Smarter than a fifth grader at math are ants?

(Credit: Jeltovski)

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Ants are smarter than many primary school children, at least when it comes to math, suggests a new study in the journal behavior.

"Ants are smarter than a 5th grader;" "You do the math!" Els van Egmond of the magazine publisher, Brill, wrote in a press release.

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For the paper respondents scientists Zhanna Reznikova and Boris Ryabko a variety of different species by their ability to count and basic mathematical tasks complete. Write the researchers, that very social Ant species such as Redwood ants, ", information about pay members communicate colony and can perform simple arithmetic operations."

This latest paper seems to be an overview, but Reznikova of the Novosibirsk State University and Ryabko which have Siberian State University of telecommunications and computer science studied Ant math skills for some time. (A different paper can be downloaded here.)

For some of their previous experiments on ants the researchers set up different maze-like contraptions keep foods in particular spots. Here are some sketches show, looked like the objects (credit - Zhanna Reznikova and Boris Ryabko):

The experiments were, that the ants communicate only could leave by a scent trail, I believe. To alerting you other ants to the location of the food, "probably they (other ants) can messages do not have the number of the industry but over a distance to the it or pass it across the number of steps and so on," the scientists write.

"Also if it so," adding, "This shows ants as quantitative values use and the information about it." Other research shows that the ants and bees "Abstraction, Extropolation," perform and you note other math skills, the researchers.

Ants, they continue to "perform simple arithmetic operations with a small number." "We suggest that application ideas of information theory and use the natural communication systems of very social animals open new horizons can study numerical cognition."

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Scientists select also other studies demonstrate math skills in various animals. Birds usually ACE math puzzle to be pigeons, crows and parrots especially on number. (Although my guess is this talent must be transferred to other birds.) These three birds can only easier study be.) OK at mathematics, but ants may more precisely do non-human primates, such as such as chimpanzees.

If only ants could be trained to do taxes!

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