The Secrets to Ant Strength: Scientists Uncover Biomechanics of Insect Necks

Have you ever wondered how ants are so strong? These insects can lift objects that are many times heavier than their own bodies--an amazing feat for such a tiny creature. Now, scientists have taken a closer look at the biomechanics of the necks of ants, potentially unlocking the secrets to their strength.

In order to learn a bit more about how ants manage to life heavy loads, the researchers used laboratory testing and computational modeling. They reserve-engineered the biomechanics by creating 3D models of the ant's internal and external anatomy. This allowed them to determine the relationship between the mechanical function, structural design and material properties of the Allegheny mound ant.

"Loads are lifted with the mouthparts, transferred through the neck joint to the thorax, and distributed over six legs and tarsi that anchor to the supporting surface," said Carlos Castro, one of the researchers, in a news release. "While previous research has explored attachment mechanisms of the tarsi (feet), little is known about the relation between the mechanical function and structural design and material properties of the ant."

Using the 3D models they created, the researchers ran simulations in conjunction with lab experiments. They found that, surprisingly, the neck joints could withstand about 5,000 times the ant's body weight. In addition, they found that an ant's neck-joint structure produces the highest strength when its head is aligned straight, as opposed to turned to either side.

"The neck joint [of the ant] is a complex and highly integrated mechanical system," said Vienny Nguyen, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Efforts to understand the structure-function relationship in this system will contribute to the understanding of the design paradigms for optimized exoskeleton mechanisms. As we look to the future of human-assistive devices and ultra-light robotics, the development of 3-dimensional models for visual analysis and loading and kinematic simulation will also serve as tools for evaluating and comparing the functional morphology of multiple species."

The findings are published in the journal Biomechanics.