Ants work in groups more successfully than humans

If you’ve ever crossed paths with ants scurrying across your kitchen counter, you know they aren’t solitary creatures. Just like us humans, ant groups enjoy a robust social life.

Perhaps that’s not news to you, but did you know that both ants and humans share a unique trait? We’re the only species that collaborate to transport bulky items that are enormously bigger than ourselves.

This rare trait forms the basis of a fascinating study led by Professor Ofer Feinerman and his team at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

The researchers pitted ants against humans in maneuvering a large object through a maze, and it led to surprising insights about decision-making and the dynamics of teamwork.

Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study explores the advantages and limitations of cooperation in two vastly different species.

The results highlight the strengths of collective ant behavior and the challenges humans face in group settings, particularly when communication is restricted.

“Piano movers puzzle” for ants and humans

To compare the cooperation within these species, the researchers adapted the “piano movers puzzle.”

This computational problem, common in robotics, involves moving a bulky object through a complex space. Instead of a piano, participants maneuvered a T-shaped object through a maze with three chambers that were connected by narrow slits.

Ants and humans tackled mazes scaled to their respective sizes. For humans, recruitment was straightforward – they volunteered for the fun of competition.

Ants, however, were lured by the false promise of food. The selected ants, Paratrechina longicornis or “crazy ants,” are common in Israel and known for their agility and social behavior.

Participants were divided into three categories: individuals, small groups (six to nine humans or seven ants), and large groups (26 humans or 80 ants).

For a fair comparison, human groups were sometimes prohibited from speaking or gesturing. They even wore surgical masks and sunglasses to mimic the ants’ non-verbal communication.

Humans excel alone, ants shine in groups

The study revealed striking differences between humans and ants in their problem-solving approaches. When working individually, humans significantly outperformed ants, thanks to their cognitive abilities and strategic planning.

In group tasks, however, ants outcompeted humans, especially in larger groups. Ant colonies demonstrated remarkable coordination and collective memory. They consistently pursued effective strategies and avoided repeated errors.

“An ant colony is actually a family. All the ants in the nest are sisters, and they have common interests,” explained Feinerman.

Humans, on the other hand, struggled to translate individual strengths into group success. Without communication, their performance often declined. They tended to choose “greedy” solutions – quick fixes that weren’t sustainable.

According to the researchers, these choices reflected the “lowest common denominator” approach.

Lowest common denominator

The “lowest common denominator” approach means that the decisions made by the group tended to simplify or reduce complex problems to the easiest or most basic solution.

This often happens when groups prioritize solutions that everyone can agree on – even if those solutions are less effective or strategic.

In the context of this study, it implies that human groups chose strategies that required the least effort or consensus, sacrificing long-term benefits for short-term simplicity.

Lessons from ant groups

The study from the Weizmann Institute of Science highlights the unique social dynamics of ant colonies.

Ants function as a super-organism, with individuals acting like cells in a larger body. Their cooperation is seamless, driven by shared goals rather than competition.

“Our findings validate this vision. We’ve shown that ants acting as a group are smarter, that for them the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” said Feinerman.

In contrast, the famous human “wisdom of the crowd” didn’t emerge in this experiment. Communication barriers and individual tendencies hindered group efficiency. This highlights the complexities of human cooperation, even in controlled settings.

Bridging science and collaboration

The study exemplifies how collaboration across disciplines can yield remarkable insights.

Contributors included Dr. Ehud Fonio, Professor Nir Gov, and Dr. Amir Haluts, along with Professor Amos Korman from the University of Haifa.

Despite the challenges of human teamwork, the researchers successfully merged expertise in physics, biology, and computational modeling.

This unique experiment offers valuable lessons about group dynamics and decision-making. While humans and ants excel in different ways, this comparison sheds light on the potential – and pitfalls – of working together.

The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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