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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.

23 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 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?

  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 pooh666 · · Score: 2

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

    5. 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.
    6. 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

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    7. 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
  3. Re:What is their reasoning for this science ? by itzly · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Expanding our knowledge.

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

    Those are very small researchers. Or very large ants.

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

    Glad I wasn't the only one thinking this.

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

    ...approve of our new Ant overlords.

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    Comment received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
  7. 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.

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    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 friesofdoom · · Score: 2

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

  8. I've seen this movie! by wiredog · · Score: 4, Interesting

    What could possibly go wrong?

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    Best Slashdot Co
  9. 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.

  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. 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. . . .
  13. 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.