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Space Ants - A space-age habitat for ants!
Space Ants AntWorks is based on a 2003 NASA Space Shuttle experiment to study animal life in space and test how ants successfully tunnel in microgravity.
The Ant-Astronaut Story
Ants are fascinating creatures. Look at the ground on a fairly nice day, and chances are you’ll see several scurrying around. The ants we interact with in everyday life tend to be scouts or foragers. The colony, with its impressive and complex tunnel system, remains hidden underground.
Visible ant habitats, such as the Ant Farm® product (Ant Farm® is a registered trademark of Uncle Milton Industries, Inc.), provide insight into the lives of these amazing insects.
Ant Farm® habitats enable viewers to peer into the mysterious world of ants and how they tunnel. Usually made of two panes of glass (or clear plastic) and filled with sand, Ant Farm® habitats and their ilk allow a micro colony of ants to be put on display in a home or office. As ants tunnel in the sand, viewers are able to witness a network of tunnels develop before their eyes.
Because you can’t really see through sand, the visible tunnels are pretty much limited to those next to the outside wall. Another important detail about sand and soil based ant habitats – they don’t like to be moved.
Shaking, whether from a strong earthquake or human-made, can cause the tunnels to collapse – an Earth-shattering cataclysm, at least from the ants’ perspective. This posed quite a problem for the scientists at NASA, which resulted in an ingenious solution.
The Gravity of the Situation
Gravity is a great indicator of direction.
While we may not be certain which way north is without a compass, up and down can always be determined.
To what degree, scientists wondered, do ants use gravity in creating their tunnel network?
If an ant colony were in a zero-gravity (technically, ‘micro-gravity’), environment, would they know to tunnel down – and how complex would their tunnels be?
NASA had been planning experiments around ‘life in space’. The long-term goal, being to discover how certain species react to a micro-gravity environment.
Would ants tunnel downward?
Would spiders spin webs?
These are some of the questions NASA set out to answer.
The Problem and a Creative Solution
Containers for various forms of life were developed for space flight, however a ‘cosmic colony’ of ants posed a unique puzzle.
With a soil/sand-based habitat, NASA and the Space Shuttle crew had two, equally problematic options.
If ants were added to the habitat prior to take-off, the tremendous G-forces would collapse any tunnels, killing the ants.
Trying to add ants to the habitat in a weightless environment might make for an entertaining ‘bloopers’ video, but would be counter-productive for research.
Even if this could be done without the Space Shuttle hosting several rogue floating ants, the tunnels would still collapse from the shaking caused during re-entry.
It became clear that NASA needed a habitat ants could live and tunnel in, that could withstand a significant amount of shaking.
A special gel material was created which would serve as a tunneling medium for the ants, as well as a nutrient source. AntWorks is based on this technology.
AntWorks - Clearly Innovative!
The Fascinations® AntWorks™ allows one to study the behavior of ants in a unique, self-contained environment.
Its special gel is full of nutrients specially formulated for the needs of the ant.
Because the gel is clear, one can see tunnel architecture develop in 3-D – offering a new and unique perspective from that of the traditional, soil-based habitats.
The Fascinations® AntWorks™ includes a container with a special gel formulation, magnifying glass, 20 page booklet detailing fascinating ant facts, and a special ‘extreme magnification lens’ with which one can even see hairs on the ants!
AntWorks™ is amazing, new and Patent Pending.
Simply insert ants into the clear nutrient gel, secure the lid and let the 3-D tunneling show begin!
Either collect your own ants or order via mail (ordering details included in packaging)
The Ant Works is filled with a highly nutritious non-toxic gel into which you make four small holes to get the tunnel network started.
Now add your ants into the Ant Works, replace the lid and watch.
Within days the ants will burrow out an amazing pattern of channels, each clearly visible in cross-section through the walls of the container.
Maintenance is minimal. Besides providing a safe ecologically-correct habitat, the gel also provides the ants' food.
You simply need to open the lid for a moment once a month to aerate the interior.
The AntWorks Gel is complete with nutrients to promote healthy growth in the new colony.
Easy to care for, once inside the AntWorks the ants require NO aditional food or water.
Features:
Sturdy flat acrylic container measures 16½cm (6½") x 12½cm (5")
The perfect educational gift for all ages
Comes with everything you need (except ants)
Get up close and personal with the enclosed space scope magnifier
Worker ants conveniently carry those who have passed away to the top for easy disposal.
Gel can be re-used with more ants
Life expectancy is upto 6 months!
Contains:
Space Ants Container with gel
Magnifier
Instruction manual
Coupon for ordering ants (The is a small charge to be paid if you choose to use the voucher) |
