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Single ant colony has colonized entire world!
Enter the Octopus —
... A news report from the BBC states that scientists have discovered that Argentine ants living in Europe, Japan and the United States are all part of the same global colony, and that when put together they refuse to fight. Fight each other, that is. But what about the rest of us? ...
Them!
Angel Station —
A giant ant colony has taken over the world! The colony may be the largest of its type ever known for any insect species, and could rival humans in the scale of its world domination. What's more, people are unwittingly helping the mega-colony stick together. Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) were once native to South America. But people have unintentionally introduced the ants to all continents except Antarctica. These introduced Argentine ants are renowned for forming large colonies, and for becoming a significant pest, attacking native animals and crops. In Europe, one ...
Links Seeking Independence
Neth Space —
... A colony of ants is taking over the world – seriously. One-Thousand welcomes to our new ant overlords! Libraries often sell books for the benefit of charity, but ...
Ant Mega-Colony Covers Half The Planet [Insect Overlords]
io9 —
... Researchers in Japan and Spain led by Eiriki Sunamura of the University of Tokyo found that Argentine ants living in Europe, Japan and California shared a strikingly similar chemical profile of hydrocarbons on their cuticles . . . "The enormous extent of this population is paralleled only by human society," the researchers write in the journal Insect Sociaux, in which they report their findings. The real question is, do the ants have a plan? via BBC News
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Link-dump #4
Posthuman Blues —
Ant mega-colony takes over world Neuromancer at 25: What It Got Right, What It Got Wrong Stephen Hawking: "Humans Have Entered a New Stage of Evolution" LRO's First Moon Images 20 Scary Old School Surgical Tools Autonomobile by Mike + Maaike Aurora Borealis From Outta Space RoboGeisha trailer is awesome, includes weaponized tempura shrimp Astronaut Fashion: The Modern Spacesuit [Follow me on Twitter.] ...
The Dark Nest Strikes Back!
TheForce.Net —
If you've read the (awesome) Dark Nest trilogy by Troy Denning, you should take a look at this news story on the BBC website. Apparently, a species of bugs known as the Argentinian Ant has conquered the planet, establishing a worldwide colony of interrelated nests... all, somehow, without us being aware of it. The whole thing seems disturbingly reminiscent of the way the Killik Colony operated in the Dark Nest crisis.... Have the Killiks returned? Is the Argentnegra Nest an invasion? Have our Jedi Watchmen become Joiners? Where are our Imperial Garrison, the stormtroopers ...
