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Researchers Nearly Double the Size of Worker Ants

Posted by Soulskill on from the why-would-you-do-this dept.

sciencehabit writes: Researchers have nearly doubled the size of a handful of Florida ants by chemically modifying their DNA, rather than by changing its encoded information. The work may help explain how the insects—despite their high degree of genetic similarity—grow into the different varieties of workers needed in a colony.

62 of 99 comments (clear)

  1. wait a minute... by slashmydots · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is EXACTLY what happened in the ant mission from Fallout 3. I had to kill like 50 of those giant ants. In fact, I think they breathed fire too. They should really stop pointless science like this before I have to clean up yet another mess with a flechette shotgun.

    1. Re:wait a minute... by BreakBad · · Score: 1

      That explains it. These scientists play Fallout 3. Things were getting a little boring in the labs. How about some fire breathing man sized insects to spice things up.

    2. Re:wait a minute... by Greyfox · · Score: 5, Funny

      That's silly! No one's talking about making them breathe fire! Hm. Unless... Um... BRB...

      --

      I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

    3. Re:wait a minute... by sandytaru · · Score: 1

      Happened in FFXI too. Giant ant race took over an entire island. Displaced the Galka and forced them into slavery for 200 years for the Bastokans that took them in.

      --
      Occasionally living proof of the Ballmer peak.
    4. Re:wait a minute... by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      I'm going to invent a Preservation Shelter for little kids to hide in if these ants come attacking.
          -- Dr Pulowski

    5. Re:wait a minute... by Immerman · · Score: 1

      That should be obvious - they make for awesome "guard dogs" and "lion pits" for the black-hearted sorts, but a few always escape...

      --
      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
    6. Re:wait a minute... by slashmydots · · Score: 1

      Technically 7 years since the last DLC for New Vegas. And everyone is sick of waiting on GTA V and Half Life 3. Fallout 4 is technically more progressed than the HL3 project, which isn't saying much.

  2. Keep em away from my house by c0d3g33k · · Score: 5, Funny

    I only allow GMO-free ants to roam my property.

    1. Re:Keep em away from my house by omems · · Score: 5, Informative

      You're in luck then, cause they're not genetically modified. They're epigenetically modified (thru drugs).

    2. Re:Keep em away from my house by LifesABeach · · Score: 2

      I wonder if similar therapies could be applied to humans?

    3. Re:Keep em away from my house by The+Grim+Reefer · · Score: 3, Funny

      I only allow GMO-free ants to roam my property.

      That's OK. They don't recognize your property claim and they only allow giant ants from their colony and food on their land.

      And you sure don't look like a giant ant.

    4. Re:Keep em away from my house by Minwee · · Score: 1

      They are Florida ants. Where did you think they got the idea from?

    5. Re:Keep em away from my house by pooh666 · · Score: 2

      I think you meant to type in, "enhancement" on your Google search, good luck on that.

    6. Re:Keep em away from my house by vettemph · · Score: 2

      They don't so much "roam" as extract you from your home and feed you to their young.

      --
      The government which is strong enough to protect you from everything is strong enough to take everything from you.
    7. Re:Keep em away from my house by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I wonder if similar therapies could be applied to humans?

      Take one look at an NFL ( American football for those who are not located in the US ) defensive line, and you will have your answer.

    8. Re:Keep em away from my house by OzPeter · · Score: 2

      [lamenting missed opportunities]

      The title of your post should have been

      Keep Them! away from my house

      --
      I am Slashdot. Are you Slashdot as well?
    9. Re:Keep em away from my house by netsavior · · Score: 1

      Yeah, leading edge aids treatments, body building doping, and "anti-aging" treatments would be revolutionized by such a finding 50 years ago.

    10. Re:Keep em away from my house by sumdumass · · Score: 1

      You thinking about medicated underwear?

      Double thr size.... hm....

    11. Re:Keep em away from my house by Rei · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Probably not. But they could very likely do it to their close relatives, bees, which might be useful. Bees are actually more closely related to ants than they are to wasps.

