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The exploding ants of Borneo

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  • The exploding ants of Borneo

    Scientists exploring the Borneo jungle have just discovered the species, which dwells in the trees, and they were most intrigued by the ant’s unique ability – to explode and shower toxic yellow goo on to its enemies.

    Yet as impressive and effective as the detonation is in killing its predators, it is ultimately a suicide defence, for it also explodes the ant’s whole body which ultimately leads to its own demise.
    A bit like bees, as the articles notes somewhat later, but these ants make more noise about it.

    Another tidbit:

    When faced with an enemy that will not back down, the Colobopsis explodens will latch onto the insect and bite down on it, angle their backsides directly at their attacker and then flex their abdomens so hard they tear their own bodies apart, releasing the fatal yellow substance stored inside.

    Laciny described the bright goo as having “a distinct and not unpleasant smell that’s strangely reminiscent of curry”.

    From: https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...psis-explodens

    I think these ants are some kind of Proto-Borg. Once they get from biological to nano tech we're doomed, unless we've dev'd warp stuff and starfleet by then.


    Blah

  • #2
    What I cannot find is what makes their goo toxic.
    “It is no use trying to 'see through' first principles. If you see through everything, then everything is transparent. But a wholly transparent world is an invisible world. To 'see through' all things is the same as not to see.”

    ― C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man

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    • #3
      Laciny described the bright goo as having “a distinct and not unpleasant smell that’s strangely reminiscent of curry”.
      I also have had some curry that resulted in a detonation of sorts ...

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      • #4
        I submit that the central ideas of the previous two posts might be actually in concert, p...
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        No pasarán

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        • #5
          Originally posted by pchang View Post
          What I cannot find is what makes their goo toxic.
          I was wondering the same thing myself. Someone should ask renowned toxicologist Britney Spears.
          Click here if you're having trouble sleeping.
          "We confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no large ones." - François de La Rochefoucauld

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          • #6
            Colony insects just don't care about individuals other than the queen. As long as the queen survives then the colony is secure so if a few thousand drones have to die to keep her safe...
            Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

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            • #7
              The Way.

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              Order of the Fly
              Those that cannot curse, cannot heal.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Dinner View Post
                Colony insects just don't care about individuals other than the queen. As long as the queen survives then the colony is secure so if a few thousand drones have to die to keep her safe...
                Sounds like WWI

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                • #9
                  suicide bombing in nature... and it aint us this time

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