. | . |
Risk aversion helps ants avoid obstacles, predators by Brooks Hays Washington DC (UPI) Apr 09, 2020 Ants are adept navigators, but when ants find their typical route blocked by an obstacle or predator, they're able to adjust, according to a new study. But ants don't simply ad-lib a workaround. Research suggests they adopt and memorize a new preferred path. Lab tests showed ants use what scientists dubbed an aversive learning mechanism. By associating visual cues with negative experiences, ants can memorize and avoid dangerous routes. For the tests, scientists at the French National Center for Scientific Research placed a pit trap with slippery walls in the ants' path back to the nest. A tiny bridge disguised by twigs allowed the trapped ants to escape. At first, all of the ants bee-lined right into the trap on their way home. On the second go-around, many of the ants slowed and even stopped. The cautious ants scanned the environment and opted for an alternate route. The tests -- described in the journal Current Biology -- showed ants recalled the visual stimuli that preceded their sudden fall and later recalled those cues. Researchers tested two species of desert ant, Melophorus bagoti from Australia and Cataglyphis fortis from the Sahara, and observed similar results. "The views experienced before falling into the trap become associated with the ensuing negative outcome and thus trigger salutary turns on the subsequent trip," scientists wrote in their paper. "This drives the ants to orient away from the goal direction and avoid the trap. If the pit trap is avoided, the novel views experienced during the detour become positively reinforced and the new route crystallizes." Scientists plan to incorporate the newly identified aversive learning mechanism into their current neural models to better understand the intricacies of the insect nervous system.
In Asia, bucking the global lockdown trend Hong Kong (AFP) April 8, 2020 As the coronavirus pandemic sparks global lockdowns, life has continued comparatively unhindered in places like Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong after their governments and citizens took decisive early action against the unfolding crisis. At first glance Taiwan looks like an ideal candidate for the coronavirus. The island of 23 million lies just 180 kilometres (110 miles) off mainland China. Yet nearly 100 days in, Taiwan has just 376 confirmed cases and five fatalities while restaurants, bars, ... read more
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |