
The Simple Algorithm That Ants Use to Build Bridges - kawera
http://abstractions.nautil.us/article/290/the-simple-algorithm-that-ants-use-to-build-bridges
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maskedinvader
previous discussion on another article about the same algorithm here ->
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16466908](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16466908)

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ranko
Richard Feynman had, as ever, interesting things to say about how ants
navigate and communicate[1]. He spent a long time looking at ants, following
them, moving them around on bits of paper and eventually (I elide some details
here) ended up with the Nobel prize in physics.

[1] [https://www.e-reading.club/chapter.php/71262/23/Feynman_-
_Su...](https://www.e-reading.club/chapter.php/71262/23/Feynman_-
_Surely_Youre_Joking%2C_Mr._Feynman__Adventures_of_a_Curious_Character.html)

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ivanhoe
For everyone interested in ants, there're some fantastic youtube channels
dedicated to ants, AntsCanada being one of my favourite. I'm not affiliated
with them in any way, just a big fan of that guy's camera work. Lots to learn
about ants from there.

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ourmandave
Army ants are not to be trifled with, esp. if you're a plantation owner in
Brazil.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leiningen_Versus_the_Ants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leiningen_Versus_the_Ants)

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chopin
How does this algorithm ensure that wide bridges are built (lets say more than
10 body lengths wide)? Even if the final bridge would be stable the
intermediate steps imply a much higher torque.

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maskedinvader
ants have the ability to lift 5000 times their body weight [1](tiny supermen
if you ask me), assuming that helps in building wide bridges and countering
the higher torque (during the intermediate steps) disclaimer: not a physicist
[1]:[http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/5970/20140210/ants-s...](http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/5970/20140210/ants-
support-5-000-times-body-weight-before-losing-heads.htm)

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fouc
It would be cool if we could point cameras at ants and reverse-engineer the
simplest set of rules for ant behaviour using AI/ML techniques.

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smingo
We could call the resultant algorithms "simulated ant kneeling".

