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Ants

Episode 4 of 12

Chris Packham explores what makes animal groups successful. He looks at how the globe's 100 trillion ants have colonised the planet like no other.

The 100 trillion ants in the world weigh as much as all the people on earth and have colonised the planet like no other animal.

Chris Packham explores the ingenious ways in which ants have collaborated to achieve their global success - natural air-conditioning systems keep ants cool in their nests, shelters made from their own bodies protect nomadic ants from the elements and a sense of smell five times more powerful than other insects allows them to overpower animals hundreds of times larger than themselves.

Remarkably, new research reveals how ant colonies are capable of immunising themselves against diseases.

29 minutes

Last on

Sat 4 May 2024 16:30

Clip

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • Four Tet

    This Unfolds

  • Portico Quartet

    Prickly Pair

  • Arcane

    Yodel 3

  • Four Tet

    Twenty Three

  • 00:07

    Four Tet

    This Unfolds

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Chris Packham
Executive Producer Jonny Keeling
Director Francis Welch
Producer Francis Welch
Series Producer Aaron Paul

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