      --
      "Are you hungry? I haven't eaten since later this afternoon." -- Primer
    12. Re:Keep em away from my house by Agripa · · Score: 1

      They might make an exception for GMO-free humans. They could raise them as livestock.

  3. What is their reasoning for this science ? by SirGeek · · Score: 1

    Are they going to use it on chickens to make elephant sized chickens (One breast would feed a school ?!?!)

    --
    UPS Sucks
    1. Re:What is their reasoning for this science ? by itzly · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Expanding our knowledge.

    2. Re:What is their reasoning for this science ? by sycodon · · Score: 1

      Mmm....breasts.

      --
      When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
    3. Re:What is their reasoning for this science ? by GTRacer · · Score: 1

      Once they hire Billywitchdoctor.com, they'll be ready to roll!

      --
      Defending IP by destroying access to it? That makes sense, RIAA/MPAA. Go to the corner until you can play nice!
    4. Re:What is their reasoning for this science ? by LongearedBat · · Score: 1

      Yes, because underdeveoped elephant sized chickens become dinosaurs!!!

  4. Anything but spiders by gunner_von_diamond · · Score: 1

    As long as it's not giant spiders...

  5. next: small dragons by hooiberg · · Score: 1

    So now all there is left to do for science is to create small dragons...

  6. Researchers Nearly Double the Size of Worker Ants by Snufu · · Score: 4, Funny

    Those are very small researchers. Or very large ants.

  7. If they do that to fire ants by whitroth · · Score: 1

    I'll have a necromantic ritual, bring up the shade of my late ex, and let her go kill them messily wherever they're hiding.

    And if you think that's extreme, go find a fire ant nest and investigate it, preferably with bare feet.

                    mark

  8. I seem to remember someone in Brazil... by chasm22 · · Score: 1

    Here come the killer ants. I bet the drones will be flying for sure. I wouldn't want to be sharing the sky with them. Birds beware.

  9. Re:Researchers Nearly Double the Size of Worker An by rujasu · · Score: 2

    Glad I wasn't the only one thinking this.

  10. I for one... by Detonia · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...approve of our new Ant overlords.

    --
    Comment received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
    1. Re:I for one... by TapeCutter · · Score: 1

      ..don't approve, I'm off to the pet shop to buy a giant anteater before they are sold out!

      --
      And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
  11. Rather than what? by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The initial paragraph of TFA and the summary both fail to say what was done instead of modifying the coded information.

    They are actually talking about modifying the methylation of the DNA rather than the base pair sequence. How this doesn't count as coded information is beyond me.

    --
    I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
    1. Re:Rather than what? by ClickOnThis · · Score: 3, Informative

      TFA and summary are correct: they did not modify the genetic code in the DNA. However, they did methylate the adenine and cytosine nucleotides. Presumably this changed the behavior of the DNA, but it did not change the base-pair sequences.

      --
      If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
    2. Re:Rather than what? by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 1

      Err. Yes. That's what I said. The summary did not say that. The letters 'methyl' do not appear in the summary or the opening paragraph of TFA. Try reading what I said before responding to it.

      Nevertheless, it is still information. It is coded information.

      --
      I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
    3. Re:Rather than what? by friesofdoom · · Score: 2

      "Look, I haven't modified this rope at all, I've just cut it up into pieces."

    4. Re:Rather than what? by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 1

      I guess my grasp of information theory is stronger than my grasp of what geneticists think about information theory.

      Methylation is more or less a string of bits on top of the string of bit-pairs coded in the base pairs.

      --
      I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
    5. Re:Rather than what? by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 1

      Yes. I've been reading a lot about new learnings to do with methylation as I've studied a lot of biochemistry and nutrition research to understand obesity and disease. That methylation can epigenetically change mitochondria and be passed on by the mother has the potential to explain how changing diet by your grandmother and great grandmother may have affected obesity today. But as usual, until highly specific experiments are done and supporting data is gathered, it's more hypothesis than theory.

      --
      I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
  12. I've seen this movie! by wiredog · · Score: 4, Interesting

    What could possibly go wrong?

