogether...
It is the ultimate monachy, each part plays its part because it MUST, not because it wants to aide the colony but because it will be killed if it doesnt.

The human race Evolved out of this sort of behaviour. im pretty sure if we didnt we would have some pretty amazing looking pyramids

I agree they are slaves and hardwired to do just that work..I read somewere that slaves didnt build the pyramids they were payed ok im just rambleing lol thanks for posting

i've actually done this before, but with lead, and a smaller ant pile. i wonder if it would be possible to do it with glass and very very carefully polish the dirt off so its clear. probably too fragile.

Originally posted by dragonlight
how fantastic THANK YOU OP for this - I am so glad no ants were harmed during the making of this - & thanks to the person who posted the full FASCINATING documentary!!

you are very welcome dragonlight as far as i know just a few ants were harmed

Originally posted by Bob Sholtz
i've actually done this before, but with lead, and a smaller ant pile. i wonder if it would be possible to do it with glass and very very carefully polish the dirt off so its clear. probably too fragile.

I dont know maybe someone else does all ive ever done was have a little antfarm when i was 7 and i cooked them in the sun no one told me they had to be in a dark area ..I dont see why you couldnt use glass..

Originally posted by kro32
Very amazing...speechless

I agree about the killing of the ant's however. That part is just showing the human cruelty that happens for the advancement of science.

edit on 23-4-2011 by kro32 because: (no reason given)

I'm quite sure that nest was not habited anymore.

Originally posted by Jonas86

Originally posted by kro32
Very amazing...speechless

I agree about the killing of the ant's however. That part is just showing the human cruelty that happens for the advancement of science.

edit on 23-4-2011 by kro32 because: (no reason given)

I'm quite sure that nest was not habited anymore.

your right it was empty the ants had left..

Super ant colony hits Australia

A giant colony of ants stretching 100km (62 miles) has been discovered in the Australian city of Melbourne, threatening local insect species.

Super ant colony
interloper ants keep it all in the family
whats a supercolony

reply to post by sugarcookie1


Yes I'm sure they are peaceful. I think they just make mistakes too like us humans.

reply to post by sugarcookie1


ThiS is a valid point and obviously proves many of us, including myself wrong. We've all said how amazed we are and how it would be great if humans could work together like this but in fact this would be a big step backwards for us. I guess the difference between us and ants is morals. We figured out it was wrong to enslave people and that we are all equal.

At least that's what the everyday human knows but as we all know, we are all still slaves of sorts. It's just that most of us dont realise it.

But like you said. Ants are certainly fascinating.

As for another posters comment on the imaginary scenario where we find ants on another planet, he asks the question 'wouldn't you have to assume you've just found intelligent life'. My reply is of course you would, because you have found intelligent life. To me, if we ever find life elsewhere, whether or not it is considered intelligent will not be determined by how alike they are to us humans or not but instead whether they are intelligent enough to form civilisations, build structures, assign roles within their society etc etc. If an insect can do that then it is an intelligent lifeform. You can't say it is not just cos it's nothing like us.

There may be much much higher forms of intelligence than us out there somewhere and to them, we may be similar, relatively speaking, to the ant in terms of intelligence. I would like to think that they would see us as intelligent lifeforms.

Originally posted by TheMaverick
Super ant colony hits Australia

A giant colony of ants stretching 100km (62 miles) has been discovered in the Australian city of Melbourne, threatening local insect species.

Super ant colony
interloper ants keep it all in the family
whats a supercolony

TheMaverick thanks for posting the links ..sounds like the ant population in Australia is spreading fast and there killing off the native ant colonies thats a shame..I wonder how there going to stop this or if they can? I had no idea this was going on there..

Originally posted by WakeupUK
reply to post by sugarcookie1

 

ThiS is a valid point and obviously proves many of us, including myself wrong. We've all said how amazed we are and how it would be great if humans could work together like this but in fact this would be a big step backwards for us. I guess the difference between us and ants is morals. We figured out it was wrong to enslave people and that we are all equal.

At least that's what the everyday human knows but as we all know, we are all still slaves of sorts. It's just that most of us dont realise it.

But like you said. Ants are certainly fascinating.

