Researchers Nearly Double the Size of Worker Ants 99

Posted by Soulskill on Wednesday March 11, 2015 @01:07PM 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.

Researchers Nearly Double the Size of Worker Ants

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wait a minute... (Score:5, Funny)

by slashmydots ( 2189826 ) writes: on Wednesday March 11, 2015 @01:08PM (#49234863)

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.

- Re: (Score:1)
  
  by BreakBad ( 2955249 ) writes:
  
  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.
  - - Re: (Score:3)
      
      by The_Rook ( 136658 ) writes:
      
      Go Team Ant!
      http://nethack.wikia.com/wiki/Ant#.22Go_Team_Ant.22
- Re:wait a minute... (Score:5, Funny)
  
  by Greyfox ( 87712 ) writes: on Wednesday March 11, 2015 @02:42PM (#49235739) Homepage Journal
  
  That's silly! No one's talking about making them breathe fire! Hm. Unless... Um... BRB...
  
- Re: (Score:2)
  
  by sandytaru ( 1158959 ) writes:
  
  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.
- Re: (Score:2)
  
  by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) writes:
  
  Comment removed based on user account deletion
- - Re: (Score:2)
    
    by Immerman ( 2627577 ) writes:
    
    That should be obvious - they make for awesome "guard dogs" and "lion pits" for the black-hearted sorts, but a few always escape...
- - Re: (Score:1)
    
    by slashmydots ( 2189826 ) writes:
    
    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.
Keep em away from my house (Score:5, Funny)

by c0d3g33k ( 102699 ) writes: on Wednesday March 11, 2015 @01:11PM (#49234897)

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

- Re:Keep em away from my house (Score:5, Informative)
  
  by omems ( 1869410 ) writes: on Wednesday March 11, 2015 @01:27PM (#49235055)
  
  You're in luck then, cause they're not genetically modified. They're epigenetically modified (thru drugs).
  
  - Re: (Score:3)
    
    by LifesABeach ( 234436 ) writes:
    
    I wonder if similar therapies could be applied to humans?
    - Re: (Score:2)
      
      by Minwee ( 522556 ) writes:
      
      They are Florida ants. Where did you think they got the idea from?
      - Re: (Score:2)
        
        by sumdumass ( 711423 ) writes:
        
        You thinking about medicated underwear?
        Double thr size.... hm....
    - Re: (Score:3)
      
      by pooh666 ( 624584 ) writes:
      
      I think you meant to type in, "enhancement" on your Google search, good luck on that.
    - Re: (Score:1)
      
      by Anonymous Coward writes:
      
      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.
    - Re: (Score:2)
      
      by netsavior ( 627338 ) writes:
      
      Yeah, leading edge aids treatments, body building doping, and "anti-aging" treatments would be revolutionized by such a finding 50 years ago.
    - Re:Keep em away from my house (Score:5, Interesting)
      
      by Rei ( 128717 ) writes: on Wednesday March 11, 2015 @08:03PM (#49237733) Homepage
      
      Probably not. But they could very likely do it to their close relatives, bees, which might be useful. Bees are actually more closely related [ucdavis.edu] to ants than they are to wasps.
      
- Re: (Score:3, Funny)
  
  by The Grim Reefer ( 1162755 ) writes:
  
  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.
  - Re: (Score:2)
    
    by Agripa ( 139780 ) writes:
    
    They might make an exception for GMO-free humans. They could raise them as livestock.
- Re: (Score:3)
  
  by vettemph ( 540399 ) writes:
  
  They don't so much "roam" as extract you from your home and feed you to their young.
- Re: (Score:3)
  
  by OzPeter ( 195038 ) writes:
  
  [lamenting missed opportunities]
  The title of your post should have been
  Keep Them! [imdb.com] away from my house
What is their reasoning for this science ? (Score:2)

by SirGeek ( 120712 ) writes:

Are they going to use it on chickens to make elephant sized chickens (One breast would feed a school ?!?!)
- Re:What is their reasoning for this science ? (Score:5, Insightful)
  
  by itzly ( 3699663 ) writes: on Wednesday March 11, 2015 @01:13PM (#49234931)
  
  Expanding our knowledge.
  