    --

    Best Slashdot Co
    1. Re:I've seen this movie! by sysrammer · · Score: 1

      Great movie. It'd be tough to do it justice with a remake nowadays. idk, I guess we could blame it on agw or something instead of radiation.

      --
      His ignorance covered the whole earth like a blanket, and there was hardly a hole in it anywhere. - Mark Twain
  13. Oh, come on people! by nobuddy · · Score: 5, Funny

    How is "I, for one, welcome our giant ant overlords." not the first post here? Opportunity wasted.

  14. TMNT by martiniturbide · · Score: 1

    Don't use it in turtles.

  15. Obligatory by Necron69 · · Score: 1, Funny

    Do you want giant ants? Because that's how you get giant ants!

    - Necron69

    1. Re:Obligatory by The_Rook · · Score: 2

      Go Team Ant!

      http://nethack.wikia.com/wiki/Ant#.22Go_Team_Ant.22

      --
      when religion is no longer the opiate of the masses, governments will resort to real opiates.
  16. Re:Researchers Nearly Double the Size of Worker An by Nidi62 · · Score: 2

    The ants that deleted the emails sent by the researchers recruiting for the study because they thought it was spam must be pissed.

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
  17. Them by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    The movie was called "Them" it wasn't meant to be a suggestion.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4URRp39XOo&t=114

  18. It Came From The Desert by eric2hill · · Score: 2

    Anyone remember this classic? It Came from the Desert

    --
    LOAD "SIG",8,1
    LOADING...
    READY.
    RUN
    1. Re:It Came From The Desert by MeesterCat · · Score: 1

      I came to post that very same link. Such a damn hard game, trying to shoot antenna off...

      I can still hear the noise that signified an impending ant attack.

      --
      "I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different." ~ Kurt Vonnegut Jnr.
  19. Re:I for one welcome by NatasRevol · · Score: 1

    What is this? A comment for ants?

    --
    There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
  20. Just great. Giant worker ants. by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 4, Funny

    More competition in work force to suppress wages. I'm sure once they get to be big enough, companies will ship them off to India and hire them back using H-1B visas. Let us all pray these ants don't get any IT training.

    --
    It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
    1. Re:Just great. Giant worker ants. by Livius · · Score: 1

      They'll probably form a giant union and extort giant wages.

  21. Let me be the first to say... by DoofusOfDeath · · Score: 1

    No no no no NON NO NO NO NOOOOO!!! no no no no no!!!

  22. Haven't these guys ever seen films. by sandbagger · · Score: 1

    We all know what'll happen next. Monster-killer giant super radioactive ants will devour cities. We'll need a spunky scientist's daughter to convince the test pilot that her father doesn't approve of to attach giant electromagnets on tractors to drive them into the sea where they'll drown.

    --
    ---- The above post was generated by the Turing Institute. Maybe.
  23. Re:I for one welcome by Coren22 · · Score: 1

    He is using scent communications.

    --
    APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  24. Re:Researchers Nearly Double the Size of Worker An by AnotherAnonymousUser · · Score: 1

    Working at a Center For Ants, perhaps :)?

    http://gifrific.com/wp-content...

  25. Re:Exactly what I need... by rdwulfe · · Score: 1

    I actually have a colony (on purpose) of this species (C. floridanus) next to my desk in a very nice formicaria. They are wonderful, large ants to watch and enjoy, even ifyou REALLY do not want to put your hand in the container.

    If they get pissed, they tend to bite then spray formic acid into the wound. Not pleasant... but they're still cute.

  26. Well I misread that... by ccanucs · · Score: 1

    Thought at first glance there were twice as many researchers as ants... Must be tired :-)

  27. Obligatory Archer comment (kinda) by Martin+Maciaszek · · Score: 1

    Do you want giant killer ants? Because that’s how you get giant killer ants!

  28. Re:Researchers Nearly Double the Size of Worker An by antdude · · Score: 1

    What is this? Researchers for ants? :P

    --
    Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  29. Scientists create giant ants?! by werewolf1031 · · Score: 1

    This was NOT necessary.

  30. Tiny Researchers by ghurlag · · Score: 1

    Even at twice the size of the ants, these are the tiniest researchers I've ever heard of.