Sep
25th
Thu
25th
Every night, the Brazilian ant Forelius pusillus takes self-sacrifice to a whole new level. At sunset, the colony protects its nest by sealing off the entrances with sand, and a few ants remain outside to complete the job. Unable to reenter, they die by the next morning—making them the first known example of a suicidal defense that is preemptive rather than a response to immediate danger.