Pollution has made many urban areas uninhabitable for humans, leading to the devastation of families and communities alike. Ants, which rely on specific hydrocarbons on their exoskeletons for recognition, are severely affected. A recent study indicates that ozone exposure alters these hydrocarbons, resulting in ants failing to recognize their nestmates. Instances of aggression within colonies have been observed, where some ants even attack their own relatives.

With approximately 20 quintillion ants on Earth, human-induced pollution could unearth unprecedented levels of destruction.

This alarming scenario exemplifies anthropomorphism, the attribution of human traits to non-human entities, exemplified by comparing ant colonies to human families. While some scientists criticize anthropomorphism as misleading, others advocate for drawing parallels between ant behavior and human social dynamics to shed light on evolutionary concepts.

Notably, entomologist E.O. Wilson used ants to support his “sociobiological” theory, proposing that animal behavior stems from evolutionary necessity. Wilson asserted that insights into ant behavior could illuminate biology’s impact on human development and accomplishment.

However, evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould emerged as a notable critic, denouncing Wilson’s ideas as “biological determinism,” cautioning against potential eugenics-inspired policies. The debate surrounding biology’s role in human society persists in academia, with sociobiology now often referred to as evolutionary psychology.

A significant shift has occurred in studying ant behavior. Deborah Gordon, a Stanford University biologist, revealed that ant behavior operates on algorithms. Her research involved years of studying various ant species, culminating in collaborations with computer scientists to demonstrate how ants utilize effectively distributed signaling networks. For instance, when a worker ant finds a large food source, she lays a pheromone trail for others to follow. Encountering other ants, she evaluates the available resources and efficiently recruits additional foragers.

There is no central authority instructing ants; they succeed through decentralized communication, much like how distributed computer networks manage data flow. Gordon likens this process to internet activity, underscoring how networks efficiently allocate resources.

Gordon’s findings contrast sharply with Wilson’s theories, as she draws comparisons between ants and computers rather than humans. Nevertheless, as AI companies invest heavily in replicating human cognition with algorithms, the parallels between ant behavior and artificial intelligence become more pronounced. Algorithmic determinism may overshadow biological determinism, but the implications for ants remain significant. While humans often reference ants to explain behaviors observed in other species, we frequently overlook the intricate nature of the ants themselves.

Returning to my research on human pollution and its impact on ants, Gordon’s Antenet approach relies heavily on colony members collaborating and exchanging critical information. However, when ozone interferes with the hydrocarbons in ants, they lose their ability to recognize one another, disrupting crucial coordination. This could lead to colony demise.

For humans, such recognition isn’t vital; we don’t rely on scent to coordinate food gathering or childcare. Nevertheless, we share the planet with extraordinary wildlife, and if we fail to mitigate ozone pollution, we risk obliterating their social structures. It is time to shift our perspective from viewing ants simply as metaphors for humanity and machines to appreciating their intrinsic value.

What I Am Reading:
H.G. Wells’ “The War of the Worlds”: The Martians are cyber-vampires.

What I See:
My life is murder, A delightfully corny detective series starring Lucy Lawless.

What I Am Working On:
Finding a place to live in a new city.

Annalee Newitz is a science journalist and author. Their latest book is Automatic Noodles, and they co-host the Hugo Award-winning podcast Our Opinion Is Correct. Follow @annaleen or visit their website: techsploitation.com.