- Re: (Score:2)
  
  by sycodon ( 149926 ) writes:
  
  Mmm....breasts.
- Re: (Score:2)
  
  by GTRacer ( 234395 ) writes:
  
  Once they hire Billywitchdoctor.com, they'll be ready to roll!
- Re: (Score:2)
  
  by LongearedBat ( 1665481 ) writes:
  
  Yes, because underdeveoped elephant sized chickens become dinosaurs!!! [washingtonpost.com]
Anything but spiders (Score:1)

by gunner_von_diamond ( 3461783 ) writes:

As long as it's not giant spiders... [imdb.com]
next: small dragons (Score:2)

by hooiberg ( 1789158 ) writes:

So now all there is left to do for science is to create small dragons...
I, for one... (Score:1)

by marsu_k ( 701360 ) writes:

...can't be arsed to post the Simpsons quote here.
I for one welcome (Score:1)

by future assassin ( 639396 ) writes:

.....
- Re: (Score:2)
  
  by NatasRevol ( 731260 ) writes:
  
  What is this? A comment for ants?
  - Re: (Score:2)
    
    by Coren22 ( 1625475 ) writes:
    
    He is using scent communications.
Researchers Nearly Double the Size of Worker Ants (Score:5, Funny)

by Snufu ( 1049644 ) writes: on Wednesday March 11, 2015 @01:23PM (#49235017)

Those are very small researchers. Or very large ants.

- Re: (Score:3)
  
  by rujasu ( 3450319 ) writes:
  
  Glad I wasn't the only one thinking this.
- Re: (Score:3)
  
  by Nidi62 ( 1525137 ) writes:
  
  The ants that deleted the emails sent by the researchers recruiting for the study because they thought it was spam must be pissed.
- Re: (Score:2)
  
  by AnotherAnonymousUser ( 972204 ) writes:
  
  Working at a Center For Ants, perhaps :)?
  
  http://gifrific.com/wp-content... [gifrific.com]
- Re: (Score:2)
  
  by antdude ( 79039 ) writes:
  
  What is this? Researchers for ants? :P
If they do that to fire ants (Score:2)

by whitroth ( 9367 ) writes:

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
I seem to remember someone in Brazil... (Score:1)

by chasm22 ( 2713399 ) writes:

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.
I for one... (Score:5, Funny)

by Detonia ( 3694291 ) writes: on Wednesday March 11, 2015 @01:34PM (#49235131)

...approve of our new Ant overlords.

- Re: (Score:2)
  
  by TapeCutter ( 624760 ) writes:
  
  ..don't approve, I'm off to the pet shop to buy a giant anteater before they are sold out!
Rather than what? (Score:3, Insightful)

by TechyImmigrant ( 175943 ) writes: on Wednesday March 11, 2015 @01:41PM (#49235183) Homepage Journal

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.

- Re:Rather than what? (Score:4, Informative)
  
  by ClickOnThis ( 137803 ) writes: on Wednesday March 11, 2015 @02:33PM (#49235649) Journal
  
  TFA and summary are correct: they did not modify the genetic code in the DNA. However, they did methylate [wikipedia.org] the adenine and cytosine nucleotides. Presumably this changed the behavior of the DNA, but it did not change the base-pair sequences.
  
  - Re: (Score:2)
    
    by TechyImmigrant ( 175943 ) writes:
    
    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.
  - Re: (Score:2)
    
    by friesofdoom ( 3817155 ) writes:
    
    "Look, I haven't modified this rope at all, I've just cut it up into pieces."
- - Re: (Score:2)
    
    by TechyImmigrant ( 175943 ) writes:
    
    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.
    - - Re: (Score:2)
        
        by TechyImmigrant ( 175943 ) writes:
        
        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've seen this movie! (Score:5, Interesting)

by wiredog ( 43288 ) writes: on Wednesday March 11, 2015 @01:43PM (#49235195) Journal

What could possibly go wrong? [imdb.com]

- Re: (Score:2)
  
  by sysrammer ( 446839 ) writes:
  
  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.
Oh, come on people! (Score:5, Funny)

by nobuddy ( 952985 ) writes: on Wednesday March 11, 2015 @01:47PM (#49235237) Homepage Journal

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

TMNT (Score:2)

by martiniturbide ( 1203660 ) writes:

