Body hair on Saharan silver ants keeps them cool
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.028971
New Scientist : A dense array of silvery, triangular hairs helps shield the Saharan silver ant, Cataglyphis bombycina, from the Sun’s scorching rays in the African desert. Nanfang Yu of Columbia University and his colleagues, whose study has been published in Science, say the hairs work on two levels: They reflect visible and near-IR light, and they allow the ants to dissipate heat in the mid-IR range via blackbody radiation. The ants need that protection because they forage for food during the hottest part of the day, when predatory ant lizards are forced into the shade. The unusual silvery coat, which allows the ants to keep cool in extreme conditions, is being studied for its potential applications, such as biomimetic coatings for rooftops to cut air-conditioning bills.