As for another posters comment on the imaginary scenario where we find ants on another planet, he asks the question 'wouldn't you have to assume you've just found intelligent life'. My reply is of course you would, because you have found intelligent life. To me, if we ever find life elsewhere, whether or not it is considered intelligent will not be determined by how alike they are to us humans or not but instead whether they are intelligent enough to form civilisations, build structures, assign roles within their society etc etc. If an insect can do that then it is an intelligent lifeform. You can't say it is not just cos it's nothing like us.

There may be much much higher forms of intelligence than us out there somewhere and to them, we may be similar, relatively speaking, to the ant in terms of intelligence. I would like to think that they would see us as intelligent lifeforms.

You have alot of good points WakeupUK....I would like to think there is higher forms of intelligence than us out there and im sure there probley is and maybe one day we will find just that ,,and i agree i would hope they would find us to be intelligent..thanks again

That ant hill blew my wig. I have heard that there is super colonies that stretch all the way across the USA. One day they might take over. I,m a new poster here, but have read the site for well over 4 months now, glad to be a part of the group.

About 50 seconds into this, turn your head sideways and look at that cloud formation. You will see a face with goatie, the mouth is open and you can see a tongue. You can see eyes and nose too. Pretty cool, I just noticed it. I sometimes see things in clouds though.

Let me know what you think. Did you see the face?

Originally posted by Nyarl
That ant hill blew my wig. I have heard that there is super colonies that stretch all the way across the USA. One day they might take over. I,m a new poster here, but have read the site for well over 4 months now, glad to be a part of the group.

Welcome to ATS Nyarl
Im glad you liked the thread..I hope they dont take over but you have to figure there is billions of them on earth so its something to think about

Originally posted by jessieg
About 50 seconds into this, turn your head sideways and look at that cloud formation. You will see a face with goatie, the mouth is open and you can see a tongue. You can see eyes and nose too. Pretty cool, I just noticed it. I sometimes see things in clouds though.

Let me know what you think. Did you see the face?

jessieg i watched it about 3 times im sorry im not seeing it maybe someone else does..

Very cool...

It almost looks like the alveoli that fill human lungs.

Originally posted by sugarcookie1

Originally posted by jude11
reply to post by sugarcookie1

 

I hate bugs but scientists doing this killed billions of ants and destroyed a wonder that most likely took years to build, in order to satisfy their curiosity.

Doesn't seem right. IMO

The queen had already died so the anthill was empty the workers moved on so no ants were harmed

Ummm........Until of course you see them start to pour the cement.....what do you suppose those little things crawling out of the hole are......................hmmmmm?...............yep.......them thars ants.......

YouSir

I can't help but feel for the ants!

I wouldn't want to be responsible for the mass murder of billions of any specie!

Originally posted by jude11
reply to post by sugarcookie1

 

I hate bugs but scientists doing this killed billions of ants and destroyed a wonder that most likely took years to build, in order to satisfy their curiosity.

Doesn't seem right. IMO

Perhaps, but you are assuming it was still active... I am not sure if it was or not. If it was, then what you see is an ugly side of science...Sometimes, Animals and bugs do get hurt or killed in the name of Science... " greater good" kind of idea.

If it helps think of it this way. Animals have died in order to help us reach many major and important scientific and medical breakthroughs. For example, Polio, Diptheria, Mumps, Rubella and even Hepatitis. Those are just a few off the top of my head.

They are also using animals to do research and make breakthroughs in hopes of curing AIDS, Cancer ,paralysis, Parkinsons and many other horrible illnesses.

Science is not always pretty, but this kind of thing has been going on for about as long as Humans have tried to understand the world around them.

Now, that said, this is a really amazing video. I know that in the past the US government and Military has studied Ants, how they organize and live and even fight together in hopes of creating better war strategies...Imagine if we start studying how they live in a community, how they build these sort of "Utopian" community homes... Maybe there is a thing or two we can learn from these guys about living and working together.

Who knows.

haha oh man, that ant at 2:18 is like "you sons of bitches! This was everything ive ever knowwwwn!"
I do feel terrible about the ants colony, however after spending the last 2 months trying to fend ants from crawling all over me in this ant infested room, Ive lost a lot of compassion for the ant species as a whole. At first I didnt know what to do, I didnt want to just start killing them like some sort of interspecies homocidal maniac, but eventually my concerns about the ants washed away as it began to seem overwhelming and never ending. I had to do the only thing I could do. Squash them like the ants they are. This ant genocide may seem barbaric from the outside, but those creeps should keep to themselves. Maybe if they had some respect for humanity we would have a little more respect for them! haha still...poor ants