Don't use it in turtles.
Obligatory (Score:2, Funny)

by Necron69 ( 35644 ) writes:

Do you want giant ants? Because that's how you get giant ants!
- Necron69
Came here for the "I for one" jokes. (Score:1)

by BLToday ( 1777712 ) writes:

So far very disappointed.
Them (Score:1)

by Anonymous Coward writes:

The movie was called "Them" it wasn't meant to be a suggestion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4URRp39XOo&t=114
It Came From The Desert (Score:2)

by eric2hill ( 33085 ) writes:

Anyone remember this classic? It Came from the Desert [wikipedia.org]
- Re: (Score:1)
  
  by MeesterCat ( 926256 ) writes:
  
  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.
Just great. Giant worker ants. (Score:5, Funny)

by fahrbot-bot ( 874524 ) writes: on Wednesday March 11, 2015 @02:42PM (#49235741)

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.

- Re: (Score:2)
  
  by Livius ( 318358 ) writes:
  
  They'll probably form a giant union and extort giant wages.
Let me be the first to say... (Score:2)

by DoofusOfDeath ( 636671 ) writes:

No no no no NON NO NO NO NOOOOO!!! no no no no no!!!
Haven't these guys ever seen films. (Score:2)

by sandbagger ( 654585 ) writes:

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.
- Re: (Score:1)
  
  by rdwulfe ( 890032 ) writes:
  
  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.
Well I misread that... (Score:1)

by ccanucs ( 2529272 ) writes:

Thought at first glance there were twice as many researchers as ants... Must be tired :-)
Obligatory Archer comment (kinda) (Score:1)

by Martin Maciaszek ( 120835 ) writes:

Do you want giant killer ants? Because that’s how you get giant killer ants!
Scientists create giant ants?! (Score:2)

by werewolf1031 ( 869837 ) writes:

This was NOT necessary.
Tiny Researchers (Score:1)

by ghurlag ( 1913210 ) writes:

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

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wait a minute... (Score:5, Funny)

Re: (Score:1)

Re: (Score:3)

Re:wait a minute... (Score:5, Funny)

Re: (Score:2)

Re: (Score:2)

Re: (Score:2)

Re: (Score:1)

Keep em away from my house (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Keep em away from my house (Score:5, Informative)

Re: (Score:3)

Re: (Score:2)

Re: (Score:2)

Re: (Score:3)

Re: (Score:1)

Re: (Score:2)

Re:Keep em away from my house (Score:5, Interesting)

Re: (Score:3, Funny)

Re: (Score:2)

Re: (Score:3)

Re: (Score:3)

What is their reasoning for this science ? (Score:2)

Re:What is their reasoning for this science ? (Score:5, Insightful)

Re: (Score:2)

Re: (Score:2)

Re: (Score:2)

Anything but spiders (Score:1)

next: small dragons (Score:2)

I, for one... (Score:1)

I for one welcome (Score:1)

Re: (Score:2)

Re: (Score:2)

Researchers Nearly Double the Size of Worker Ants (Score:5, Funny)

Re: (Score:3)

Re: (Score:3)

Re: (Score:2)

Re: (Score:2)

If they do that to fire ants (Score:2)

I seem to remember someone in Brazil... (Score:1)

I for one... (Score:5, Funny)

Re: (Score:2)

Rather than what? (Score:3, Insightful)

Re:Rather than what? (Score:4, Informative)

Re: (Score:2)

Re: (Score:2)

Re: (Score:2)

Re: (Score:2)

I've seen this movie! (Score:5, Interesting)

Re: (Score:2)

Oh, come on people! (Score:5, Funny)

TMNT (Score:2)

Obligatory (Score:2, Funny)

Came here for the "I for one" jokes. (Score:1)

Them (Score:1)

It Came From The Desert (Score:2)

Re: (Score:1)

Just great. Giant worker ants. (Score:5, Funny)

Re: (Score:2)

Let me be the first to say... (Score:2)

Haven't these guys ever seen films. (Score:2)

Re: (Score:1)

Well I misread that... (Score:1)

Obligatory Archer comment (kinda) (Score:1)

Scientists create giant ants?! (Score:2)

Tiny Researchers (Score:1)

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