alt
2012-01-08 14:04

Genetic scientists create freakish man-made ‘monster’ ants



Nightmarish “supersoldier” ants with huge heads and jaws have been created by activating ancient genes, the Daily Mail reported Friday.

Scientists believe the monster ants may be a genetic throwback to an ancestor that lived millions of years ago, the report said.

Scientists say they can create the supersoldiers at will by dabbing normal ant larvae with a special hormone ― the larvae then develop into supersoldiers rather than normal soldier or worker ants.

Supersoldier ants can occur naturally in the wild, but only rarely. In the deserts of America and Mexico, their job is to protect the colony from raids by invading army ants, according to the report.

The supersoldiers use their enormous heads to block the nest entrance and attack any enemy ants that get too close.

Scientists showed that ordinary ants of the species Pheidole morrisi contain all the genetic “tools” needed to turn them into supersoldiers - they just need a hormonal push, the newspaper said.

The research was published in the journal Science.




관련 한글기사


수 천만년 전 ‘몬스터’ 개미 재탄생 성공

해외 연구팀이 현재는 거의 발견되지 않는 수백만년 전 고대 개미와 유사한 ‘몬스터 개미’를 재탄생시키는데 성공했다고 나우뉴스가 외신보도를 인용 보도했다.

6일 영국 일간지 데일리메일에 따르면 캐나다 맥길대학교 연구팀은 일반 개미의 유충에서 채취한 호르몬을 변형시켜 일명 ‘슈퍼솔져’(Supersoldier)라 불리는 신종 개미를 만들어냈다.

이 개미는 일반 병정개미나 일개미보다 훨씬 큰 머리와 몸집을 가져 ‘몬스터 개미’라는 별칭으로도 불리며, 일반 개미보다 몸을 사용하는 능력이 훨씬 뛰어나다고 보도는 전했다.

연구팀은 이 몬스터 개미가 3500만~6000만년 전 처음 등장했으며, 특별한 호르몬 조건이 충족될 경우에만 일반 개미와는 다른 외형적 특징을 가진 몬스터 개미로 성장할 수 있다고 설명했다.


  • 1. Foreign schools unsupervised
  • 2. NK launches three short-range guided missiles: defense ministry
  • 3. Tax office to inspect alcohol industry
  • 4. 'NK has 200 mobile launchers'
  • 5. Woman jailed for stabbing husband to death after quarrel
  • 6. K-pop industry seeks leap forward
  • 7. Housing market bouncing back
  • 8. When healthcare becomes a vacation
  • 9. Ahn-Moon rivalry kicks in
  • 10. Korea still behind in software power


Copyeditors, cartoonist wanted
‘Expat citizen reporters’ wanted
Koreatimes.co.kr puts on a new dress